Development of Social Studies Curriculum in Turkey and John Dewey’s Effect on the Modernization of Turkish Education

Year 2011, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 45 - 61, 01.04.2011

Bülent Tarman

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the historical development, status and purpose of the Turkish social studies curriculum in addition to understanding John Dewey’s impact on the modernization of Turkish educational system. Document analysis as a qualitative research method is used in this study. The data were obtained from the historical documents about the development of the Turkish social studies curriculum, the Internet sources, printed literature–such as reports about the curriculum development process done by national govermental organizations like Ministry of Education and Board of Education, and review and research articles about social studies educations and Dewey’s effect on the Turkish Educational system. This study consists of two main parts: one is The History of Social Studies Curriculum Development in Turkey, which addresses the historical development of Social Studies Curriculum in two major eras: The Era of Ottomans and the Republican Period. The second part of the study examines the impact of a famous 20th century American philosopher and educator, John Dewey, on Turkey

Keywords

Social Studies Education, Curriculum Development, Turkish Educational System, John Dewey

References

• Akbaba, T. (2004). “Cumhuriyet Döneminde Program Geliştirme Çalışmaları”, Bilim ve Aklın Aydınlığında Eğitim Dergisi, 5, 54–55.
• Akyuz, Y. (1994). Turk egitim tarihi –baslangictan 1993’e (Turkish education history –from Beginning to 1993). Kultur Koleji Publications, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Ata, B. (1998). John Dewey ve Türkiye’de ilköğretimde tarih öğretimi (1923-1930). Atatürk’ün Cumhuriyetin İlanından Sonraki Hedefleri Sempozyumu, Kocaeli Üniversitesi ile Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi, İzmit, 57-77.
• Ata, B. (2002). The influence of an American educator (John Dewey) on the Turkish Educational System, The Turkish Yearbook, 31, 119-130.
• Bal, H. (1991). 1924 Raporunun Türk Eğitimine Etkisi ve J. Dewey’in Eğitim Felsefesi, İstanbul, Aydınlar Matbaası.
• Büyükdüvenci,S. (1995). John Dewey's impact on Turkish Education, Studies in Philosophy and Education, 13, 393-400.
• Bozkurt, G. (2001). History of Turkish education. (Available On-line). [Retrieved on 2/12/2004 from http://www.yok.gov.tr/webeng/histedu/histtredu.html].
• Demirel, O. (1991). “Education and changing social realities in Turkey.” Paper
• presented in Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education
• Society, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Dewey, J. (1900). The school and society. New York: Free Press
• Dewey, J. (1913). Education from a social perspective. In J. A. Boydston (Ed.) John Dewey: The middle works, 1899-1924, Vol. 7 (pp. 113-127). Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: Free Press.
• Dewey, J. (1939). Türkiye Maarifi Hakkında Rapor, _Istanbul: Maarif Basımevi.
• Dewey, J. (1983). The Middle Works, 1899-1924, volume. 15 (Edited by: Jo Ann Boydston) Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Dewey, J. (1989). Freedom and culture. Prometheus Books, New York
• Dewey, J. (2002). Human nature and conduct. Prometheus Books, New York
• Dykhuizen, G. (1973). The Life and Mind of John Dewey. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Esen, Y. (2007). Sexism in School Textbooks Prepared under Education Reform in Turkey. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 5(2). [Retrieved on April 4, 2009, from http://wws.jceps.com/print/php?articleID=109].
• Eurydice (2010). Structures of Education and Training Systems in Europe: Turkey. 2009/2010 Edition, European Commission.
• Gazo, E. W. (1996). “John Dewey in Turkey: An educational mission” Journal of American Studies of Turkey 3, 15-42.
• Gert, J.J. B. & Miedema, S. (1996). Dewey in Europe: A Case Study on the International Dimensions of the Turn-of-the-Century Educational Reform, American Journal of Education, 105, 1-26.
