Social Studies Course Research Articles

Social Services in the Context of 2018 Social Studies Curriculum and Textbooks

The purpose of this study is to investigate and evaluate which subjects related to "Social Services" are covered in the Social Studies textbooks in grades 4th, 5th 6th and 7th according to the Learning Domain / Unit and Subject headings in the Social Studies curriculum revised in 2018. The document analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in this study. The study was conducted on the 4th, 5th 6th and 7th grade Social Studies textbooks, which were approved to be taught in public schools by the Ministry of National Education in the 2020 and 2021 academic year. The obtained data were analyzed by content analysis technique. When the results of the study were evaluated in general, it was observed that the subjects described were in a clear and understandable way in terms of language and wording appropriate for the students’ levels. In the Social Studies curriculum and Social Studies textbooks, while the subject headings related to “Social Services” are mostly included at the 4th grade level in terms of subject diversity, it was observed that children’s rights and refugee issues were covered at the four grade level as well (4th, 5th 6th and 7th). It was observed that specifically within the scope of the project works carried out at the 4th grade level in schools, citing the cases of the "Talking Medicine Box" developed by students for disabled citizens, one of the target groups of "Social Services" the "Lifeguard Balloon Bracelet" in the 4th grade textbook, which would minimize the loss of life in drowning incidents constituted an important example to the students in terms of being sensitive and conscious citizens in society within the scope of the Social Studies course. However, it was also observed that “Drug-Substance Addiction and Animal Abuse”, that were among the important subject headings of "Social Services" were not included at any class level, and violence against women was rarely addressed. It was recommended that children would start to grow awareness from an early age if the knowledge and information on these issues was taught appropriately considering the development levels of the students.

Sosyal Bilgiler Dersi Çoklu Zekâ Uygulamalarının Ders Kitapları ve Öğretmen Görüşleri Bağlamında İncelenmesi

Sosyal Bilgiler Dersi Çoklu Zekâ Uygulamalarının Ders Kitapları ve Öğretmen Görüşleri Bağlamında İncelenmesi

GEOGRAPHY AND IDENTITY: AN ANALYSIS OF GEOGRAPHY CURRICULA IN TURKEY

Although there are differences in identity construction depending on countries and periods, some courses have come to the fore in the education system in each per i od. In Turkey, the education system in general, and history, geography, citizenship and social studies courses, in particular, have instrumental importance in the construction of identity. When the literature is examined, it can be observed that there are many studies on history, social studies and citizenship lessons for identity construction. However, there is a limited number of studies on identity construction for the geography curricula. The main purpose of this research was to examine the secondary education geography curricula in Turkey in terms of identity and citizenship construction. The study was planned and carried out as a qualitative case study. Case studies often describe the exploration of a bounded system. In this research, the sample was limited to the 2005 and 2018 geography course curricula, and a detailed description was made by using “content analysis” based on the research purpose. As a result of the research, it was determined in both curricula that the national identity theme had the most expressions, and national identity was aimed to be built by presenting details about the geography of the homeland. In addition to national identity, it was determined that there were also contents related to social identity, ecological identity, universal identity, and a limited number of digital identity and religious identity themes.

What Is Efficient Social Studies Instruction?

Effective social studies instruction should intend to train young individuals who are interested, are capable of participating in the learning process, are capable of utilizing technology, have a good memory, look forward to the future with confidence, and transfer the knowledge they acquire at school to daily life. The aim of the present research is to determine the problems experienced in the instruction of social studies course based on teacher views and the means for an efficient social studies instruction. Thus, the case study method, a qualitative research design, was employed in the present study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 teachers, employed in five middle schools in Elazığ province urban center, during the 2016-2017 academic year, and the data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. Thus, it was determined that the inadequacy of course hours and the redundancy and complexity of the topics were the main problems experienced in social studies courses and these were identified as the factors that led to the lack of student interest. According to the views of the teachers, efficient social studies instruction requires a focus on current issues, requires employment of available technologies, and should allow the individuals to transfer content knowledge to life. It is concluded that an efficient social studies instruction would be possible through the transfer of knowledge to real-life situations, the employment of technological tools, active student participation, the simplification and the elimination the discontinuities between textbook content.

