Social Studies Teacher Candidates’ Views on the Community Service Practices Course

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the views of social studies teacher candidates that were enrolled at the Faculty of Education at Sakarya University on the Community Service Practices (CSP) course. The study benefited from qualitative research methodology and the participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data collected through semi-structured interview forms were analyzed through descriptive analysis method. The results of the study indicated that Social Sciences teacher candidates were not well informed about the aim of the course. Half of the teacher candidates believed that the aim of the course was not completely realized. The most common issues faced during the practices were stated to be obtaining permission to visit the institutions and the institutions’ attitudes towards the students. The teacher candidates learning how institutions function and what they do not know about real life are willing to transfer these experiences to their students. In order for the course to be conducted efficiently, the teacher candidates request that the necessary permission to visit institutions be obtained by their universities, that they can visit different institutions, and that a financial source be provided for this course.