Social Studies Teachers' Views on the Turkish Education System: Current Problems and Suggested Solutions

Abstract

This study aims to determine the current problems related to social studies education from the perspective of social studies teachers. The research was designed with content analysis technique, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research consisted of 50 social studies teachers working in secondary schools in the center of Mardin province. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. The data obtained were first subjected to a descriptive analysis in accordance with the content analysis technique. Codes and categories were created. According to the results obtained from the research, it is seen that the school directly affects the student's readiness and intrinsic motivation. In addition, the genetic and mental state of the child, how the parents guide the child, the financial conditions in which the child lives are directly proportional to his/her education, and the environment in which the student grows up are directly effective in the success of the student. When the opinions of the teachers about the social studies textbooks are analyzed, the majority of them stated that the textbooks are not printed in high quality. In addition, teachers who were satisfied with the textbooks stated that the book contains basic information, that the visuals in the book are in a way to guide the students, that the coloring is good, that it is the best book on the market, especially for the sixth grade, that the texts and topics in the book complement each other, that it is suitable for the age level of the students, and most importantly, that it makes a great contribution to the developmental process of the students in a positive sense. The research was concluded with suggestions such as organizing all stakeholders in education, strengthening the infrastructure of schools according to the curriculum and making all schools equal in this sense, providing financial support to schools and opening study classes in schools.