Investigation of Parents' Attitudes towards Distance Education Process and Their Resistance to Technology in Life Sciences and Social Studies Courses

Investigation of Parents' Attitudes towards Distance Education Process and Their Resistance to Technology in Life Sciences and Social Studies Courses

The Effects of Authentic Learning Approach on Academic Achievement and Attitudes in Social Studies Course

In this study, the effects of the authentic learning approach in social studies on academic achievement, retention of knowledge, and attitude towards the course were investigated. In the study, a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a non-equivalent control group was used. The study group consisted of 50 6th grade students. In the process, the authentic learning approach was used in the experimental and control group, the texts and instructions given in the course book were followed. The study data were collected by the “Social Studies Course Academic Achievement Test” and “Social Studies Course Attitude Scale”. As a result of the experimental process, it was obtained that the academic achievement levels of the students in the experimental and control groups in the social studies course increased and differed significantly compared to the pre-experimental process. It was observed that the measurement results in the follow-up studies conducted five weeks after the measurement after the application did not differ significantly from the post-test scores of the students in the control and experimental groups. The difference between the achievement test scores of both groups was significant, favouring the students in the experimental group. The changes in the attitudes of the students in the control group towards the social studies course were not found to be significant when compared to the pre-experimental process, while the changes in the attitudes of the students in the experimental group were significant. While there was no significant difference between the pre-test attitude scores of the students in the experimental and control groups, a significant difference was found between the post-test attitude scores favouring the experimental group. In this respect, the authentic learning approach has created an important alternative to methods based on knowledge transfer. In addition, it was observed that the authentic learning approach positively changed students’ attitudes towards the course.

Citizenship and Human Rights Within the Scope of Values Education

Using a social studies course with an interdisciplinary approach and organizing the program in conjunction with this circumstance means that the social studies curriculum can find its place in the real world because interdisciplinary nature enhances its value. The definition of the National Council on Social Studies in the United States in 1992 is also important in emphasizing how comprehensive this course is. According to this definition, social studies collaborate with different sciences such as anthropology, archeology, history, geography, law, economics, philosophy, political science, religion, psychology, and sociology. In addition to citizenship rights and responsibilities, the topics that include human rights, in general, are covered in the social studies course. In this light, social studies can be viewed as a course in which citizenship rights and obligations are taught to raise individuals who are responsive to human rights. In this context, the four main values, feeling valuable, equality, democratic education, and a culture of coexistence, that can be offered within the framework of citizenship and human rights in social studies courses are discussed below.

Social Studies Teacher Candidates’ Views About Information Technologies and Material Used in Social Studies Lesson

The research was prepared in order to reveal the opinions of social studies teacher candidates on the use of information technologies and materials in social studies lessons. The study group of the research consists of teacher candidates studying in the department of social studies teaching at Cukurova University in Turkey. The research was prepared in accordance with phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs. A structured interview form, which was previously created by taking expert opinion, was used to collect data. There are 5 questions that complement each other in the interview form. The data obtained from the interview form were subjected to content analysis. The reliability of the study was calculated as 95.5% according to the reliability formula of Miles and Huberman (1994). It was concluded that the prospective teachers who participated in the research supported the use of information technologies in the social studies course. It was seen that the tools in the classroom environment as technology and material were expressed by the majority of the participants.

