Abstract:

Oral history is a method that is commonly used for teaching history subjects in educational processes and increases students' interest and curiosity in history and contributes to the development of skills such as communication, research and listening. Therefore, the use of the oral history method in teaching history subjects in social studies education is of great importance. In this sense, this present study, it was aimed to examine the metaphorical perceptions of preservice social studies teachers in terms of oral history and their views on the oral history method. In the current study, the phenomenological design was used. The data of the research were collected through an open-ended interview form developed by the researchers, and the obtained data were analyzed in content analysis. While determining the study group of the study, an educational faculty was selected from seven different regions of Turkey, and 172 senior social studies students studying at these faculties and meeting the criteria were included in the present study. According to the results, it was determined that the preservice teachers produced 96 different metaphors under the themes of oral history in education, oral history in historiography and other themes. In the metaphors produced under the theme of oral history in education, it was determined that oral history is a method that facilitates the teaching of history subjects, contributes to the enjoyment of the courses, is effective in the national awareness of future generations, and contributes to the acquisition of many different skills by the students. In historiography, in the metaphors of preservice teachers combined under the oral history theme, it was concluded that oral history was perceived as an effective method for the detailed, systematic, and regular handling and presentation of a historical period or event, providing information from primary sources. On the other hand, in the views of the preservice teachers about the oral history method, it was determined that oral history was seen as an objective and a reliable method, providing an advantage in gaining in-depth knowledge about history issues, increasing students’ interest and curiosity, and improving their skills such as listening, observation, asking questions, separating phenomena from thought, research, and empathy.