The effect of gender activities in social studies lesson on the perception and attitude of the primary education students

In this dissertation, the effect of gender activities in social sciences lesson on the perception and attitude of the primary education students was studied.In the research, it was made use of ?pretest-posttest design with the control group? in order to show the differences between the experimental group?s attitudes on which the social gender activities were applied and the control group?s attitudes on which the activities were not applied.6455The study group consists of the seventh grade students who study in 2011-2012 academic year at a primary school placed at the centre of Tokat. It consists of total 51 students; 26 of experimental group (7/B) and 25 of control group (7/A).In data collection, the scales which were developed by the researcher in accordance with the quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. As the tool of quantitative data collection, ?Gender Attitude Scale?, developed by the researcher, which measures the attitude of the primary education students towards gender, was used. As for the qualitative data collection, gender activities on economy (work life), education, politics, social living space, and sex stereotypes were prepared and applied by using drama, case study, question-answer, discussion techniques, and computer assisted teaching materials to the students.In the analysis of quantitative data, arithmetic average, frequency, variable t test, and Mann Whitney U test were applied.At the end of the research, a meaningful difference on behalf the students in the experimental group (t=2.219, p<.05) amongst the experimental process scores of the study group students came out as a result. At the post-research implementation of the scale, it is seen that while the average of the attitude level of the students in the control group has decreased to = 113.76, the average of the attitude level of the students in the experimental group has increased to =128.88. When experimental group and control group students? before and after research attitude scores are examined, both experimental group students? and control group students? attitude levels in relation to gender presented a meaningful difference according to sex (p<.05). When gender education process based on gender activities and findings in relation to process were examined, in the application process it was observed that gender activities made the students? perception of gender concrete and provided them awareness and because gender activities presented samples from the real life directly that they were effective on the students and created awareness in terms of gender equality and made the education process enjoyable.Key Words: Social Studies, Sex, Gender, Gender Education, Primary Education Students.