The Effect of Activities Based on Mobile Applications on Academic Achievement, Critical Thinking Skills and Motivation in Social Studies Course

Mobil uygulamalar öğretim süreçlerine önemli katkılar sunmaktadır. Mobil uygulamaların işlevsel olarak kullanılabileceği derslerden biri sosyal bilgilerdir. Sosyal bilgiler dersinde mobil uygulamalara dayalı etkinlikler öğrencilerin başarısı, eleştirel düşünme becerisi ve motivasyonlarına katkı sağlayabilir. Bu doğrultuda araştırmanın amacı, sosyal bilgiler dersinde mobil uygulamalara dayalı etkinliklerin akademik başarı, eleştirel düşünme becerisi ve motivasyon üzerine etkisinin belirlenmesidir. Araştırma, karma araştırma yöntemlerinden iç içe gömülü deneysel desene göre tasarlanmıştır. Araştırma, 2018-2019 öğretim yılı 2. döneminde, bir il merkezindeki devlet okulunda öğrenim gören 7. sınıf öğrencileri ve bu öğrencilerin dersine giren sosyal bilgiler öğretmeni ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler Sosyal Bilgiler Başarı Testi, Cornell Eleştirel Düşünme Becerileri Testi Düzey X, Sosyal Bilgiler Motivasyon Ölçeği, yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler, sınıf içi gözlemler ve öğrencilerin mobil uygulamalarda gerçekleştirdikleri etkinliklerden toplanmıştır. Nicel veriler ANCOVA ve karma ANOVA; nitel veriler ise tümevarımsal analiz ve doküman analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda mobil uygulamalara dayalı etkinliklerin öğrencilerin akademik başarı, eleştirel düşünme becerisi ve motivasyonlarına katkı sağladığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Nitel araştırma bulguları da gerçekleştirilen deneysel işlemin öğrencilerin akademik başarıları, eleştirel düşünme becerileri ve motivasyonlarına katkı sağladığını göstermektedir. Araştırma bulgularından hareketle sosyal bilgiler eğitiminde öğrencilerin akademik başarıları, eleştirel düşünme becerileri ve motivasyonlarına katkı sağlamak amacıyla mobil uygulamalardan yararlanılabilir.

The Relationship Between Primary School Students’ Social Skills and Attitudes towards Social Studies Course and Their Academic Achievement

In the current study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between fourth grade students’ social skills, their attitudes towards Social Studies course and their academic achievement. In line with the purpose, the present research adopted a convergent parallel design, one of the mixed type research methods. Quantitative data were collected from 172 fourth grade students who were enrolled in state school in İstanbul. The quantitative phase of the study conducted using ‘Social Skills Evaluation Scale’ and ‘The Attitude Scale Towards Fourth- Grade Social Studies Course.’ The qualitative data were collected from 30 students through simple random sampling method. ‘Structured Interview Form’ was employed in order to collect qualitative data. Analysis of the quantitative data included simple linear regression while the analysis of qualitative data included content analysis. Results showed that social skills and students’ attitudes towards Social Studies courses were a low-level, significant and positive predictor of their academic achievement.

TRT EBA Secondary School Channel Social Studies Courses: Attitude and Perceptions of Students

This study aims to determine the attitudes and perceptions of secondary school students, who live in Bingöl and take social studies course, towards this course broadcasted on TRT EBA (Education Information Network) secondary school channel in the second semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. A quantitative research approach was adopted and a cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. The population of the study is 150 students who are in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades of the secondary school located within the borders of Bingöl city center in the 2019-2020 academic year. The data collection tool is the "scale of attitudes and perceptions towards social studies course broadcasted on TRT EBA secondary school channel " developed by the researchers. Factor analysis, correlation analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's Test were used on the scale. Cronbach's Alpha test was conducted for the reliability of the measurements. IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences 22.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL) was used for data analysis. Independent Samples t-test and One-Way ANOVA were applied for differences of general attitudes and perceptions. It was concluded that the attitudes and perceptions of the students are on the border of positive-neutral; social studies courses were not presented in a way to attract the attention of students; and that some changes are needed regarding the studio environment and the presentation of the courses.

