Using family involvement activities in the social studies course: An action research study

Since social studies is a course that has the function of preparing individuals to social life, making use of social resources is regarded as important in this course. In this respect, the family is a significant social resource that can be used to bring students' lives into the classroom atmosphere. The aim of this study is to investigate how family involvement can be achieved in the social studies course, and reveal the views of students, parents and teachers on social studies classes that are delivered through family-involved activities. Action research design, a qualitative research method, was adopted in the study. The study was carried out with fifth grade students students who are studying at one of the 5th grade branches of a State Middle School, their parents and social studies teacher in the fall semester of the 2016-2017 school year. The data were gathered by means of the student information form, semi-structured interviews, focus-group interviews, observations, students' anecdote books, family collaboration books, researcher diary and recordings of the validity committee meetings. These data were analysed through descriptive analysis. The findings showed that it was possible to cover social studies subjects with family-involved activities at home, at school and outside the school. The family-involved activities carried out at home for the social studies course ensured the strengthening of the relationship between parents and children, the revision of what they learn at school, and that family members spend quality time together. The activities that are conducted at school and outside the school in the scope of the social studies course were reported to promote the relationships between parents, students and teachers, enable the parents to see the classroom environment, and let the children get to know their friends. At the end of the research, various suggestions were presented.