Prospective Social Studies Teachers Research Articles

Predictors of Social Justice: Critical Thinking Disposition and Student Personal Responsibility

The increase in diversity in society and, thus, in schools brings the possibility of an increase in the number of students exposed to prejudice and discrimination due to their differences. Therefore, there is a need for teachers who can support students' perceptions of social justice. This study aims to examine the predictive power of CT disposition and SP responsibility on social justice attitudes in prospective social studies teachers. 341 prospective social studies teachers from universities in various cities of Turkey participated in the study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that CT disposition predicted social justice, while SP responsibility did not have a significant effect. The study's results underline the importance of increasing CT disposition to increase prospective teachers' social justice attitudes. It is necessary to include CT disposition development in studies on social justice.

ANALISIS IMPLEMENTASI MICROTEACHING DALAM PENGEMBANGAN KETERAMPILAN DASAR MENGAJAR CALON GURU IPS

The objective of this study was to examine how microteaching is implemented to enhance the fundamental teaching skills of future Social Studies teachers. This research employed a quantitative descriptive approach, utilizing observation rubrics and performance assessment as data collection methods. The study's sample was 18 students enrolled in the Social Studies Teaching program. The results revealed increased scores on essential teaching skills during the second performance. The detailed evaluation covers questioning skills at 72.5, reinforcement skills at 71.7, variation skills at 73.1, explanation skills at 75.4, opening and closing lesson skills at 75.4, discussion and small group skills at 69.5, class management and discipline skills at 73, individual teaching skills at 75.7, and lesson plan preparation skills at 78.8. In summary, prospective Social Studies teachers have effectively developed their teaching skills. However, further guidance is essential, particularly in discussion and small group management.

Predictors of Social Justice: Critical Thinking Disposition and Student Personal Responsibility

The increase in diversity in society and, thus, in schools brings the possibility of an increase in the number of students exposed to prejudice and discrimination due to their differences. Therefore, there is a need for teachers who can support students' perceptions of social justice. This study aims to examine the predictive power of CT disposition and SP responsibility on social justice attitudes in prospective social studies teachers. 341 prospective social studies teachers from universities in various cities of Turkey participated in the study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that CT disposition predicted social justice, while SP responsibility did not have a significant effect. The study's results underline the importance of increasing CT disposition to increase prospective teachers' social justice attitudes. It is necessary to include CT disposition development in studies on social justice.

Integration of Social Studies and English: Prospective Teachers’ Views “Feeding two birds with one scone?”

This study aims to examine the process of developing interdisciplinary lesson plans for prospective English and social studies teachers using the Content-based language instruction model (CLIL) and through collaborative work. The participants of the study consisted of 30 prospective English and 10 prospective social studies teachers who were continuing their pre-service university education in one of the western provinces of Turkey. A qualitative approach was used to answer the research problem, and data collection tools consisted of questionnaires, semi-structured group interviews, and lesson plans. Both descriptive and content analysis was used to reach inferential results. As a result of the research, it was understood that pre-service teachers’ own learning experiences affect their beliefs about their teaching experiences. Besides, it was understood that the 4C model, which can be used in CLIL, is specifically suitable for social studies. In line with these results, suggestions were made for future studies.

The Role of Argumentative Writing in Teaching Controversial Issues: A Mixed Methods Research

This study aims to examine the role of argumentative writing in teaching controversial issues in Social Studies education. We employed the convergent design, as a mixed methods approach. The sample consisted of 49 prospective Social Studies teachers. Data were collected through an attitude scale towards controversial issues, semi-structured interview forms, focus group interviews, and respondents’ diaries. The respondents were also asked to write argumentative essays on particular controversial issues (i.e., brain migration, technology, nuclear energy, and different types of government) in the Social Studies course. The written tasks were evaluated throughout the period. Descriptive and predictive analytics were used to examine the quantitative data, while content and descriptive analyses were made on the qualitative data, which were additionally analysed by MAXQDA 2020. A statistical significance was found between the respondents’ pre-test and post-test scores regarding controversial issues. It appeared that drawing on controversial issues was effective in developing certain skills such as researching, critical thinking, recognizing one’s own opinions, respecting different opinions, using scientific evidence, and making assessments. We believe that argumentative writing plays a critical role in developing these skills, which are likely to come out while teaching controversial issues. It could be assumed that writing argumentative essays is an alternative way for teachers to create a democratic classroom atmosphere while teaching controversial issues.

