This study aims to evaluate Social Studies teachers’ perspectives about spatial thinking skill which is placed in Turkish Social Studies Curriculum. A qualitative research designed and interviewed with 12 Social Studies teachers who work in Niğde in 2014-2015 academic year for get their opinions about different dimension of spatial thinking. The interview form consisted of five openended questions. Teacher opinions were examined by content analyses. Inductive analysis was used in analyzing data obtained from the content analysis research. Social Studies teachers indicated that they benefit from technology tools in the process of developing spatial thinking. Social Studies teachers stated that they use projectors, animation, drawing visuals etc. and according to them these materials affect the students’ spatial thinking skills. Social Studies teachers preferred to use traditional lecture, questioning and case study techniques most commonly for spatial issues. According to Social Studies teachers, student characteristics are also involved in the spatial thinking skills education. Students’ knowledge background, their social-economic level and their interest in the subject appear to be the most important factors. Result of the research show eventhough Social Studies teachers see that spatial thinking important and necessary in the Social Studies teaching, they can use some materials and methods which are generally used in other subject teaching as well
ÖZET
Bu araştırma, Sosyal Bilgiler öğretim programında kazandırılması hedeflenen bir düşünme becerisi olan mekânsal düşünmenin Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinin bakış acılarıyla değerlendirilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması kullanılmıştır. 2014-2015 öğretim yılı güz döneminde Niğde’de görev yapan 12 Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmeni ile görüşülmüş ve onların mekânsal düşünmenin farklı boyutları ile ilgili görüşleri alınmıştır. Öğretmenler tesadüfi örneklem yöntemiyle seçilmiştir. Araştırmada veriler yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmıştır Araştırma kapsamında elde edilen verilerin çözümlenmesinde içerik analizi türlerinden tümevarımcı analiz kullanılmıştır. Sosyal bilgiler öğretmenleri mekânsal düşünmeyi geliştirme sürecinde teknoloji araçlarından yararlandıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Sosyal bilgiler öğretmenlerinin mekânsal konularda en çok kullandıkları materyaller harita ve basılı materyaller (fotoğraf, resim vb), en çok kullandıkları yöntemler ise anlatım, soru-cevap, örnek vermedir. Öğrencilerin hazırbulunuşluluğu, sosyo-ekonomik düzeyi ve konuya ilgisi mekânsal düşünme becerisini en çok etkileyen faktördür. Araştırma sonunda genel olarak Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinin mekânsal düşünmeyi Sosyal Bilgiler öğretiminde her ne kadar gerekli ve önemli görseler dahi bu beceriyi kazandırma adına diğerlerinden farklı bir etkinlik ya da materyallerinin olmadığı görülmüştür.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Mekân; mekânsal düşünme; Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi; öğretmen görüşleri
ABSTRACT
This study aims to evaluate Social Studies teachers’ perspectives about spatial thinking skill which is placed in Turkish Social Studies Curriculum. A qualitative research designed and interviewed with 12 Social Studies teachers who work in Niğde in 2014-2015 academic year for get their opinions about different dimension of spatial thinking. The interview form consisted of five open-ended questions. Teacher opinions were examined by content analyses. Inductive analysis was used in analyzing data obtained from the content analysis research. Social Studies teachers indicated that they benefit from technology tools in the process of developing spatial thinking. Social Studies teachers stated that they use projectors, animation, drawing visuals etc. and according to them these materials affect the students’ spatial thinking skills. Social Studies teachers preferred to use traditional lecture, questioning and case study techniques most commonly for spatial issues. According to Social Studies teachers, student characteristics are also involved in the spatial thinking skills education. Students’ knowledge background, their social-economic level and their interest in the subject appear to be the most important factors. Result of the research show eventhough Social Studies teachers see that spatial thinking important and necessary in the Social Studies teaching, they can use some materials and methods which are generally used in other subject teaching as well.
Keywords: Space; spatial thinking; Social Studies Education; teachers’ opinion
Primary Language | tr; |
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Journal Section | Makaleler |
Authors | |
Publication Date | July 24, 2015 |
Published in Issue | Year 2015 Issue: 32 |