Evaluation of the social studies course on Education Information Network (EBA) in accordance with the opinions of pre-service teachers

The Fatih Project has been one of the big steps in the field of education in Turkey, which aims to reflect the developments in technology and communication to education. The Education Information Network (EBA), which was created in 2011 within the scope of the project, was put into service as an online platform for integrating technology with education. With the introduction of distance education in line with health and safety measures during the COVID -19 outbreak, the usage area and importance of the EBA has increased. Various courses and teaching materials suitable for all education levels was provided through this platform. The aim of the current study is to reveal the opinions of pre-service teachers about the social studies course delivered on the EBA during the pandemic process. Case study, one of the qualitative research models, was used in the current study. 25 pre-service social studies teachers who voluntarily participated in the study watched a total of 75 lessons delivered from July to October for 5th, 6th, 7th grade students and evaluated those lessons in terms of attention-drawing, motivation, teaching methods and techniques, teaching materials, evaluation and communication elements. "Course Evaluation Form" was used as data collection tool. Content analysis was carried out on the evaluations made by the teachers. According to the pre-service teachers, the attention-drawing phase of the social studies lessons delivered through the EBA was neglected in most of the lessons, and the teaching method was limited to the method of lecture, question-answer, and case method. In addition, it was determined that while the evaluation phase of the courses was insufficient, the use of teaching materials was sufficient. Some characteristics of the teachers who teach the lessons such as the tone of voice and body language were generally found to be sufficient.
 
 Keywords: Education Information Network, social studies, teachers’ opinions

Investigation of Attainments of Curriculum of Social Studies Course (4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Grades) in terms of Educational Philosophy and Theories

The aim of this study was to examine the 131 learning outcomes of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grade which are placed in the Social Studies curriculum, on the basis of theories of education and philosophies of education. In the research, document analysis method was used based on qualitative research design. In the research, primary school 4th grade and middle school 5th, 6th and 7th grade Social Studies curriculum, accepted in 2018, was based on as data source. 131 learning attainments that are placed in the curriculum were associated with Pragmatism, Existensialism, Naturalism philosophy of education and Progressivism, Reconstructionism, Essentialism theories of education. As a result of the research, it was revealed that most of the learning attainments in the 2018 program were related to the Pragmatism education philosophy and Progressive education theory. In this framework, the attainments could restructured in terms of other contemporary educational philosophies (Existentialism, Naturalism) and contemporary educational theories (Reconstructionism).

Next to Nothing: The Impact of the Norwegian Introduction Programme on Female Immigrants’ Labour Market Inclusion

AbstractIn 2003, Norway implemented an ‘Introduction Programme’ that aimed to increase labour market inclusion among newly arrived immigrants. Its main objectives were to facilitate free courses in Norwegian language training and social studies, and education or on-the-job training. The participants were given an allowance to attend the programme. This paper uses administrative register data to evaluate the effect of the Norwegian introduction programme on female immigrants’ employment and earnings prospects. The sample consists of female immigrants from Asia or Africa who immigrated to Norway 18 months before or after the implementation of the introduction programme. The study measures their probability of being employed and their mean earnings 4–6 and 7–9 years after immigration. The results show that the Norwegian introduction programme had a small but significant effect on women’s employment, but not on their earnings. This article suggests that the small effect of the programme on employment and non-effect on earnings may imply a displacement effect rather than an improvement in language skills and labour market skills.

Proposal to Structure Social Studies Course According to Toulmin’s Argumentation Model

Argumentation Method, which is based on data, claims, justifications, is used in education when it comes to scientific and controversial issues. The purpose of this research, is to demonstrate how argumentation method can be used in social studies courses and to guide social studies pedagogy. Examples of activities related to how argumentation can be used in social studies courses, and suggestions about the role of teachers in the teaching process are presented throughout the research. The research emphasizes forms of argumentation based on reason, particularly the analysis of cause and effect in the analysis of human actions. Using this socio-scientific framework as the basis for social studies classroom instruction allows for meaningful in-class discussions concerning individual and global problems. In this context, argumentation can be used in teaching Content-Based Critical Thinking. In evaluating the use of the argumentation model in social studies courses, this analysis examines three interrelated variables: goals, educational backgrounds and evaluation models.

The Use of Audio-Visual Materials in the Education of Students with Hearing Loss

Learning is the process of restructuring mental schemas through adaptation to new experiences. Instructional materials help form a suitable and individualized educational environment for students with hearing loss while facilitating lexical development and comprehension of academic content. This case study aims to demonstrate the contribution of visual and audiovisual materials to the efficiency of the Social Studies Course for 4th-grade students with hearing loss. Findings of the study have been collected through video recordings of the lessons, validity meetings, the research log, realia, photographs/images, graphic organizers, and educational videos/documentaries. Data analysis demonstrates that the use of visual and audiovisual materials contributes substantially to students’ (a) comprehension of the questions and explanations, (b) participation in and drawing conclusions from classroom discussions, and (c) understanding of new vocabulary and concepts. Based on the results, it can be argued that the use of visual and auditory materials presented so as to cater to the individual needs of the students, together with various educational strategies, provides significant advantages in the acquisition of academic knowledge by students with hearing loss.

The Effect of Authentic Learning Approach on the Development of 21st Century Learning and Innovation Skills in Social Studies Course

Bu araştırmada, otantik öğrenme yaklaşımının sosyal bilgiler dersinde uygulanmasının 21. yüzyıl öğrenme ve yenilenme becerilerinin gelişimine etkileri araştırılmıştır. Araştırmada ön test – son test kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubu, 6. sınıf seviyesinde öğrenim gören 50 öğrenciden oluşmuştur. Bu kapsamda aynı sınıf seviyesinde biri deney (n=28) diğeri kontrol (n=22) grubu olmak üzere yansız atama ile iki grup oluşturulmuştur. Deney ve kontrol gruplarındaki öğrencilerin benzer özelliklere sahip öğrencilerden oluşması için denkleştirme işlemi yapılmıştır. Araştırmada 21.Yüzyıl Öğrenme ve Yenilenme Becerileri Ölçeği (21ÖYBÖ) ön test olarak uygulandıktan sonra yarı deneysel işleme geçilmiştir. Dersler, deney grubunda otantik öğrenme yaklaşımına uygun yöntemlerle kontrol grubunda ise ders kitabındaki yönergeler doğrultusunda işlenmiştir. Yarı deneysel işlem sonrası deney ve kontrol gruplarına 21ÖYBÖ son testler olarak uygulanmış ve sonuçlar karşılaştırılarak yorumlanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde ilişkili örneklemler için bağımlı gruplar t-testi, ilişkisiz örneklemler için bağımsız gruplar t-testi kullanılmıştır. Deneysel işlem sonucunda, deney ve kontrol grubunda yer alan öğrencilerin 21ÖYBÖ son test puanlarında deneysel işlem öncesine göre puan artışları meydana gelmiştir. Deney grubundaki öğrencilerin puan artışları kontrol grubundan daha fazla olmuştur. Ancak iki grubun son test puanlarında istatistiksel olarak fark bulunamamıştır. Deney grubundaki öğrencilerin ölçeğin yaratıcılık ve yenilenme becerileri alt boyutundan elde ettikleri son test puanları, ön test puanlarından istatistiksek olarak anlamlı biçimde farklılaşmıştır. Böylece sosyal bilgiler derslerinin otantik öğrenme yaklaşımına uygun süreçlerle işlenmesinin yaratıcılık ve yenilenme becerilerinin gelişimine katkı sağladığı tespit edilmiştir.