Content Validation of Digital Instrument for Measurement of Pedagogic Competence for Social Science Teacher Candidates in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Era in Indonesia

The primary objective of this study is to determine the content validity of digital instruments used to assess social studies teacher candidates in Indonesia during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The development of instruments was used as a research strategy. Two experts were used as content validity test subjects. Multiple-choice questions were used to elicit information on the pedagogical abilities of prospective social studies teachers. In this study, the instrument’s content validity was determined using an expert test based on the Gregory formula. According to the findings of this investigation, the instrument’s content validity is very high.

Examination of the Relationship Between Prospective Social Studies Teachers Epistemological Beliefs and Their Attitudes Towards Learning

This study was carried out to determine relationship between prospective teachers (studying at department of social studies teaching)’ attitudes towards learning and their scientific epistemological beliefs. The study was conducted with 213 prospective (preservice) social studies teachers who were studying at Faculty of Education of a public university during 2019-2020 Academic year. Mixed method was employed in the study. Attitude scale towards learning and epistemological belief scale were used in obtaining quantitative data; and qualitative ones (data) were collected by interview form. Analysis of quantitative data was carried out by SPSS 22 statistical package program. Content analysis was applied to qualitative data, obtained as a result of the interview with 25 prospective teachers. According to findings, obtained from the study, prospective teachers’ attitudes towards learning and epistemological beliefs, are at high level and medium-level, respectively. It was found to be a significant relationship between attitude towards learning and epistemological belief.

Examination of the Relationship Between Prospective Social Studies Teachers Epistemological Beliefs and Their Attitudes Towards Learning

This study was carried out to determine relationship between prospective teachers (studying at department of social studies teaching)’ attitudes towards learning and their scientific epistemological beliefs. The study was conducted with 213 prospective (preservice) social studies teachers who were studying at Faculty of Education of a public university during 2019-2020 Academic year. Mixed method was employed in the study. Attitude scale towards learning and epistemological belief scale were used in obtaining quantitative data; and qualitative ones (data) were collected by interview form. Analysis of quantitative data was carried out by SPSS 22 statistical package program. Content analysis was applied to qualitative data, obtained as a result of the interview with 25 prospective teachers. According to findings, obtained from the study, prospective teachers’ attitudes towards learning and epistemological beliefs, are at high level and medium-level, respectively. It was found to be a significant relationship between attitude towards learning and epistemological belief.

The Story of the Ideal Citizen in Turkey: A Narrative Inquiry on the Perspectives of Prospective Social Studies Teachers

This study aims at understanding the concept of “ideal citizenship” from the prospective social studies teachers’ perspective. The study was conducted using narrative inquiry methodology. Narrative inquiry is a qualitative methodology that focuses on experiences, meanings and stories in the context of people, events and environments that individuals encounter during their lifetime. In narrative inquiry, the experiences of a person participating in the study are examined and considered as a whole. The participants were selected using a typical case sampling method. Data were collected from fifteen prospective social studies teachers. The participants third and fourth-year college students. Data were collected by using the Citizenship Perception Scale, the Active Citizenship Perception Scale and an open-ended questionnaire about the concept of ideal citizenship. The typical case for each university was determined through the results obtained using the scales and open-ended questionnaire. Each participant was selected providing that he/she had a conception of citizenship similar to the typical narrative of that site. Researchers conducted 2 or 3 semi-structured interviews with each participant. The researcher performed “problem-solution narrative analysis” (environment, person, action, problem and solution) to the data. The results revealed that two different narratives of ideal citizenship exist. The prospective social studies teachers fell into two categories as democratic narrative (DN) and patriotic narrative (PN). According to DN, people fail to internalize democracy in Turkey. DN implies that the ideal citizen is a democratic person who recognizes, cares about and respects for diversity. On the other hand, according to PN, Turkey is surrounded by dangerous countries. Moreover, narrators of the PN highlight that foreign countries have negative thoughts about Turkey. Therefore, for the PN, the ideal citizen needs to control his/her emotions, thoughts and actions by considering the good of their country. The results obtained in the current study showed that the prospective social studies teachers had different and even opposing narratives regarding the terms of problems, actions, places, characters and solutions on citizenship. Based on the results, some recommendations were made for citizenship education and future studies.

