Abstract
The aim of the present survey is to seek out and record the opinions of a group ofindividuals, who play a most crucial and decisive role, both in the shaping of developmentsin the field of education in Turkey, as well as in the educational training of futureeducators in the same country. This group consists of university professors who teach in Faculties of Education and History Departments, in the three most populated cities inTurkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir) and whose scientific discipline is the teaching of Historyor Social Sciences. The sample of the survey consists of 50 persons, coming from 13 universities (state and private), belonging to all levels and age groups, who have studied either in Turkey orabroad. Through personal attestations and responses to open-ended critical questions, onecan obtain a relatively comprehensive insight about the Turkish educator (of the primary,secondary or higher educational level) and the Turkish pupil/student. The fears, concerns,reflections and ...
The aim of the present survey is to seek out and record the opinions of a group ofindividuals, who play a most crucial and decisive role, both in the shaping of developmentsin the field of education in Turkey, as well as in the educational training of futureeducators in the same country. This group consists of university professors who teach in Faculties of Education and History Departments, in the three most populated cities inTurkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir) and whose scientific discipline is the teaching of Historyor Social Sciences. The sample of the survey consists of 50 persons, coming from 13 universities (state and private), belonging to all levels and age groups, who have studied either in Turkey orabroad. Through personal attestations and responses to open-ended critical questions, onecan obtain a relatively comprehensive insight about the Turkish educator (of the primary,secondary or higher educational level) and the Turkish pupil/student. The fears, concerns,reflections and ideologies expressed at some points, do bear a resemblance to the existingstate of educational affairs in Greece (university entrance exams, feeling of self-efficiencyof educators, assessment of school textbooks, purpose and targets of the subject of History,what kind of citizen the History school books create etc.). However, there are also issuesthat do not seem to be directly associated to the Greek society (religious education,headscarf, political ideology, issues that create internal conflicts etc.).More specifically, through this research it became evident that not all participantsare adequately informed on the subject of History, as it is taught in the primary andsecondary levels of education in Turkey. In particular, few of the educators are in aposition to explicitly know and be able to deliver thorough reports on the curricula, the relevant decisions of the Ministry of Education, the work of primary and secondary degreeeducators, as well as the function and performance of the Faculties of Education. On thecontrary, concerning the theoretical framework of their knowledge, almost every educatoris adequately informed about the new educational methods and theories on teaching the subjects of History or Social Sciences, and the opinions they expressed are based oninternational bibliography and the prevalent educational philosophy/ideology. The responses of Turkish university professors have revealed their apprehensionpertaining to the future of education in their country. They refer to the problems theyencounter in their academic life and research work, which appear similar to thoseconfronted by educators in primary and secondary schools. They emphasize thesignificance of the subject of History and the orientation they would like it to have. Furthermore, they narrate personal stories from their own student years, but also from theirperspective as parents. Finally, they sketch the picture of the Turkish student and pupil, asthey perceive it being formed through the existing educational system, and they articulatetheir fears both for the future of Turkish education, but also for the country in general. Allin all, the educators who participated in this research, each one in his/her unique way,provide an inclusive portrait of the typical Turkish student over time, which ultimately alsotranslates into an image of self-definition.
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