Investigation of teachers 'views on multi culturality in social studies education: A province in the Mediterranean region

The aim of this study is to determine at what level and how the multicultural education approach is used in the Social Studies Curriculum, to reveal the perceptions, awareness and knowledge of the branch teachers, who are representatives of the social studies course, which has an important role in the transfer of social facts to the student in the school environment. The research was carried out with qualitative research methods in order to determine teachers' knowledge about multiculturalism and multicultural education, to evaluate their perceptions and to reveal their knowledge. For this purpose, an interview form consisting of 11 open-ended questions was prepared. There search group consists of 20 social studies teachers working in a province in the mediterranean region and middle schools. Participants are teachers working in two district schools, which are considered important in the context of multiculturalism. The prepared forms were applied to 20 social studies teachers. The principle of volunteering was taken into account in determining the participants. Another important criterion is that the social studies teachers who participated in the study have worked for at least 5 years. As a result of the research, the participants' perceptions of multiculturalism are positive, there are some deficiencies related to multiculturalism in our education system, the 2004 program is national history themed, the 2018 program is based on tolerance-respect for differences, the inadequacy of 2005 curriculum practices due to the lack of curriculum, It has been concluded that the 2004 textbooks have more knowledge and concept deficiencies, and the 2018 textbooks have both positive and negative sides. Keywords: Multiculturalism, Multicultural Education, Social Studies Curriculum, Textbooks.