The Effects of Cooperative Learning and Writing to Learn Applications on Academic Achievement

This study aims to investigate the effect of cooperative story writing and cooperative writing on the academic achievement of prospective social studies teachers in contemporary world history and the relationship between learning writing and course success. The method of the study is a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test comparison groups. The study group of the research is composed of the pre-service social studies teachers who are studying at Ataturk University Kazim Karabekir Education Faculty in the 2019-2020 academic year. The research was carried out with two experimental groups in 6 weeks in total with 12-course hours. Academic achievement test, column, and story writing evaluation rubric were used as data collection tools. According to the data obtained from the pre-test pre-application to the prospective teachers, there was no significant difference between the pre-knowledge levels of the pre-service teachers with whom two different applications were performed. As a result of the study, it was found that cooperative story writing was a significant predictor of academic achievement, but cooperative corner writing was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. Besides, there is no significant difference between prospective teachers' writing skills and story writing skills.

The Effects of Cooperative Learning and Writing to Learn Applications on Academic Achievement

This study aims to investigate the effect of cooperative story writing and cooperative writing on the academic achievement of prospective social studies teachers in contemporary world history and the relationship between learning writing and course success. The method of the study is a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test comparison groups. The study group of the research is composed of the pre-service social studies teachers who are studying at Ataturk University Kazim Karabekir Education Faculty in the 2019-2020 academic year. The research was carried out with two experimental groups in 6 weeks in total with 12-course hours. Academic achievement test, column, and story writing evaluation rubric were used as data collection tools. According to the data obtained from the pre-test pre-application to the prospective teachers, there was no significant difference between the pre-knowledge levels of the pre-service teachers with whom two different applications were performed. As a result of the study, it was found that cooperative story writing was a significant predictor of academic achievement, but cooperative corner writing was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. Besides, there is no significant difference between prospective teachers' writing skills and story writing skills.

Trends and Characteristics of Research on Prospective Social Studies Teachers in Japan

Trends and Characteristics of Research on Prospective Social Studies Teachers in Japan

The Opinions of Prospective Teachers on Using Folk Songs in Social Studies Teaching

The social studies course is one of the most appropriate courses for individuals to acquire social and cultural experiences and to have knowledge and experience in these subjects. The social studies course contains a lot of knowledge, skills, and values to enable the individual to know himself and gain a social identity. It is seen how a society expresses its feelings and emotions at different times, on sad or happy days through folk songs, which have an essential place among the literary products used in the course. This study, which aimed to determine the opinions of the prospective social studies teachers regarding the use of folk songs in social studies courses, was carried out with 16 prospective social studies teachers. In this study, a semi-structured interview form was used to collect data. Explanatory and inferential codes that emerged during the analysis were used to explain the qualitative data and relationships. In line with the data obtained, prospective teachers stated that they found the use of folk song-supported teaching activities in social studies teaching useful in ensuring permanence, drawing students' attention, and being fun. They also expressed that it has benefits such as giving an idea about our national culture, presenting values to students, increasing intelligibility, ensuring that traditions and customs are conveyed from generation to generation, and providing students with different perspectives.

