Sosyal Bilgiler Öğretmen Adaylar?n?n Tart??mal? Konulara Kat?l?m?n? Etkileyen Etmenler-Factors Affecting the Participation of Social Studies Teacher Candidates in Discussions on Controversial Issues

Yıl 2013, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 1, 24 - 57, 22.05.2013

A Figen Ersoy

Öz

Günümüzde vatandaşların, kendi toplumlar?nda ve dünyada tart???lan konular?n fark?nda olmas? ve bu konulara çözüm önerileri getirmesi beklenilmektedir. Bu nedenle, tart??mal? konular vatandaşlık eğitiminin önemli bir parças?d?r. Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenleri, derslerinde tart??mal? konulara yer vererek ö?rencilerin vatandaşlık yeterliklerini geli?tirmelidir. Öğretmen eğitiminde tart??mal? konulara yer verilerek öğretmen adaylar?n?n hem kendi vatandaşlık yeterlikleri hem de vatandaşlık eğitimi aç?s?ndan mesleki yeterlikleri geli?tirilmelidir. Bu ara?t?rman?n amac?, Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmen adaylar?n?n tart??mal? konulara kat?l?m?n? etkileyen etmenleri belirlemektir. Ara?t?rmaya Türkiye’deki 12 farkl? üniversiteden 1957 Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmen aday? kat?lm??t?r. Ara?t?rma verileri, anket ile toplanm?? ve yüzde, frekans ve ki-kare testleri ile çözümlenmi?tir. Ara?t?rma sonuçlar?na göre, öğretmen adaylar?, ilgilerini çeken, bilgi sahibi olduklar? konularda tart??maya daha çok kat?l?rken hassas konularda daha az kat?lmaktad?r. Öğretmen adaylar?n?n cinsiyeti, ailesinin gelir düzeyi ve eğitimi, yerle?im birimi, ö?renim gördü?ü üniversite, Sınıf ve mezun oldu?u lise türü tart??mal? konulara kat?l?mlar?n? etkilemektedir.


Social studies teachers employ discussions about controversial issues in their classrooms as an effective instructional tool in order to improve citizenship education. Therefore, teaching about controversial issues in pre-service social studies programs is important for improving pre-service teachers’ understanding of their own abilities to teach about citizenship issues and their skills to teach about controversial issues in their classrooms as well. Pre-service teachers ought to be encouraged to participate more in classroom discussions about controversial issues. Therefore, this study aim to understand and explain factors that affect social studies teacher candidates’ participation in classroom discussions about controversial issues and suggest how this process might be more efficient and effective in Turkey.
1957 pre-service social studies teachers from 12 different universities in Turkey participated in this study. A questionaire was used to collect data for this research. The questionaire included likert type 16 items regarding students’ personal information and factors that affect the level of participation in classroom discussions about controversial issues and one open-ended question regarding implications on how discussions can be improved in a way that help the discussions more effective and efficient. Chi-Square, frequency, and percentange tests were used to analyze the quantitative data. Inductive content analysis method was employed to analyze and code the qualitative data.
The findings of the study showed that while 92.2 % pre-service social studies teachers stated that they participate in the dicussions on controversial issues when they only find it interested, 79.4 % participant pointed out that they do not participate in the discussions, if they believe they do not have enough knowledge about the topic of the dicussion. In addition, 47.5% of the participants stated that they do not want to participate in the discussions about culturally and socially sensitive issues. 40.5% pre-service teachers in the study shared that they do not have discussions with their peers who are not tolerant to different ideas and perspectives. On the other hand, 48.7% participants argued that if the discussions become a personal battles between peers, they are not comfortable sharing their ideas. 54.8% of the participants stated that even if they feel like the teacher supports one of group against other groups, they still are comfortable expressing themselves during classroom discussions; however, 32.8% participants pointed out that they do not participate in the discussions if they believe the teacher is not objective about the sensitive issue.
The findings of the study show that participants’ gender, income, their parents’ education, residency, the university they attend, grade level, and high school they graduated from are contributed to their level of participation in the classroom discussions about controversial issues. Female participants stated that if they feel like they do not have enough knowledge about the discussion topic or the topic is a culturally and socially sensitve issue, they either do not participate at all or their participation is limited. However, male pre-service teachers shared that they are more concerned about peer interaction and having good relationships with their peers after the discussion is ended as well. Another finding of the study indicate that pre-service teachers from low socio-economic status shared that if they feel like the teacher’s judgement might be compromised based on students’ contradicted ideas, they rarely participate in the discussions. In addition, students whose parents have limited education (i.e., elementary level) said that they have difficulty expressing themselves during classroom discussions. Furthermore, another finding show that teacher candidates who come from big cities feel more comfortable participating in the classroom discussions about controversial issues compared to teacher candidates who come from in rural areas. In addition, results of the study indicate that level of participation in classroom discussions regarding controversial issues increased as they become sophomores and seniors. It is also important to say that culture of the universities might influence students’ response to controversial discussions. The researcher of the study found that level of participation varies based on academic culture of the universities. For example, in the universities that are considered as conservative teacher candidates participated in the discussions less than their counterparts who are enrolled in universities that are known as democratic. Therefore, these factors ougth to be carefully considered before they are educated about how to employ controversial issues as an instructional tool. The pre-service teachers suggested that they would like to be respected, the teachers should be objective during discussions, and they should not try to impose their ideas to the students.

