Research Article

Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements

Volume: 8 Number: 2 September 30, 2026
TR EN

Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the educational expectations of parents whose children attend primary, secondary, and high school by using the phenomenology from qualitative research designs. In order to ensure the representation of the study group with different demographic variables, the maximum variation sampling method was used to select 15 participants according to both their occupational background (unemployed, worker, civil servant, private sector, and white collar) and the education level of the participant parents. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The findings were divided into five main themes: a) the general expectations, b) the expectations from the purpose, c) content, d) process, and e) evaluation of education. The parental expectations highlighted in the study are: a) developing psychomotor skills, b) reducing class sizes, c) improving educational experiences, d) increasing stakeholder participation, e) addressing insufficient class hours, f) reducing inefficiency in classes, g) reducing curriculum density, h) increasing course variety, i) improving school facilities, j) rethinking attendance requirements, k) questioning the necessity of grade 12, l) prioritizing student happiness, and m) challenging the exam system. This study shows what kind of approach parents expect from their children in the context of the purpose, content, process and evaluation of education. Parents generally favor a well-rounded educational approach that nurtures academic, moral, emotional, and social growth. However, this preference often clashes with the exam-driven national system, creating a gap between parental hopes and institutional constraints. This study emphasizes the need for a system that better aligns with the needs of both students and parents, offering recommendations for teacher training, curriculum revisions, and student-centered assessments. Policy makers and educators should consider parental expectations to accurately assess the student population and structure educational processes to align with the goal of socializing individuals.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

There is no supporting institution.

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was obtained and presented in the study. Participants were informed about the study and provided voluntary informed consent. Data were anonymized and used exclusively for research, with confidentiality and privacy maintained. Ethical approval (Meeting Date/No: 14/07/2023 / 08; Decision Number: 2023/305) is presented to the Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education Journal.

Thanks

There is no acknowledgment.

References

  1. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/akef/article/1705175

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Education Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

September 30, 2026

Submission Date

April 17, 2026

Acceptance Date

September 8, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 8 Number: 2

APA
Yilmaz, E., & Karadeniz, S. (2026). Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 8(2), 224-224. https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB
AMA
1.Yilmaz E, Karadeniz S. Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements. JAKEF. 2026;8(2):224-224. https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB
Chicago
Yilmaz, Ercan, and Seda Karadeniz. 2026. “Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements”. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 8 (2): 224-24. https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB.
EndNote
Yilmaz E, Karadeniz S (September 1, 2026) Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 8 2 224–224.
IEEE
[1]E. Yilmaz and S. Karadeniz, “Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements”, JAKEF, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 224–224, Sept. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB
ISNAD
Yilmaz, Ercan - Karadeniz, Seda. “Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements”. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 8/2 (September 1, 2026): 224-224. https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB.
JAMA
1.Yilmaz E, Karadeniz S. Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements. JAKEF. 2026;8:224–224.
MLA
Yilmaz, Ercan, and Seda Karadeniz. “Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements”. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 2, Sept. 2026, pp. 224-, https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB.
Vancouver
1.Ercan Yilmaz, Seda Karadeniz. Analyzing Turkish Parents’ Educational Expectations through the Lens of Curriculum Elements. JAKEF [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 1;8(2):224-. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA68RU73EB