Abstract:

PBE is described as using domestic environment and society in teaching process for art, humanities, natural sciences, math and other subjects as a reference point. It is considered as the application of empirical pedagogy which explores real-world subjects, engage students into real life situations through sensible and relevant projects. Aiming to develop learners’ expertise and experiences of knowledge, skills, attitudes, the PBE approach, which are to be acquired by means of domestic experiences, is comprised of the place and society where the learners live. The most prominent strength of this approach is to eliminate disconnection between school and daily life of learners by adjusting to the characteristics of the concerned place. The purpose of this study is to reveal how PBE applications do reflect on social studies curricula of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th graders in Turkey. Designed as a qualitative research, the current study examines middle school social studies curricula by means of the document analysis technique. The relevant sections of the curricula (general objectives and general approach of the curricula, themes, attainment targets, suggested activities and the foreseen values, skills and concepts) are then descriptively and thematically analyzed. The research findings indicate that the proportion of the PBE-related themes, attainment targets and suggested activities decreases while students pass from grade 4 to grade 7. Moreover, almost one third of the attainment targets at all grade levels are directly related with PBE. Whereas the highest number of values related with PBE was placed at the 5th and 6th grade levels, no PBE-related value was found in grade 7 curriculum. There is not any PBE-related skill that could directly be presented to students attaining grade 7. While social participation skill is found amongst the skills directly related with PBE at both 5th and 6th grade levels; place perception skill is found at the 4th grade; observation skill is at 5th grade; entrepreneurship skill is found at the 6th grade levels. Additionally, 18.32% of concepts in social studies curricula are directly related with PBE approach. The study results indicate that PBE approach is not included in social studies curricula frequently enough. 

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