The eveluation of first echelon social studies courses teaching programs in primary education ever since the proclamation of the Republic until today

This survey is about the First Echelon Social Studies Courses Teaching Programs and the textbooks in Primary Education ever since the proclamation of the Republic until today. The goal of this survey is to bring forward the similarities and differences existing in terms of contents and methodology of the Turkish Revolution in the above mentioned First Echelon Social Studies Courses Teaching Programs and the textbooks in Primary Education. The guideline of this study includes the survey of the programs since the proclamation of the Republic until today; programs pertaining to the years 1998 and 2004 were the main focal point of this survey. The study concentrated on teaching programs and textbooks. The Study is made up of five sections: introduction, Turkish Revolution, method, findings and commentaries, conclusion and suggestions. The innovation process in our country started during the reign of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th Century and has gained ground after the proclamation of the Republic. Turkish Republic was proclaimed following the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the newly formed young republic confronted with difficulties in its struggle to exist managed to develop its own reforms. To attain this, through the Republican regime it has developed innovations and breakthroughs in many areas such as transition from individual sovereignty to national sovereignty and transition from multi-headed educational system to a collective educational system. The innovative spirits of the young Republic who believed that the Republic should be founded on sound ground and just like as is true for other revolutions, they have given priority to education, women?s rights, sciences and modernity during the Turkish Revolution. They made many reforms in these fields. The developments and innovations in the world served as guidelines for the young Republicans during their implementation of the reforms. During the initial years of the Republic, specialists from America and fore mostly from the European countries were invited here. Thanks to the contributions provided by both local and foreign men of science the 1924, 1926, 1930, 1936, 1948, 1962, 1968 programs for primary education were established. However, the most deep rooted change developed was that of the 1998 program. This deep rooted change was evident in the 2004 program as well. During the 2004-2005 education and teaching years the 2004 program was implemented experimentally in pilot areas, and later as of 2005-2006 education and teaching years the said program began to be implemented in all schools. The fundamental strategy behind the primary education programs implemented during 1924 - 1998 the years constituted of principles of Atatürk in particular and basic characteristics of the Republic. The goal of the 1998 program lay in the raising of standards of education, to develop a program that would meet the requirements of the modern day world instead of the existing system of rote-learning and non-querying students. The basis of the 2004 program was to reflect the scientific and technological developments to the education system, to integrate global values together with individual values and it was developed with the aim to develop the program in conformance with European Union directives. In the 4th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 1998 Social Studies Program there are a total of ninety-six objectives and eighteen objectives in scope of Turkish Revolution. In the 4th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 2004 Social Studies Program there are a total of forty-three attainments and three attainments in scope of Turkish Revolution. In the 5th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 1998 Social Studies Program there are a total of one hundred and sixty-four objectives and one hundred and sixteen objectives in scope of Turkish Revolution. In the 5th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 2004 Social Studies Program there are a total forty-nine attainments and seven attainments in scope of Turkish Revolution. In the 4th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 1998 Social Studies Program there are a total of twenty four subjects and seven subjects on Turkish Revolution. In the 4th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 2004 Social Studies Program there are a total of sixty-one subjects and eleven subjects on Turkish Revolution. In the 5th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 1998 Social Studies Program there are a total of seven subjects and twenty-one subjects and seventeen subjects of the Turkish Revolution. In the 4th Grade Social Studies Textbooks prepared within the scope of 2004 Social Studies Program there are a total of fifty-four subjects and ten subjects of the Turkish Revolution.