Social Studies Course and Social Studies Teacher From the Perspective of Students With Special Learning Difficulties: Village School Etnography

Bu çalışma köy ortaokulunda okuyan ve özgül öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrencilerin Sosyal Bilgiler dersine ve öğretmenine yönelik görüşlerini incelemeyi amaç edinmektedir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden etnografi deseni kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu 2020-2021 eğitim-öğretim yılında Nevşehir ili Acıgöl ilçesine bağlı köyde bulunan bir devlet ortaokulunda öğrenim gören 8 ortaokul öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Örneklem seçiminde maksimum çeşitlilik örneklemesi kullanılmıştır. Ortaokulda farklı sınıf seviyelerinden özgül öğrenme güçlüğü yaşayan 4 kız ve 4 erkek öğrenci belirlenmiştir. Veriler odak grup görüşmesi tekniği ile toplanmıştır. Odak grup görüşmesi sırasında öğrencilere önceden belirlenen 6 açık uçlu soru sorulmuştur. Araştırmanın verileri nitel veri analiz yaklaşımlarından içerik analizi yaklaşımına göre analiz edilmiştir. Doğrudan alıntılara da sık sık yer verilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonucunda öğrencilerin Sosyal Bilgiler dersini tarih ve hayata dair bilgilerin verildiği bir ders olarak gördükleri, en fazla ilgi duydukları konuların vatandaşlık bilgileri ve tarih konuları olduğu, Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinin kendisiyle barışık olması, çevresine örnek olması gibi mesleki becerilerden çok kişilik özelliklerine değer verildiği sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonuçları, öğretmenlerin uygulamalarının öğrencilerin müfredata ilişkin algılarında belirleyici faktör haline geldiğini göstermektedir.

Examining Social Studies Prospective Teachers' Active Citizenship Self-Efficacies within The Scope of Levels of Empathy and Acceptance of Differences

As is known, social studies course is taught from 4th grade to the end of 7th grade within the scope of basic education. Social studies course, focused mainly on raising active citizenship, is given (lectured) by teachers who received training on this field. This study was carried out to reveal social studies prospective teachers’ active citizenship self-efficacies within the scope of levels of empathy and acceptance of differences. For this, scales of active citizenship self-efficacies, of empathy level and acceptance of differences were applied to 378 in total of prospective teachers who are studying at faculty of education at two state universities. Data obtained of scales were analysed using SPSS package software. Relationship of the applied scales with faculty, class, rural-urban origin was examined. Independent t test for unrelated two samples, and one-way analysis of variance for unrelated k-sample were carried out, and multiple regression analysis was performed to reveal predicting situation/state of level of active citizenship self-efficacies by level of empathy and acceptance of differences. As result of the analysis, it was found that prospective teachers’ active citizenship self-efficacies and level of empathy were high; that of acceptance of differences was very high. According to this, empathy and acceptance of differences explain the situation/state of active citizenship self-efficacies by 24%. In terms of multicultural education, empathy and acceptance of differences are effective in raising active citizens. active citizenship requires not only participation in politics, but also high acceptance and empathy for different segments of society.

Educational comics and educational cartoons as teaching material in the social studies course

This study aims to explore the effect of using educational comics or educational cartoons as teaching material in social studies course on students' academic achievement. Also, it is aimed to reveal the experiences of the students regarding the use of these materials. In the study, the embedded design was preferred among the mixed-methods designs. For the quantitative aspect of this research, pre-test and post-test on the control and experimental group with the quasi-experimental design were used. The study was conducted out with two experimental groups and a control group. The study was conducted with 266 (87 students are in the educational comics group, 88 students are in the educational cartoons group, 91 students are in the control group) 6th-grade students. To analyse the quantitative data, One-Way ANOVA was used. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined a significant difference between the educational comics group and the other groups in academic achievement levels. It was also determined a significant difference between the educational cartoons group and the control group. For the qualitative aspect of this research, phenomenology design was used. To analyse the qualitative data which were collected by semi-structured forms, content analysis was used. As a result of the analysis of qualitative data, it was concluded that students seen both educational comics and educational cartoons as effective materials for educational activities in various aspects. These results show these teaching materials can use by teachers for effective learning in social studies course.