Developing Gender Awareness in the Social Studies Course: An Action Research

Kübra Nur Çakar; Serdar Malkoç

Article Details

Developing Gender Awareness in the Social Studies Course: An Action Research

Authors:

Kübra Nur Çakar | Serdar Malkoç

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi | Cinsiyet | Cinsellik ve Eğitim

Journal:

Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.58 Issue 2, pp.865-932

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356521

pISSN:

1301-3718

Keywords:

Abstract:

 One of the primary aims of social studies is to cultivate active and participatory citizens within a democratic society. In line with this goal, social studies seeks to foster a critical and questioning perspective by centering on social issues. Integrating gender into the social studies education can contribute to the realization of social equality and justicekey foundations of democratic citizenshipat a societal level. This study was conducted to foster gender awareness among 7th-grade students in a Social Studies lesson. To achieve this aim, the study was designed as an action research, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out at a public school in a district of Konya, where the researcher also works as a social studies teacher. The study group consisted of 18 seventh-grade students 10 girls and 8 boys. The action plan, prepared beforehand, was implemented over a 6-week period, with three 40-minute class sessions per week. Qualitative data collection tools such as interviews, observations, student journalsproducts, and focus group interviews were employed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that the students demonstrated development in their gender awareness. It was observed that female students showed greater awareness than their male peers, and students with higher academic achievement developed more awareness compared to those with lower academic performance. Moreover, the study yielded significant outcomes in terms of teacher education. As seen in the students interviews and reflective notes, their realization that gender equality was not addressed in other subjects is a noteworthy result. This finding not only underscores the influential role of teachers in education but also highlights the importance of incorporating gender education into teacher training programs.

 One of the primary aims of social studies is to cultivate active and participatory citizens within a democratic society. In line with this goal, social studies seeks to foster a critical and questioning perspective by centering on social issues. Integrating gender into the social studies education can contribute to the realization of social equality and justicekey foundations of democratic citizenshipat a societal level. This study was conducted to foster gender awareness among 7th-grade students in a Social Studies lesson. To achieve this aim, the study was designed as an action research, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out at a public school in a district of Konya, where the researcher also works as a social studies teacher. The study group consisted of 18 seventh-grade students 10 girls and 8 boys. The action plan, prepared beforehand, was implemented over a 6-week period, with three 40-minute class sessions per week. Qualitative data collection tools such as interviews, observations, student journalsproducts, and focus group interviews were employed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that the students demonstrated development in their gender awareness. It was observed that female students showed greater awareness than their male peers, and students with higher academic achievement developed more awareness compared to those with lower academic performance. Moreover, the study yielded significant outcomes in terms of teacher education. As seen in the students interviews and reflective notes, their realization that gender equality was not addressed in other subjects is a noteworthy result. This finding not only underscores the influential role of teachers in education but also highlights the importance of incorporating gender education into teacher training programs.

 One of the primary aims of social studies is to cultivate active and participatory citizens within a democratic society. In line with this goal, social studies seeks to foster a critical and questioning perspective by centering on social issues. Integrating gender into the social studies education can contribute to the realization of social equality and justicekey foundations of democratic citizenshipat a societal level. This study was conducted to foster gender awareness among 7th-grade students in a Social Studies lesson. To achieve this aim, the study was designed as an action research, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out at a public school in a district of Konya, where the researcher also works as a social studies teacher. The study group consisted of 18 seventh-grade students 10 girls and 8 boys. The action plan, prepared beforehand, was implemented over a 6-week period, with three 40-minute class sessions per week. Qualitative data collection tools such as interviews, observations, student journalsproducts, and focus group interviews were employed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that the students demonstrated development in their gender awareness. It was observed that female students showed greater awareness than their male peers, and students with higher academic achievement developed more awareness compared to those with lower academic performance. Moreover, the study yielded significant outcomes in terms of teacher education. As seen in the students interviews and reflective notes, their realization that gender equality was not addressed in other subjects is a noteworthy result. This finding not only underscores the influential role of teachers in education but also highlights the importance of incorporating gender education into teacher training programs.

 Sosyal bilgilerin en bilinen amacı demokratik bir toplumun üyesi etkin ve katılımcı yurttaşlar yetiştirmektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda toplumsal sorunları merkeze alarak eleştirel ve sorgulayıcı bir yaklaşım geliştirmeye çalışır. Sosyal bilgiler dersinde toplumsal cinsiyete yer verilmesiyle demokratik yurttaşlığın temelini oluşturan sosyal eşitlik ve adaletin toplumsal düzeyde gerçekleştirilmesine katkı sağlanabilir. Bu çalışma 7. Sınıf düzeyinde Sosyal Bilgiler dersini alan öğrencilerde toplumsal cinsiyet farkındalığı geliştirmek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda çalışma nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden eylem araştırması olarak tasarlanmıştır. Çalışma, araştırmacının sosyal bilgiler öğretmeni olarak görev yaptığı Konyanın bir ilçesinde yer alan bir devlet okulunda yürütülmüştür. Çalışma grubu 7. sınıfta öğrenim gören 18 öğrenciden 10 kız, 8 oğlan oluşmaktadır. Uygulama 6 hafta boyunca 3 ders saati 404040 dakika olacak şekilde öncesinde hazırlanan eylem planı doğrultusunda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veri toplamada görüşme, gözlem, öğrenci günlükleriürünleri ve odak grup görüşmesi gibi nitel araçlardan yararlanılmıştır. Verilerin çözümlemesinde tematik analizden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışma bulguları öğrencilerin toplumsal cinsiyet farkındalığı konusunda gelişme gösterdiklerini ortaya koymaktadır. Kız öğrencilerin oğlan öğrencilerden; akademik başarısı yüksek öğrencilerin akademik başarısı düşük öğrencilerden daha fazla farkındalık kazandığı gözlenmiştir. Diğer yandan çalışmanın öğretmen eğitimi açısından da önemli çıktıları vardır. Öğrencilerin, görüşme ve yansıtıcı notlarında görüldüğü gibi diğer derslerde toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği perspektifi olmadığını fark etmeleri önemli bir sonuçtur. Bu bulgu öğretmenlerin eğitimdeki etkin rolünü vurgularken, öğretmen eğitiminde toplumsal cinsiyet eğitiminin önemini bir kez daha ortaya çıkarmıştır.

Article Details

Developing Gender Awareness in the Social Studies Course: An Action Research

Authors:

Kübra Nur Çakar | Serdar Malkoç

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi | Cinsiyet | Cinsellik ve Eğitim

Journal:

Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.58 Issue 2, pp.865-932

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356521

pISSN:

1301-3718

sosyal bilgiler

ortaokul öğrencileri

toplumsal cinsiyet eğitimi

toplumsal cinsiyet farkındalığı.sosyal bilgiler

ortaokul öğrencileri

toplumsal cinsiyet eğitimi

toplumsal cinsiyet farkındalığı.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Kübra Nur Çakar | Serdar Malkoç

Publisher: Ankara University

Main Topics: Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi | Cinsiyet | Cinsellik ve Eğitim

Journal: Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.58 Issue 2, pp.865-932

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 8/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001356521

pISSN: 1301-3718

Issues

Authors:

Kübra Nur Çakar | Serdar Malkoç

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi | Cinsiyet | Cinsellik ve Eğitim

Journal:

Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.58 Issue 2, pp.865-932

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001356521

pISSN:

1301-3718