Investigation of social studies teacher candidates’ views on local geography teaching

Background: Social studies course is a course in which we gain basic geography knowledge in the first years of our lives. Local geography, on the other hand, can contain tangible geographical elements that we can apply and ensure the permanence of the knowledge that we have learned or will learn in these early periods of our lives. For this reason, it was thought that it would be useful to learn the thoughts of social studies teacher candidates about local geography teaching. Purpose: In this study, it is aimed to learn the views of social studies teacher candidates about local geography teaching. Method: Qualitative method was used in the study. “Descriptive analysis” and “content analysis” were used to analyze the data. Within the scope of the study, 23 volunteer students studying in the third and fourth grades of Dokuz Eylül University Buca Education Faculty Social Studies Teaching Department were interviewed. Findings: In the study we conducted with the teacher candidates, it was seen that the candidates gave answers such as "knowing, recognizing and using the features of the place where the individual lives", "describing, examining and teaching the characteristics of the environment and area of any region" in the definitions of local geography. When we look at the data on the practices that can be done within the scope of local geography teaching, it has been determined that activities such as trips, observations, field research, homework, and research can be done within the scope of local geography teaching. Participants mostly stated that having local geography activities has benefits that will enable students to have information about the region they live in, realize permanent learning, and attract students' attention. Majority of the participants think that local geography teaching is applicable. The participants stated that time, opportunity and financial inadequacies, bureaucratic obstacles are among the problems they may encounter in the implementation of local geography teaching. Conclusion: As a result of the data obtained from the study, it was seen that social studies teacher candidates found local geography teaching useful and thought that it could be applied in social studies course.