Effects of "Geography of the Turkic World" Course on Social Studies Teacher Candidates Views about Turkic Culture and Turkic World

The purpose of this study is to measure the expectations regarding the course on “Geography of the Turkic World”, an elective course given in the Social Studies Education Departments of Education Faculties in Turkey, of the students who opt for it, and the extent to which the course met these expectations. The research was conducted in the faculty of education, department of social studies education from a University in İstanbul. Sample group of the study consists of 17 prospective teachers of social studies who had selected the course on Geography of the Turkic World. The study covering the 2015 spring term was conducted in a total period of 16 weeks. In the research, mixed method was used and concurrent/parallel design was utilized. 1 A part of this study was presented in “International Turkish Education Sciences and Social Sciences” in Antalya between 1st – 4th December 2016 as a verbal statement. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meryem HAYIR-KANAT / Assist. Prof. Dr. Genç Osman İLHAN 96 Quantitative and qualitative data was collected concurrently so as to consist variation among each other. In the qualitative dimension, data was collected through open ended questions, while in the quantitative dimension data was reached via pre-tests and post-tests. Collected data was analysed through content analysis in the qualitative dimension, and through t test in the quantitative dimension. According to the results deduced from the data obtained from the study, it has been detected that perceptions of the students regarding the Turkic World changed positively, their knowledge and levels of interest increased, Turkic Culture had expanded to a greater area than they thought and that they realized many misconceptions they had.