Social Studies Course from the Perspective of Parents -- The Istanbul-Sultanbeyli Case

The aim of this study is to identify the perspectives of parents on the "Social Studies" course. The case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in accordance with the nature of the study. Data related to the study were obtained through a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers. The data of the study were obtained from the parents of students attending 5th, 6th and 7th grade of a state secondary school located in the Istanbul-Sultanbeyli district in the spring semester of 2017 and 2018 academic year. The data obtained were analyzed by content analysis. According to the data obtained from the research, the following results were obtained: The majority of the parents apparently linked the concept of Social Studies to the concepts of History, Geography, Citizenship and Socialization. Parents thought that the subjects related to History, Geography, Citizenship Rights, Culture, Democracy, Human Rights and the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk were taught in the Social Studies course. Nevertheless, it was seen that the parents wished to see the concepts such as Love of Motherland, Nation, Community and National Flag, Etiquette, Cultural Values, Freedom, Democracy, Equality to be taught in the Social Studies courses. While the parents mostly compared the Social Studies courses with such organs as the Brain, Kidney, Heart, Eye, Stomach and Intestine, they considered it as appropriate to place this course in the last places in terms of importance. In addition, it was found that majority of the parents did not want their children to become social studies teachers in the future.