Multicultural Competencies of Social Studies Teachers: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: Turkey is a country hosting many people of diverse religious beliefs (e.g., Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and a great variety of ethnic origins (e.g., Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Slavs, Arabs, Romanians and Kurds). It is also subject to continuous migratory flows from neighboring countries and beyond. Due to these factors, it has become increasingly evident that a more multicultural educational approach is warranted. In this study, researchers analyzed the level of competency in teachers required for the implementation of such approaches within the framework of individual/personal, classroom, and institution/school levels in order to identify the capabilities of social studies teachers’ multicultural competencies.  Method: In this study, researchers used a basic qualitative research design. Using a semi-structured interview technique, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 16 teachers from 8 schools with different socio-economic backgrounds and foreign student numbers. The data was analyzed with a thematic analysis approach.  Findings: What was found in the course of the work? This will refer to analysis, discussion, or results. The findings of the study showed that teachers’ multicultural competencies were weak in individual/personal, institutional/school levels and in the integration of cultural characteristics into teaching at the classroom level. However, participating teachers indicated stronger multicultural competencies in other subcategories of the classroom level.

Medya Okuryazarlığı Dersi Hakkında Öğretmen ve Öğrenci Görüşleri

Bu araştırmada ülkemizde 2006–2007 eğitim-öğretim yılında ilköğretim programlarında pilot uygulama olarak yer alan, 2007–2008 eğitim–öğretim yılında ise tüm ülkede seçmeli ders olarak okutulmaya başlanan Medya Okuryazarlığıseçmeli dersini alan öğrencilerin ve bu dersi okutan öğretmenlerin bu derse yönelik görüşlerini belirlemektir. Bu amaçla öğretmen ve öğrencilere yönelik açık uçlu sorulardan oluşan görüşme formu hazırlanarak seçilen okullarda görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Görüşmeler ses kayıt cihazıile kayıt edilmiştir. Yapılan görüşmeler sonucunda elde edilen veriler alt başlıklara ayrılarak betimsel analiz tekniği ile yorumlanmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar doğrultusunda Medya Okuryazarlığıdersinin öğrencilerin medyaya yönelik tutumlarında olumlu bir etki yaratmadığıgörülmüştür. Öğrencilerin dersin müfredatınısıkıcıbulduklarıve dersin müfredatının dersin amaçlarıile tam olarak uyuşmadığıbelirlenmiştir

Sensitivity of the secondary school students toward global problemsOrtaokul öğrencilerinin küresel sorunlara karşı gösterdikleri duyarlılıklar

Recent global developments all around the world have affected all the individuals, institutions and societies. In this respect, it is of great importance to be sensitive to the problems concerning the future of all mankind. In this study, it was aimed to reveal the sensitivity of 6th grade students in middle school toward global developments. The population group of the study was 44 sixth grade students in a secondary school in the province of Samsun in the academic year of 2014-2015. An instructional design in Social Studies curriculum was prepared, developed with the activities supported by communication technologies in accordance with the aims related with the global education in the chapter of “Our Country and World”. After the title 'Fruit of the Brotherhood' was taught, they did an activity entitled as "Aid Campaign Activity" in order to determine the students' sensitivity to global developments. In addition, a semi-structured form was conducted to 10 students in target groups during and after the activities. At the end of the research, it was determined that most of the students started to follow global developments, problems and global current events; It was seen that the global perspectives of all interviewed students were improved. ÖzetDünyada yaşanan küresel gelişmeler bütün bireyleri, kurumları ve toplumları etkilemektedir. Bu bakımdan tüm insanlığın geleceğini ilgilendiren sorunlara karşı duyarlılık göstermek büyük önem taşımaktadır. Bu araştırmada da ortaokul 6. sınıf öğrencilerinin küresel gelişmelere karşı gösterdikleri duyarlılıkları ortaya çıkarmak amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 2014-2015 eğitim-öğretim yılında Samsun ilinde bulunan bir ortaokuldaki 44 6. sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmuştur. Araştırma kapsamında belirlenen çalışma grubuna, Sosyal Bilgiler programında yer alan Ülkemiz ve Dünya ünitesindeki küresel eğitimle ilgili kazanımlar çerçevesinde, iletişim teknolojileriyle destekli olarak hazırlanan ve etkinliklerle zenginleştirilen öğretim programı hazırlanmış ve uygulanmıştır. Ünitedeki ‘Kardeşliğin Meyvesi’ isimli konunun ardından öğrencilerin küresel gelişmelere karşı gösterdikleri duyarlılıkları tespit etmek amacıyla onlara “Yardım Seferberliği Etkinliği” yaptırılmıştır. Ayrıca etkinlik sırasında ve sonrasında hedef gruplar içerisinde yer alan 10 öğrenciye araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan yarı yapılandırılmış formlar uygulanmıştır. Araştırma sonunda öğrencilerin büyük bir kısmının küresel gelişmeleri, sorunları ve güncel olayları takip etmeye başladıkları tespit edilmiş; görüşme yapılan tüm öğrencilerin küresel bakış açılarının geliştiği görülmüştür

