An investigation of seventh grade secondary school students' implicit and explicit knowledge about the concept of citizen

The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of seventh grade secondary school students' implicit and explicit knowledge about the concept of citizen. In line with this purpose, while the first part aimed to explore seventh grade secondary school students' implicit knowledge about the concept of citizen, the questions in the second part aimed to explore explicit knowledge about the concept of citizen. The present study utilized a mixed method approach which included both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and analyses. The study was conducted in line with the convergent parallel design, which is one of the mixed methods designs. 27 participants, who were chosen using typical case sampling method, were involved in the study to reveal implicit knowledge about the concept of citizen. As for the identification of explicit knowledge about the concept of citizen, 124 students were involved in the study using simple random sampling method. Data were collected from seventh grade secondary school students who had their parents' consent, who volunteered to participate in the study and who were enrolled in different state schools in Nusaybin, Mardin in the 2016-2017 education year. Implicit knowledge about the concept of citizen was obtained using the repertory grid technique based on the semi-structured interview technique, and explicit knowledge was obtained using the "Explicit Knowledge test about the Concept of Citizen" that included seven open-ended questions prepared by the researcher. Qualitative data obtained for implicit knowledge were analysed using content analysis methods and Idiogrid 2.4 program. Students' answers given in the explicit knowledge test were analysed by the researcher using a holistic rubric. Analysis of the data included the use of frequency, percentages, arithmetic means, standard deviation, t-test and one-way ANOVA. An analysis of seventh grade students' implicit knowledge about the concept of citizen showed that they interpreted the concept of citizen mostly using the "good person" difference and least as "an individual who has rights". The constructs that students had least associations with the "Me as a citizen" element were found to be in the "good person" category. In a similar vein, the constructs that were mostly associated with the "What kind of a citizen do I want to be?" element were found to be in the "good person" category. An analysis of students' eigenvalue (Euclidean coefficient) that reflected the differences between the "Me as a citizen" and "What kind of a citizen do I want to be" elements showed that majority of the students (23 students) had high eingenvalues about self as citizens. Students' explicit knowledge about the concept of citizen indicated that 95 students had "insufficient" knowledge level about the concept of citizen; 29 students had partially "sufficient" knowledge level; on the other hand, there were no students who had "mostly sufficient" and "sufficient" levels. Students' scores obtained from the explicit knowledge test displayed significant differences according to the mother's education level and languages spoken in family; however, location of the school, gender, father's education level, native language and having friends with different cultural features variables indicated no significant differences. An analysis of students' written expressions indicated that they could not provide scientific definition of the concept using the terms belonging to the concept of citizen; they could express the concept indirectly. While explaining the concept of citizen in their explicit knowledge, seventh grade secondary school students were found to consider one critical attributes of the concept but not the others. Keywords: Citizen, citizenship, exclipit knowledge, implicit knowledge, repertory grid technique