Examination of religious culture and moral knowledge course and social sciences teaching programs in the context of character education

This research was conducted in order to study RCMKCC (Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge Course Curriculum) and SSCC (Social Studies Course Curriculum) within the framework of character education. For this purpose, textbooks at the 5th grade level prepared depending on the mentioned educational programs have also been examined. In this study, the document review method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used. Data sources of the research: RCMKCC, SSCC, which was implemented in 2018; consists of the Middle School Textbook on Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge, which was taught as a 5th grade textbook in the 2020-2021 academic year, and the Middle School and Imam Hatip Middle School Textbook on Social Studies. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data obtained in the study. As a result of the research, it was revealed that there is no explicit place for character education in RCMKCC and SSCC, but the characteristics related to character education are implicitly included in the curriculum and 5th grade textbooks. In the study, it was determined that many of the character traits implicitly included in the educational programs studied were included in texts and activities in 5th grade textbooks. It has been revealed that the character traits that are common between RCMKCC and SSCC regarding character education are 'caring for information, being conscious, solidarity, being extroverted, thinking critically, possessing cultural heritage, objectivity, self-sufficiency and patriotism'. In RCMKCC, especially the character traits of 'being respectful, paying attention to information and being tolerant' come to the fore, and in SSCC, the character traits of 'being extroverted, having a national and spiritual heritage and being open to innovations' come to the fore.