Qualities of Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers who will Educate the Citizens of Future in Turkey

Abstract

With the incorporation of a constructivist approach into social studies curriculum to give direction to social life, people have started to wonder what kind of changes should be made in pre-service and inservice teacher training programs. The current study aims to determine the qualifications of social studies pre-service teachers who will contribute to the social studies education of the future and their expectations from teacher education. The study used the semi-structured interview method based on a qualitative research approach. The participants of the present study are 20 fourth-year students from the social studies teacher education program of the education faculty of a state university. In the analysis of the data, an inductive analysis technique was employed. Within the context of the study, the qualifications a social studies teacher should possess are explained in terms of personal characteristics, subject area knowledge, general knowledge, and professional knowledge. The expectations from social studies teacher education are discussed in terms of content, the teaching–learning process, evaluation and qualifications of teacher educators, and teacher appointments. In light of the present study’s findings, it can be argued that social studies teacher education needs to be improved and new regulations for teacher education programs established in line with the constructivist theory put into effect in Turkey in 2005

Keywords

• Constructivist theory, social studies teacher, teacher education