CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN HISTORY TEACHING: EVALUATING THE CONTENT AND SCOPE OF THE 1915 EVENTS IN HISTORY TEXTBOOKS

Year 2024, Volume: 64 Issue: 2, 1044 - 1074

Yıldız Deveci Bozkuş , Tolgahan Ayantaş

https://doi.org/10.33171/dtcfjournal.2024.64.2.4

Abstract

The educational dimension of history plays a vital role in shaping individuals' worldviews and understandings. However, the inclusion of certain controversial topics in history curricula leads to disagreements and challenges within education systems in many countries. Controversial issues in history education present significant challenges but also opportunities to develop critical thinking, empathy, and historical understanding. Controversial topics in history education typically revolve around colonialism, slavery, wars, religious history, nationalism, 1915 events and imperialism. Due to its place in the international political arena and its significance in our country's history, the events of 1915 stand out as a controversial subject. The purpose of this study is to examine the approach of high school level history textbooks in Turkey to the events of 1915. Six different history textbooks were analyzed using the qualitative research method of document analysis. The results of the study indicate that the examined textbooks lack sufficient and balanced content regarding the events of 1915. It was found that these important historical events were not adequately emphasized in the textbooks, and depth was not provided on the subject. Additionally, it was determined that different perspectives and cause-effect relationships of the 1915 events were missing. This indicates that the pedagogical principles for teaching controversial historical topics such as the events of 1915 were not adhered to in the examined history textbooks. The failure to adhere to these principles may make it difficult for students to understand the various aspects and perspectives of the subject and hinder their full comprehension of the cause and effect relationships of historical events. This, in turn, may hinder effective history education and the development of students' critical thinking skills. In this context, it is necessary for teachers and education authorities to pay more attention to these principles and ensure that controversial topics are comprehensively addressed in history classes. The study addresses controversial topics in history education while drawing attention to a significant gap in history education regarding the events of 1915 in our country, and it offers recommendations to education authorities, textbook writers, and history teachers.

Keywords

History Textbooks, Armenian Issue, 1915 Events, Controversial Issues

TARİH ÖĞRETİMİNDE TARTIŞMALI KONULAR: TARİH DERS KİTAPLARINDA 1915 OLAYLARININ KONU VE KAPSAM AÇISINDAN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Abstract

Tarihin eğitim boyutu, bireylerin dünya görüşlerini ve kavrayışlarını biçimlendirmede hayati bir rol oynamaktadır. Bununla birlikte, bazı tartışmalı konuların tarih öğretim programına dahil edilmesi, birçok ülkede eğitim sistemlerinde anlaşmazlıklara ve zorluklara neden olmaktadır. Tarih eğitimindeki tartışmalı konular önemli zorluklar doğurmakla birlikte aynı zamanda eleştirel düşünceyi, empatiyi ve tarihsel düşünme ve anlayışı geliştirmek için fırsatlar sunar. Tarih eğitiminde tartışmalı konular genellikle sömürgecilik, kölelik, savaşlar, dinler tarihi, milliyetçilik, 1915 Olayları ve emperyalizm başlıklarında toplanmaktadır. 1915 Olayları, uluslararası siyasi arenadaki yeri ve ülkemiz tarihindeki önemi nedeniyle tartışmalı bir konu olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de lise düzeyindeki tarih ders kitaplarının 1915 Olaylarına yaklaşımını incelemektir. Araştırma kapsamında altı farklı tarih ders kitabı, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman analizi yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçları, incelenen kitaplarda 1915 Olaylarına ilişkin yeterli ve dengeli bir içeriğin bulunmadığını göstermektedir. Kitaplarda bu önemli tarihsel olaya gereken vurgunun yapılmadığı ve konularda derinliğin sağlanamadığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, 1915 Olaylarına dair farklı perspektiflerin ve olayların neden-sonuç ilişkilerinin eksik olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu durum, incelenen tarih ders kitaplarında 1915 Olayları gibi tartışmalı tarihsel konuların öğretiminde belirlenen pedagojik ilkelere uyulmadığını göstermektedir. Bu ilkelere uyulmaması, öğrencilerin konunun farklı yönlerini ve çeşitli bakış açılarını anlamalarını zorlaştırabilir ve tarihsel olayların neden ve sonuç ilişkilerini tam olarak kavramalarını engelleyebilir. Bu da tarih eğitiminin etkili bir şekilde gerçekleşmesini ve öğrencilerin eleştirel düşünme becerilerini geliştirmesini engelleyebilir. Bu bağlamda, öğretmenlerin ve eğitim otoritelerinin bu ilkelere daha fazla dikkat etmeleri ve tarih derslerinde tartışmalı konuların kapsamlı bir şekilde ele alınmasını sağlamaları gerekmektedir. Çalışma, tarih eğitimindeki tartışmalı konuları ele almakla birlikte ülkemizde tarih eğitimi alanında 1915 Olaylarına ilişkin önemli bir boşluğa dikkat çekerek eğitim otoritelerine, ders kitabı yazarlarına ve tarih öğretmenlerine bazı öneriler sunmaktadır.

Keywords

TARİH DERS KİTAPLARI, ERMENİ SORUNU, 1915 OLAYLARI, TARTIŞMALI KONULAR

Ethical Statement

Söz konusu araştırma doküman incelemesine dayanmaktadır. İncelenen dokümanlar kamuya açıktır. Dolayısıyla görüşme, anket vb. veri toplama araçları kullanılmadığından etik kurul izni alınmasına gerek yoktur. Çalışmada akademik etik ve dürüstlüğe riayet edilmiştir. Detaylar yöntem bölümünde görülebilir.

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