A review of the social studies curricula in Turkey with respect to vocational guidance (1968–2024)

The aim of this study is to examine the vocational guidance dimension of the Social Studies curricula implemented in Turkey between 1968 and 2024, and to determine the extent to which goals and outcomes related to vocational tendencies are included. Guiding individuals toward professions compatible with their interests, abilities, and values is among the fundamental goals of educational systems. In this context, Social Studies courses offered in primary education play a critical role in helping students gain awareness about various professions.This research is based on a qualitative research design and utilizes the document analysis method. The study analyzes the Social Studies curricula from the years 1968, 1998, 2005, 2018, and 2024. During the data analysis process, the descriptive analysis method was employed. The curricula were examined in line with two main themes: "vocational guidance" and "vocational education." The findings were categorized chronologically and structurally to reveal changes and continuities over time. The findings indicate that the curricula include limited and mostly indirect references to vocational guidance. While the 2005 and 2018 curricula emphasize occupational roles and economic activities, the 2024 curriculum presents these elements in a more scattered and restricted manner. Additionally, themes related to vocational orientation are distributed among various disciplinary domains such as geography, history, and economics, which reduces the coherence of vocational education content. Based on these results, it is recommended that Social Studies curricula incorporate structured and systematic objectives related to career education, and that more applied learning activities (e.g., profession days, interviews) be included. Furthermore, developing a diversified educational inventory to help students identify their career interests and tendencies from an early age is suggested as a crucial step for strengthening vocational guidance in the Turkish education system.