Elementary school 7th grade students' conceptual understandings related to the citizenship subjects taking place in social studies course

In this study, the conceptual understanding of the 7th grade students in the course Social Studies with Citizenship and Education of Human Rights was analyzed to investigate whether there is a misconception in their understanding by comparing it in terms of the following variables:a. The existing pre-knowledge that students have regarding to the citizenship concepts,b. Approach for educational curriculum which was deployed,c. Professional rank of the social studies teachers,d. Gender of students,e. Social, cultural and economic environmental conditions that students live in,f. The existing of components such as democracy, participation and division of tasks in the family structure of the students.In addition to the variables mentioned above, the relation between the desire of the students in the courses and the alternative conceptions they possess was analyzed.Descriptional and semi-experimental design were used together in the study as the kinds of research. The research was practised in five pilot schools where the new curriculum was followed and ten schools where the old curriculum was followed from the different towns which represent different socio-economic levels of Ankara. From these 15 schools, 606 students and 15 social studies teachers who are in the 7th grade constituted an examplifier group.Data which were obtained during the research compiled by the three-tier conceptual understanding test consisting of multiple choice questions, socio-economic condition questioneer which was developed by the researcher and desire scale. While solving the research data percentage-frequency tables, avarage standard statistics, t-test, variation analyze, comparing with two (Post-Hoc) and that square were utilized. In the research, 0,5 was accepted as meaning level.In the result of the study;a. When pre-knowledge related with citizenship concepts of 7th grade students who are educated by both the old and new curriculum were questioned. It was determined that they had misconceptions.b. It was also determined that they had misconceptions in their ?introduction?, ?developing? and ?reinforcement? levels after the subject which was related with citizenship unit was taught to the 7th grade students who followed the old and the new curriculum.