Using active learning techniques in current event teaching in social studies lessons: An action research

The main purpose of the Social Studies lessons is to provide students with basic knowledge, skills and values related to social life. Current events are important sources that should be used in order to prepare students for social living in the Social Studies lessons. The use of active learning techniques in the teaching of current events in the Social Studies lesson contributes to the meaning of the course. The aim of this study is to investigate how the current events are handled with active learning techniques in the Social Studies lesson and explore the views of students and teachers about the Social Studies lesson process in which current events are handled with active learning techniques. An action research design, a qualitative research method, was adopted in the study. The study was carried out with the 5th grade students of a public school and Social Studies teacher in the fall and spring semesters of the 2019-2020 academic year. The data of the research were gathered by means of semi-structured interview forms, observation form, student diary, teacher diary, researcher diary, video recordings of the application process, student products and recordings of the validity committee meetings. These data were analysed through descriptive analysis. As a result of the research, it has been revealed that current events teaching, which is handled with active learning techniques in Social Studies lesson, enables students to participate actively in the course, to be interested in current events, and to gain knowledge, skills and values.