Anahtar Kelimeler

-

Kaynakça

• Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2005). Anket geliştirme. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 2, 133-151.
• Byford, J., Lennon, S., ve Russell, W. B. (2009). Teaching controversial issues in the social studies: A research study of high school teachers. The Clearing House, 82, 165-170.
• Creswell, J. W. (2007). Educational research (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
• Crowe, A. R., ve Wilen, W. (2003). Teaching prospective social studies teacher to use issues- based discussion in their secondary social studies classrooms. The International Social Studies Forum, 3, 303-305.
• Dean, B., ve Joldoshalieva, R. (2007). Key strategies for teachers new to controversial issues. In H. Claire & C. Holden, (Eds.), The challenge of teaching controversial issues. (pp. 175- 187). USA: Trentham Books.
• Doğanay, A. (2002). Sosyal bilgiler öğretimi. İçinde C. Öztürk ve D. Dilek (Edt). Hayat bilgisi ve sosyal bilgiler öğretimi (s.15-46). Ankara: Pegem A Yayıncılık.
• Dube, O. (2009). Addressing current controversial issues through the Social Studies curriculum: Making Social Studies come alive. European Journal of Educational Studies, 1, 25-34.
• Ehman, L. H. (1980). Change in high school students’ political attitudes as a function of social studies classroom climate. American Educational Researh Journal, 17, 253-265.
• Ersoy, A. F. (2010). Social studies teacher candidates' views on the controversial issues incorporated into their courses in Turkey. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 323-334.
• Fowler, F. J. (2002). Survey research methods. (3rd ed). USA: Sage Publications.
• Ezzedeen, S. R. (2008). Facilitating class discussions around current and controversial issues: Ten recommendations for teachers. College Teaching, 56, 230-236.
• Fallahi, C. R. (2007). Using debate in helping students discus controversial topics. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 4, 83-97.
• Hand, M., ve Levinson, R. (2012). Discussing Controversial Issues in the Classroom. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 44, 614-629.
• Harwood, A. M., ve Hahn, C. L. (1990). Controversial issues in the classroom. (ERIC Documentation Reproduction Service No. ED327453).
• Haste, H., ve Hogan, H. (2006). Beyond conventional civic participation, beyond the moral- political divide: Young people and contemporary debates about citizenship. Journal of Moral Education, 35, 473-493.
• Healey, R. L. (2012). The power of debate: Reflections on the potential of for engaging students in critical thinking about controversial geographical topics. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 36, 239-257.
• Hess, D. (2001). Teaching do public controversy in a democracy? İçinde J. J. Patrick & S. Robert (Eds.), Principles and practices of democracy in the education of social studies teacher: Civic learning in teacher education (pp. 87-110). (ERIC Documentation Reproduction Service No. ED460064).
• Hess, D., ve Posselt, J. (2002). How high school students experience and learn from the discussion of controversial public issues. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 17, 283- 314.
• Holden, C., ve Hicks, D. (2007). Making global connections. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23, 13-23.
• Holden, C. (2002). Teaching the tricky bits: Topical, political and controversial isues. Education, 3, 17-23.
• Howard, J., Zoeller, A., ve Pratt, Y. (2006). Students’ race and participation in sociology classroom discussion: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 5, 14-38.
• Hyde, C. A., ve Ruth, B. J. (2002). Multicultural content and class participation: Do students self-cencor? Journal of Social Work Education, 38, 241-256.
• Karasar, N. (2012). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemi (24. Baskı). Ankara: Nobel Yayın Dağıtım.
• Larson, B. E. (2000). Influences on social studies teachers’ use of classroom discussion. The Clearing House, 73, 174-181.
• Levinson, R. (2006) Towards a theoretical framework for teaching controversial socio-scientiŞc issues, International Journal of Science Education, 28, 1201–1224.
• Lusk, A. B., ve Weinberg, A. S. (1994). Discussing controversial topics in the classroom: Creating a context for learning. Teaching Sociology, 22, 301-308.
• Mazzolini, M., & Maddison, S. (2002). Does gender influence discussion forum participation in online education? ASCILITE 2002 conference proceedings. Retrieved October, 03, 2009 from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland02/proceedings/papers/134.pdf