The Relationship between Prospective Social Studies Teachers’ Attitudes towards Gender Roles and Entrepreneurship Levels

Social studies is an important course to include current issues and associate them with life. Within the course, the concept of gender and supporting the entrepreneurship of individuals are noteworthy. Since it is an interdisciplinary course, the recognition of gender roles, and understanding correctly and developing the concept of entrepreneurship are emphasized in the course content. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the prospective social studies teachers’ attitudes towards gender roles considered to play an important role in the emergence of entrepreneurial skills and their entrepreneurship levels. For this purpose, the study was carried out using a relational screening model. The study group consisted of 222 prospective teachers studying in social studies teacher education program at a university located in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey during the 2016-2017 academic year. In the study, Gender Roles Attitude Scale developed by Zeyneloğlu (2008) and University Students Entrepreneurship Scale developed by Yılmaz and Sünbül (2009) were used as data collection tools. As a result of the study, it was found that there is a significant relationship between the participants’ egalitarian gender role attitudes and entrepreneurship levels.

Experiences of prospective social studies teachers in project-based values education

This study, aiming to reveal the experiences of prospective social studies teachers on project-based values education, was carried out in phenomenological design, which is one of the qualitative research designs. The study group consisted of 37 second-year students who received values education as an elective course in the social studies teaching department of a public university and who carried out projects for the values that they determined within the scope of the course. To create a project, the prospective teachers chose values such as equality, responsibility, sensitivity (cultural heritage), helpfulness, attaching importance to being healthy, patriotism, and savings. They implemented their projects on these values to the groups that they found appropriate. At the end of the process, a semi-structured interview form was used as data collection tool to reveal the participants' experiences of project-based values teaching. Descriptive analysis and content analysis were used to analyze the study data. As a result of the study, we concluded that the participants selected the values for their projects for reasons such as “raising awareness on the related values, embodying abstract values, eliminating prejudices, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in society”. Project-based values education was observed to provide the participants with many advantages such as “provision of experience both for values education and the teaching profession, project planning and conduction, improving communication skills, developing a sense of spirituality.”

A Search for a Method to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in Social Studies Teaching: Writing-to-Learn

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of using multiple writing-to-learn activities on the critical thinking skills and dispositions of prospective teachers. For this purpose, the current study employed an embedded mixed-methods design and was carried out with 34 prospective Social Studies teachers who are studying at a public university. Research data were collected with the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory, developed by Facione, Facione and Giancarlo (1998), and adapted to Turkish by Kokdemir (2003); as well as using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, developed by Facione and Facione (1994); and also, semi-structured interview forms developed by the researcher. In the research process, a variety of writing activities such as letters, diaries, columns and news articles were used for learning purposes. The quantitative data obtained in the research were analysed descriptively and predictively, while the qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The results of the study revealed that the writing-to learn activities led the prospective Social Studies teachers to do research, use evidence, get to know different ideas, and evaluate what they learned in a holistic way. Such a situation made a significant difference on the critical thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions of the prospective Social Studies teachers. Given such a result, it is recommended to draw upon writing-to-learn activities in order to develop different courses, subjects and higher-order thinking skills.

Social studies pre-service teachers’ awareness of environmental ethics

Aim of this study is to determine environmental ethic perception of prospective social studies teachers. In the study, descriptive survey model was used. Research sample consists of prospective social studies teachers studying in Buca Faculty of Education at Dokuz Eylul University. "Personal Information Form” and "Environmental Ethics Awareness Scale" developed by Özer (2015) were used as data collection tools. After application of data collection tools, data were gathered, and findings about research problem and sub problems were presented. Relationships between environmental ethics awareness level and personal characteristics, such as age, gender, grade level and settlement area etc. were examined, by analyzing findings in computer via SPSS program. As a result of the significant differences obtained in the findings, it revealed that female students were more conscious of environmental ethics than male students. It is also seen that the awareness of environmental ethics has decreased with increased age. Likewise, it was concluded that the grade level was inversely proportional to the awareness of environmental ethics and it was understood that the place of residence did not have a meaningful impact on the awareness of environmental ethics. In conclusion part of the study, recommendations were made that studies on environmental ethics be implemented upon different samples by different variables, and that environmental ethics awareness level be improved.

