Social studies education in rural areas: Experiences, problems and suggestions

Rural areas have been the subject of research and development projects from the past to the present. The basic course that enables students living in rural areas to acquire healthy socialisation skills in their daily lives is Social Studies. It is extremely important to examine the impact of Social Studies education in rural areas in all its aspects with all stakeholders. The aim of this study is to understand the fundamental dynamics reflected in the implementation process of Social Studies education in a rural context, based on the experiences of teachers, students, and parents. This study was conducted using a mixed research method in a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative dimension of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 65 people, including 21 social studies teachers, 12 classroom teachers, 16 students, and 16 parents working in 13 districts of Kütahya province during the autumn semester of the 2021–2022 academic year. A questionnaire was administered to teachers based on content analysis of the data obtained from the interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistical techniques, while qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The research concluded that social studies education in rural areas is influenced by multidimensional dynamics such as the socio-economic characteristics of families, students' interest and readiness levels, knowledge, skills and competencies, the physical and socio-cultural conditions of the rural environment, the national curriculum, and the role and professional competencies of teachers. In this regard, in order to improve the quality of social studies education in rural areas, it is recommended that the programme be made more suitable for rural areas, teacher support be increased, and methods that encourage student participation be promoted.