A COMPARATIVE VIEW TO TURKISH SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION’S GENERAL GOALS

Social studies is an important course that effects Turkish educational system for many years.The aim of this study is to explain changing of general goals of Turkish social studies educationin the context of 1968, 1998 and 2005 social studies curricula. In this study, document analysis,one of the methods of qualitative approach, was used. 1968, 1998 and 2005 social studiescurriculum guides, prepared by Ministry of National Education, were used as data sources.Data collected from curriculum guides were analyzed with content analysis. Results of thisstudy showed that citizenship is the most stressed theme in the general goals of 1968, 1998and 2005 social studies curricula. Besides, it is detected that goals of 1968 and 1998 curriculaare more similar than 2005 curriculum. Also it is understood that goals of 2005 curriculumpresents new and different approaches than others.