Teaching Human Rights in Turkey: Commentaries on a Single Lesson from Multiple Perspectives

A lesson on human rights in Turkey is analyzed for its representativity and methodology within the Turkish teaching culture from the viewpoint of a Turkish researcher, an American teacher and curriculum developer, and a German teacher

Teachers' Attitudes Toward the Use of Technology in Social Studies Teaching

Technology integration in education is one of the most popular topics in the last decades. Many countries have invested millions of dollars to equip classrooms with technological devices. As well as developed countries, Turkey has conducted several projects to provide technological devices and educational materials to classrooms. Technology has the potential to increase the quality of learning and teaching process. However, having technological devices in classroom alone will not cause the increase of the quality of education. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine teachers' attitudes toward the use of technology in social studies teaching. Understanding social studies teachers' attitudes is essential because it is a way to figure out how they integrate technology and define barriers. The authors applied quantitative survey method and used cluster sampling to choose participants. The sample of the study consisted of 155 social studies teachers who are currently teaching at middle schools. The use of technology in social studies teaching attitude scale was used to collect data. The findings revealed that teachers have positive beliefs and attitudes toward the use of technology. Also, the findings showed that teachers who are working at private schools have significantly high attitudes than others who are teaching at public schools. Moreover, teachers who took educational technology and teaching material course and attended in-service training have more positive attitudes than others

School of Education Students' Expectations from Their Lecturers and Their Views on Whether These Are Fulfilled

University lecturers play a pivotal role in that they train the teachers who in turn educate the young generations of a society. This study seeks to unveil what university students expect from their lecturers before they start their studies and how much these expectations are met afterwards. The research makes use of case study, one of the qualitative research methods, with data obtained from the semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 students. The findings suggest significant changes in students’ opinions before and after the start of their studies: the students expecting a cold and bureaucratic environment at university have found a friendly and cosy setting while those expecting student-centred teaching methods have witnessed more traditional methods instead. The students have also expressed their feeling that the lecturers do not quite appreciate them and that, even though they are highly knowledgeable, they have difficulty conveying this knowledge to the student

Contract Teaching and Oral Exam: What Do The Teacher Candidates Think?

The purpose of this study is to examine the opinions of teacher candidates about contract teaching and oral exam system. The study group consisted of 12 teacher candidates involved in different departments of the faculty of education. The criterion sampling method was used to determine the participants, and interviews conducted with the participants who met the criteria. A semi-structured interview form used as a data collection tool and, a thematic analysis method was realized to analyze the data. Results revealed that teacher candidates regarded contracted teaching as it is harming the teaching profession, making teachers uneasy because there is no job guarantee and as a profession, and they were found to be more insecure and riskier than before. It concluded that the six-year compulsory service period affects teachers' personal life negatively. Lack of teachers' right to replacement is also a problem. They also stated that the oral exam cannot be objective and that the chance factor may be effective. Based on the opinions of the participants, arrangements can be made by the authorized institutions for contract teaching and oral examination system. Besides, to reduce the negative thoughts of pre-service teachers, it can be explained to pre-service teachers why contract teaching and oral examination are important

Türkiye’de Öğrenim Gören Yabancı Uyruklu Lisans Öğrencilerinin Sosyo- Kültürel ve Ekonomik Sorunları

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’deki bir üniversitenin eğitim fakültesinde öğrenim gören yabancıuyruklu öğrencilerin sosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik anlamda yaşadıkları sorunları belirlemektir. Bu amaçdoğrultusunda sosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik sorunlar; insan ilişkileri, ekonomik sorunlar, barınma, evözlemi, yemek, giyim ve gelenek-görenek başlıkları altında incelenmiştir. Bu araştırmanın çalışmagrubunu 2008-2009 öğretim yılında Türkiye’deki bir üniversitenin eğitim fakültesinde öğrenim gören 7farklı ülkeden (Azerbaycan, Türkmenistan, Kazakistan, Moğolistan, Yunanistan, Özbekistan ve Gürcistan)15 yabancı uyruklu öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada maksimum çeşitlilik örnekleme yöntemi, veritoplama aracı olarak ise yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerinsosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik sorunlarına ilişkin görüşlerinin analizinde nitel veri analiz tekniklerindenbetimsel analiz yaklaşımı kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin kendikültürleriyle Türk kültürünün benzerlik göstermesi nedeniyle Türkiye’de önyargı ya da dışlanma ilekarşılaşmadıkları belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin ekonomik kaynaklarının sadeceaileleri olduğu ve aileleri tarafından gönderilen paranın yetersiz kaldığı görülmüştür. Yabancı uyrukluöğrencilerin tamamına yakınının ise ev özlemi çektikleri ve ailelerini, arkadaşlarını ve memleketlerini özledikleri belirlenmiştir