Local and Oral History In Life Studies and Social Studies Lessons: Making Sense Of History

Abstract

In this study, the use of local and oral history in Life Studies and Social Studies lessons was examined according to primary class teacher’s views. The study was conducted with a case study, one of the qualitative research designs. The study group of the research consists of 32 classroom teachers working in public schools in Fatih, Bakırköy, and Florya districts of Istanbul. In the research, as data collection tool was used semi-structured interview, and data analysis was counducted by content analysis. According to the results of the study, it found that the classroom teachers thought the use of local and oral history in life studies and social studies lessons as the basis of the lessons. In addition, it observed that most of the teachers perceived the concepts of local and oral history correctly. However, it revealed that very few classroom teachers have confusion in their oral and local history perceptions. According to the opinions of the primary school teachers about using the local and oral history method in the Life Studies and Social Studies lessons; it concluded that three of the teachers did not use the local history in the life studies and social studies lessons, and four of the teachers did not use the oral history in the Life Studies and Social Studies lessons, also two teachers thought that the oral history method was not suitable for the 3rd grade Life Studies course. According to the results of the research, there were given suggestions to support teachers who have conceptual confusion in their perceptions of oral and local history and teachers who do not have enough knowledge and experience on how these methods can be used in Life Studies and Social Studies course.