Impact of the Digital Literacy Courses Taken by the Prospective Social Studies Teachers by Distance Learning on Digital Citizenship Skills

Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of the digital literacy course taught to undergraduates with the cooperation of the Council of Higher Education (CHE) and Anadolu University on the ‘digital citizenship skills’ of social sciences teachers. In this context, 30 prospective social sciences teachers who received digital literacy training participated in the study, which employed criterion sampling, a purposive sampling technique. The study followed a pre-test and post-test uncontrolled quasi-experimental model. The digital literacy course process by distance learning covered eight weeks. At the beginning and the end of the digital literacy course, a ‘digital citizenship’ scale was applied to the prospective teachers. In research results, a significant positive difference was detected between the pre-test and post-test scores of prospective teachers obtained from the whole of the digital citizenship skills scale. Between pre-test and post-test scores of ‘digital communication’, ‘digital ethics’, and ‘critical thinking’ sub-dimensions of the digital citizenship scale, a significant difference was not detected. On the other hand, a positive significant difference was detected between scores from its digital skills, digital participation, digital rights and responsibilities, and digital commerce sub-dimensions. Similarly, between digital security points, which is another sub-dimension of the study, a significant difference was detected, though this difference was found to be negative. In this context, it is proposed that similar training should be made more common, more functional subjects in digital topics that teachers do not know should be the focus rather than those prospective teachers are expected to know, some changes regarding digital security must be implemented in institutions that teach the digital literacy course with distance learning and that these should enrich this subject further.

The Effect of a Textbook Preparation Process Supported by Instructional Technology Tools on the TPACK Self-Confidence levels of Prospective Social Studies Teachers

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a textbook preparation process supported by instructional technology tools on the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) self-confidence level of prospective Social Studies teachers'. The research was carried out using a sequential descriptive design with a mixed method design. Quantitative data were collected before and after the implementation process and the qualitative data were collected after the implementation process. Quantitative data were collected by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Self-Confidence Scale; and qualitative data were collected by a metaphor form and a BLOB tree evaluation form. Quantitative data were analyzed by a Paired Samples t-test and qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. A total of 53 prospective Social Studies teachers, from a public university in Turkey, participated in the research. The results of the analyses showed there were statistically significant differences between pre-test and post-test scores in the levels of TPACK self confidence amongst prospective Social Studies teachers. The self-confidence scores were in favor of the post-test. Furthermore, while prospective teachers have created negative metaphors about their TPACK self-confidence before the implementation process, they created more positive metaphors after the implementation process. According to the results of the BLOB tree self-assessment, it was revealed that the TPACK self-confidence levels increased amongst the prospective Social Studies teacher participant group.

Examining the Relationship between Social Intelligence Levels and Communication Skills of Prospective Social Studies Teachers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between social intelligence levels and communication skills of preservice social studies teachers. In the content of the study, the relational screening model, which is one of the descriptive survey models, has been used. The sample of the survey consist of the third and fourth year students who study Social studies Teaching at Faculties of Education at Muğla, Uşak, Afyon and Aksaray University in the academic year of 2017-2018. The sample of the survey has been determined by means of convenience sampling. In this study, the unpaired t-test, the one-way analysis variance (ANOVA), the Scheffe and Games-Howell test have been used. In order to reveal the relationship between social intelligence levels and communication skills of preservice social studies teachers, the Pearson product-moment correlation analysis has been used. As a result of the study, it has been found out that preservice social studies teachers demonstrate “high” communication skills, but “moderate” social intelligence. It has also been determined that there is a moderate, linear, positive and meaningful correlation between the communication skills and social intelligence levels of preservice social studies teachers. In addition to these, it has been observed that communication skills and social intelligence levels of preservice teachers differ to a meaningful extent according to factors such as gender, universities they attend and the number of books they read per month. On the other hand their age and grade caused any meaningful difference in the communication skills and social intelligence levels of preservice teachers.