Abstract The aim of this study is to reveal the educational perceptions and expectations of the Turkish parents. For this purpose, interviews were conducted with 49 parents who had students in preschool, primary, secondary and high school in Siirt and Batman. The research is a qualitative phenomenological study. Interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview form to collect detailed data from parents. Interview form questions were determined by pre-interview with teachers and school administrators and developed by academicians who were experts in the field. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis technique and expressed in tables. Research findings are given below. When it is asked the question of “Why education?”, the parents mostly mentioned the issues that education supports economic, cultural returns and individual development. For the question, “What kind of Education” all of the parents mentioned educational practices appropriate to contemporary education approaches and mentioned various aspects of contemporary education components. For the question of “Will your children continue their education after compulsory education if the level of your economic welfare is well?” the majority of the parents stated that education is obligatory under all circumstances and that their children will continue their education due to socio-cultural and economic benefits. Seven parents stated that they would leave the choice to the student because volunteering is necessary to get efficiency. Related to “Course selection” more than half of the parents preferred the courses that the students would encounter in their exams for their children and asked for the predominant courses to be given in the exam. Twelve parents emphasized the developmental courses appropriate to the ability of the students, while eight parents stated that all courses should be given. Related to “the future dream about their children and choice of department for higher education” more than half of the parents have dreams about their children; and stated that he would release the student in the department choices. Fourteen parents stated that they had not yet dreamed about the future and that they would decide the department with the student. Ten parents stated that they had future dreams about their children and that they would not release their children in the selection of the department. In general, it was found that parents talked about an idealized education approach which refers to different components of contemporary education about how education should be, but as an expectation, they demanded an education which was formed with exam-oriented courses in order to provide socio-economic benefits.
Avcı et al. (Sat,) studied this question.