A comparative study of core values in the 2005, 2018, and 2024 Social Studies curricula and 5th grade textbooks

The Social Studies course plays a significant role in educating individuals as citizens who can adapt to a democratic social order, possess a sense of social responsibility, and internalize fundamental human values. In this context, the quality of the values included in curricula and textbooks directly determines the effectiveness of values education. In particular, how core values such as justice, respect, and responsibility are structured within curricula and reflected in learning processes is critical for the continuity of values education. The aim of this study is to comparatively examine the Social Studies Curricula of 2005, 2018, and 2024, together with the 5th-grade textbooks prepared in accordance with these curricula, within the framework of values education. The study focuses on the distribution and presentation of core values within learning areas, learning outcomes, and textbook content. A qualitative research design is employed, using document analysis as the data collection method and descriptive analysis for data interpretation. The findings indicate that the 2024 Social Studies Curriculum addresses values education in a more holistic, life-related, and student-centered manner compared to previous curricula. The inclusion of values such as privacy, compassion, and modesty has expanded the scope of values education, and values are structured beyond the cognitive level to support behavioral and experiential learning. In addition, the comparative analysis of 5th-grade textbooks shows that the 2024 Social Studies textbook integrates core values more systematically and in a balanced manner through texts, activities, and visual materials. Overall, the results demonstrate that values education in Social Studies curricula has evolved from a transmission-based approach toward an understanding that aims to enable students to internalize values and apply them in daily life. Accordingly, it is recommended that future curriculum revisions strengthen values education through life-based, experience-oriented, and measurable learning activities