A qualitative study on the prospective social studies teachers’ role-model preferences

Abstract

In this study is intended to investigate prospective social studies teachers’ role model preferences and the reflections of these preferences to their daily lives. This study was designed as a qualitative study in the form of descriptive model. The participants consisted of 306 prospective social studies teachers enrolled in nine different state universities in Turkey. Data have been collected by the help of a questionnaire consisting of four openended questions. The data were initially analyzed descriptively and later they were coded by using a content analysis technique. The findings showed that most of the prospective social studies teachers found themselves capable enough in terms of their personal traits, mental abilities, and their communication with people. In addition, it was shown that prospective social studies teachers generally modelled political leaders, academicians, teachers, and their family members in terms of their personal characteristics, communicative skills, teaching styles, intelligence, and accomplishments of their role-model preferences. Besides, the data showed that participants adopted their models’ communicative skills, world views, determination, honesty, tolerance and patience in their daily lives.