İlköğretim 6. ve 7. Sınıf Sosyal Bilgiler Öğretim Programının Öğrenci Görüşlerine Göre Değerlendirilmesi Konya İli Örneği

Bu araştırmada 2005 sosyal bilgiler programının öğrenci görüşlerine göre değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın evreni, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı’na bağlıKonya ilindeki ilköğretim okullarında sosyal bilgiler dersini alan 6. ve 7. sınıf öğrencilerinden oluşmaktadır. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinde kullanılan kolay ulaşılabilirlik convenient sampling örneklemesi yöntemi ile açık uçlu – soru formu uygulamasıyapılmıştır. Nitel verilerin analizinde ise kuramsal anlamda belirgin olmayan temalar ve eğer varsa alt temaların oluşturulmasıile yapılan içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda; proje ve performans görevleri hakkında 6. sınıf öğrencilerinin olumlu – olumsuz eşit oranda görüşe sahip olduğu, 7. sınıfların olumsuz buldukları, 6. ve 7. sınıf öğrencilerinin ders ve çalışma kitabıkonusunda olumsuz görüşe sahip olduğu, 7. sınıf öğrencilerinin ders ve çalışma kitabıhakkında 6. sınıf öğrencilerine göre daha çok olumsuz görüşbildirdikleri, etkinlikler konusunda 6. sınıfların olumlu, 7. sınıfların ise olumlu ve olumsuz ve etkinlik yapmama da eşit oranda katılım gösterdikleri belirlenmiştir.

In this study, it was tried to evaluate the social studies curriculum, put into effect in 2005, according to students’ views. 6th and 7th grade students taking social studies lesson in primary schools under MONE in Konya constituted the universe of this study. Open-ended questionnaire form was applied through convenient sampling method, used in qualitative research methods, in this study. Content analysis method, done by forming theoretically insignificant themes and sub-themes, if any, was used to analyze the qualitative data. At the end of the study, it was found out that 6th grade students had both positive and negative outlook about project and performance assignments at almost the same level, but 7th grade students had negative outlook about them; both 6th and 7th grade students had negative outlook about course books and workbooks, but 7th grade students expressed more negative outlook than 6th grade students; while 6th grade students expressed positive outlook about activities, 7th grade students expressed both negative and positive outlook at the level. Social studies that have been in the curriculum of almost every country bring to mind an independent course that is related to each of the social sciences. These courses that are offered in the primary education are prepared on the level of the students. It can, of course, be said that although Social Studies have a common definition, it is a need for each country to have its own definition that is appropriate for its own educational curriculum. Instructions, targets, plans, resources and studies that are suitable for the curriculum must be prepared. In terms of its content, social studies are the most appropriate course for the individuals to have social and cultural lives and the necessary experience, because the students learn not only the history and current time, but they also learn about other societies. This extensive content gives them the opportunity to know more about the experience of the human-beings ÖztürkOtluoğlu, 2002: 40 . In Turkey, social studies is not an old course. It has been in the primary education curriculum since 1968-69 educational year, and in secondary school curriculum since 1970-1971 educational year. The main purpose of primary education is to bring up the children as good citizens with national consciousness, also to keep pace with today’s demands. In our country, social studies firstly aims to bring up active and productive citizens. The name of the course in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades of primary schools is “Hayat Bilgisi”, “Sosyal Bilgiler” in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades, the name of the course for 8th grades is “Atatürk İlkeleri ve İnkılap Tarihi”. All these courses have the same aim as stated before. Turkey changed the educational programs in respect of the current requirements of the time in 2004. Social studies course program whose outline was prepared in 2004 has begun to be used gradually in the primary school curriculum beginning from 2005. Besides having the aim to bring up democratic and good citizens, social studies also aim to get citizens gain the basic values and skills. Pre-determined values, skills, and acquisitions must be distributed and organized according to classes in terms of content and educational background. In our time, all programs need some changes in time, because change and improvement have to be consistent, fast and affective. Due to the reasons above, the programs have to be revised, arranged and evaluated again in the course of time. In the light of this research, social studies is a course offered to 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th grade students. In consideration of the new program, it provides unity with “Atatürk İlkeleri ve İnkılap Tarihi” course offered in the 8th graders. This study was conducted to evaluate the 2005 Social studies course program in terms of students. During the study, the answers for these questions were sought: 1. What are the opinions of 6th and 7th grade students about social studies course project and performance duties? 2. What are the opinions of 6th and 7th grade students about social studies course topics course book and work book ? 3. What are the opinions of 6th and 7th grade students about social studies course activities? 4. What are the opinions of 6th and 7th grade students about social studies course teaching process? The study was limited with 6th and 7th grade students in Konya city centre and towns districts , and with an open-ended questionnaire. The study is a qualitative case study that is conducted to obtain student views on the social studies curriculum based on constructivist approach which was a draft in 2004, and put into use gradually in 2005. Case study is a research design that explores the case under scrutiny within its borders and which is used where the borderlines between the case and its environment are not clear and where more than one source of proof or data exist Yin, 1984; Yıldırım ve Şimşek, 2006 . In case study which at the same time constitutes our research design, deep explorations on an event or situation, instead of examining limited variables through strict rules and large samples Flyvbjerg, 2006 . The sample of the study was drawn from 6th and 7th grade students of the Ministry of Education schools in Konya city centre and towns districts . The study was conducted in 2007-2008 school year, and during the application of open-ended questionnaire, convenient sampling method that is used in qualitative studies was used as data collection tool. The students were applied the “Open-ended Student Questionnaire for Social Studies Course”. The collected data was then analyzed. After literature review for open-ended questionnaire, 42 students from 6th grade and 33 students from 7th grade were asked to write short essay about social studies course. These essays were evaluated and then the questions were prepared. These openended questions were evaluated, and the necessary changes were done considering the students age levels, and ultimate form of the questionnaire was prepared. The prepared questions were common for both 6th and 7th graders. This data collection tool was applied on the condition that it would ensure the essential conditions and motivation. Data gathered at the end of the study were analyzed by content analysis method. Content analysis method, used so as to analyze data in qualitative studies, is used to analyze undetermined themes and sub-themes, if existed, in theoretical means Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2006 . Instead of taking all the participants into account, analyzing was done according to the numbers of the students who responded matching to the analysis with various reasons such as not finding any theme in the answers and giving more than one theme. For this reason, numbers of the students given in analysis may change. The results of this study are as follows: • 6th grade students had both positive and negative outlook about project and performance assignments at almost the same level, but 7th grade students had negative outlook about them, • both 6th and 7th grade students had negative outlook about course books and workbooks, but 7th grade students expressed more negative outlook than 6th grade students, • while 6th grade students expressed positive outlook about activities, 7th grade students expressed both negative and positive outlook at the same level. In the light of these results the following recommendations can be suggested: • Teachers should increase the student participation by taking students’ physical, social and psychological developmental characteristics into account and give place to activities which attract their attentions. • Textbooks prepared for social studies course might be more suitable for the students’ levels and their contents might have a satisfying quality. • Projects and performance assignments should be given according to the environment in which the students live and their level, timing should be flexible by taking students’ criticisms about the projects and performance tasks about a number of lessons into consideration