Abstract:

This study aims to demonstrate the usability of Nasreddin Hodja anecdotes as a supportive teaching tool to enable students to better understand the subjects and concepts of the sociology courses in secondary education. Within the framework of this aim, Nasreddin Hodja anecdotes were reviewed by taking into consideration the learning outcomes foreseen in the sociology curriculum and the explanations concerning these outcomes. The review sought to reveal through which anecdotes the subjects and concepts in the scope of the sociology courses could be better understood. The anecdotes reviewed for this purpose were screened to determine the ones that would be usable in sociology courses and that were considered suitable for students. As a result, 14 anecdotes were determined as potential supportive teaching tools in sociology courses, and these anecdotes were categorised according to subjects and concepts and matched with the learning outcomes in the sociology curriculum and the associated explanations. Then, the reasons why the anecdotes were related to the relevant concepts were specified, and these concepts were described on the basis of the sociology literature in order to clarify the purpose of use of the anecdotes in sociology classes. Furthermore, an exemplary activity suitable for the sociology curriculum was provided in the end of the study to illustrate how the anecdotes could be used by teachers. It is considered that the use of the mentioned anecdotes in sociology classes will have such benefits as grabbing the attention of students, ensuring better understanding and concretization of the subjects and concepts, making the courses more interesting, and developing students’ questioning and thinking skills.

Keywords: