Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine middle school students’ national belonging levels in terms of different variables. In this quantitative study, middle school students’ views on national belonging were determined by the “National Belonging Scale for Middle School Students”. The study was conducted with 1318 middle school students in Niğde province of Turkey during the Spring term of the 2019-2020 academic year. Research data were collected through “National Belonging Scale for Middle School Students” and were analysed with SPSS 24 software package. According to the study results, middle school students had a high positive view of their national belonging. Their gender did not make a statistical difference in terms of both reasons and results of their national belonging. On the other hand, students’ views on national belonging differed in terms of their grade level. Again, although there was no difference between the public and private schools in terms of reasons of their national belonging, there was a statistically significant difference between them in terms of the results of their national belonging in favor of the public school. Another difference was determined between Turkish and refugee students’ national belonging. Turkish students’ mean scores of reasons and results of their national belonging were statistically higher than the refugee students’ mean scores. Considering national belonging in terms of each variable, middle school students’ national belonging can be strengthened with some activities that can be done within the scope of the implicit program as well as the educational activities carried out within the curriculum at schools. Social Studies is the most important course into which works on this subject can be integrated.
Highlights
Every individual has a sense of belonging
Considering national belonging in terms of each variable, middle school students’ national belonging can be strengthened with some activities that can be done within the scope of the implicit program as well as the educational activities carried out within the curriculum at schools
Social Studies is the most important course into which works on this subject can be integrated
Summary
The individual can develop his/her sense of belonging for certain groups (e.g. family) without any choice in the matter. Based on his/her personal preferences, the individual can develop his/her sense of belonging for certain groups with which he/she has social and cultural interactions and toward whom feels trust and loyalty. Participatory Educational Research (PER), 9 (1);150172 January 2022 develops based on the causality of his/her belonging on a micro-scale if his/her belonging is for certain small groups or on a macro-scale if his/her belonging is for society (Alptekin, 2011). As a matter of fact, the qualitative characteristics of the group determine the level of belonging of the individual and the belonging to be realized becomes more than a feeling for individuals, living together, sharing time and effort (Mavili, Kesen & Daşbaş, 2014), and it is certain that the way individuals show these meaningful behaviors will differ depending on the groups they belong to.
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