• McBee, R. H. (1996). Can controversial issues be taught in the early years? The answer is yes. Social Education, 60, 38-41.
• McCully, A. (2006). Practitioner perceptions of their role in facilitating the handling of controversial issues in contested societies: A northern Irish experience. Educational Review, 58, 51-65.
• McLauglin, T. (2003). Teaching controversial issues in citizenship education. İçinde A. Locyer, B. Crick ve J. Annette. (Eds.) Education for democratic citizenship: Issues of theory and practice. (pp. 149-161). USA: Asgate Publishing Company.
• Miles, M. B., ve Huberman, M. A. (1994). An expanded sourcebook qualitative data analysis. London: Sage Publication.
• Misco, T., ve Patterson, N. C. (2007). A study of pre-service teachers’ conceptualizations of academic freedom and controversial issues. Theory and Research in Social Education, 35, 520-550.
• National Council for Social Studies. [NCSS] (1992). A vision of powerful teaching and learning in social studies: Building social understanding and civic efficacy. Retrieved August, 01, 2006, from http://www.socialstudies.org/positions/powerful
• Neal, L. (2013). From classroom to controversy: conflict in the teaching of religion. Teaching Theology ve Religion, 16, 66-75.
• Oulton, C., Day, V., Dillon, J., ve Grace, M. (2004). Controversial issues teachers attitudes and practice in the context of citizenship education. Oxford Review of Education, 30, 489-507.
• Oxfam House. (2006). Global citizenship guides: teaching controversial issues. Retrieved May, 15, 2008, from www.oxfam.org.uk/publications.
• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. [QCA] (1998) Education for citizenship and the teaching of democracy in schools Final report of the Advisory Group on Citizenship. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
• Oulton, C., Day, V., Dillon, J. ve Grace, M. (2004). Controversial issues teachers' attitudes and practices in the context of citizenship education, Oxford Review of Education, 30, 489-507.
• Öztürk, C., ve Dilek, D. (2002). Hayat bilgisi ve sosyal bilgiler öğretim programları. İçinde C. Öztürk ve D. Dilek (Ed.). Hayat bilgisi ve sosyal bilgiler öğretimi (s. 47-81). Ankara: Pegem A Yayıncılık.
• Payne, B. K. ve Gainey, R.R. (2000). Understanding and developing controversial issues in college courses. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 51, 51-57.
• Rambosk, P. D. (2011). Florida Pre-Service Teachers' and their Attitude towards the use of Controversial Issues. Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations. Paper 2134. Retrieved May, 10, 2013, from http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu.
• Robbins, M., Francis, L., ve Elliot, E. (2003). Attitudes towards education for global citizenship among trainee teachers. Research in Education, 69, 93-98.
• Rola, K. (2012). Nature of science and decision-making. International Journal of Sicience Education, 34, 67-100.
• Smith, A. M. ve Lennon, S. (2011). Preparing student teachers to address complex learning and controversy with middle grades students. International Journal of Progressive Education, 7, 33-51.
• Solomon, J. (1992). The Classroom Discussion of Science-Based Social Issues Presented on Television: Knowledge, attitudes and values. International Journal of Science Education, 14, 431–444.
• Sönmez, V. (1998). Sosyal Bilgiler öğretimi ve öğretmen kılavuzu. Ankara: Anı Yayıncılık.
• Stradling, R. (1984). The teaching of controversial issues: An evaluation. Educational Review, 36, 121-129.
• Weaver, R. R., ve Qi, J. (2005). Classroom organization and participation: College students’perceptions. Journal of Higher Education, 76, 570–601.
• Wade, R. C. (1994). Teacher education students’ views on class discussion: Implications for fostering critical reflection. Teaching and Teacher Education, 10, 231-243
• Wilson, E. K., Hass, M. E., Lauglin, M. A. ve Sunal, C. S. (2002). Teacher’s perspectives on incorporating current controversial issues into the social studies curriculum. The International Social Studies Forum, 2, 31-45.
• Yıldırım, A. ve Şimşek, H. (2005). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri. Ankara: Seçkin Yayınları.
• Yılmaz, K. (2009). Sosyal bilgiler öğretmenlerinin tartışmalı ve tabu konular hakkındaki görüşleri. I. Uluslararası Avrupa Birliği, demokrasi, vatandaşlık eğitimi sempozyumu bildiri kitabı içinde (ss. 290-300). Uşak Üniversitesi (28-30 Mayıs). Ankara: Pegem A Yayıncılık.
• Zembylas, M., ve Froso, K. (2012). The teaching of controversial issues during elementary-level history instruction: Greek-Cypriot teachers’ perceptions and emotions. The Theory and Research in Social Education, 40, 107-133.