• Glesne, C. (1999). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. New York: Longman.
• Gülcan, M.G. Türkeli, Y. Parabakan, F. Şölen, A. Albayrak, F. (2003). Türkiye’de İlköğretim (Dünü – Bugünü – Yarını), Millî Eğitim Basımevi, İstanbul.
• Holliday, A, (2007). Doing and writing qualitative research. London: Sage Publications.
• Hoskins, B., Villalba, E., Nijlen, D.V.and Barber, C. (2008). Measuring Civic Competence in Europe, European Commission, LB-NA-23210-EN-C [Retrieved on 24/01/2011 from http://activecitizenship.jrc.it/Documents/active%20citizenship/BryonyCCI_JRC 42904_final.pdf)
• Kazamias, A.M. (1966). Education and the Quest for Modernity in Turkey, London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
• MEB (1926). Ilkmektep mufredat programi (Turkish Ministry of Education, (1926) Primary school curriculum) Ankara, Turkey.
• MEB (1930). Ilkokul programi (Turkish Ministry of Education, (1930) Primary school curriculum) Ankara, Turkey.
• MEB (1932). Ilkokul programi (Turkish Ministry of Education, (1932) Primary school curriculum) Ankara, Turkey.
• MEB (1962). Ilkmektep mufredat programi (Turkish Ministry of Education, (1962) Primary school curriculum) Ankara, Turkey.
• MEB (1968). Ilkmektep mufredat programi (Turkish Ministry of Education, (1968) Primary school curriculum) Ankara, Turkey.
• MEB (1998). İlköğretim Programı. MEB Yay., Ankara.
• MEB (2003).Türkiye’de İlköğretim: Dünü, Bugünü, Yarını (Primary Education in Turkey: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) MEB İlköğretim Genel Müdürlüğü. - Ankara : MEB, 2003. [Retrieved on 11/10/1009 from http://iogm.meb.gov.tr]
• MEB (2005). İlköğretim 1–5. Sınıflar Programları Tanıtım El Kitabı. MEB Yay., Ankara.
• Milli Eğitim Temel Kanunu (2010). (Basic Law of National Education) No. 1739 http://mevzuat.meb.gov.tr/html/88.html.
• Myers, M. D. (1997). Qualitative research in information systems, MIS Quarterly, 21(2), 241.
• Jaradat, I. (1978). “The theory of Islamic education” Paper presented in World Conference on Education: Life Long Learning in a World Perspective, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Journal of Ministry of Culture (1937) New School Curriculum, 20-1, 161-197. (Kültür Bakanlıgı Dergisi) (1937). “Yeni İlkokul Müfredat Programı”, sayı. 20- 1 (Sonkanun), ss. 161-197.
• Outline of the Turkish education system. (Available On-line). [Retrieved on 3/2/2009 from http://www.yok.gov.tr/webeng/edusys.html].
• Öztürk, C. (2006). “Sosyal Bilgiler: Toplumsal Yaşama Disiplinlerarası Bir Bakış”, Hayat Bilgisi ve Sosyal Bilgiler Ögretimi, Ankara: PegemA Yayıncılık, ss. 21- 48.
• Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Stone, F, A. (1973). The evaluation of contemporary Turkish educational thought. History of Education Quarterly, 13(2), 145-161.
• Şahin, M. ( 2009). Cumhuriyetin kuruluşundan günümüze Türkiye’de hayat bilgisi dersi programlarının gelişimi. Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 8 (2), 402– 410.
• Tarman, B. (2010). Socio-Cultural Transformation: Western-oriented Modernization of Turkey. VDM Publishing House.
• Tarman, B. (2008).The European Union and the Modernization of the Turkish Education System. Cambria Press, Amherst, New York.
• Tiana, A. (2004) Developing key competencies in education systems: some lessons from international studies and national experiences. In Rychen, D.S. & Tiana, A. (Eds.) Developing key competencies in education: some lessons from international and national experiences. Geneva: UNESCO / International Bureau of Education
• Turan, S. (1997). “John Dewey’s report of 1924 and his recommendations on the Turkish educational system revisited.” Paper presented in Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
• Uygun, S. (2008). The impact of John Dewey on the teacher education system in Turkey,Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 36(4), 291–307.
• Üstel, F. (2004). Makbul Vatandaşın Peşinde. İletişim Yayınları, İstanbul.
• Yasar, S. (1998). “Evaluation of educational programs in Turkey.” Paper presented in Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.