Flipped learning model practices in social studies course in primary school

Abstract

Learning environments are undoubtedly one of the important factors in enabling the learner to access information easily and effectively. it is not possible to expect effective access to knowledge in a teaching approach in which the teaching environment has unchanging patterns, the teacher assumes the role of absolute transmitter and the students listen to what they are told as passive individuals. Today's understanding of education, instead of teaching practices with all these restrictive features, has begun to change direction towards an understanding of education in which the student actively participates in the process of acquiring knowledge, learns by experiencing, experimenting, questioning and discovering, and the teacher designs and guides this whole process. At the same time, technology, which is the pioneer of change by affecting all areas of society, has inevitably started to be used in educational environments. With the use of technology in educational environments, teaching approaches in which teaching is carried out of the classroom independently of time and place have become widespread. Today, one of the teaching approaches suitable for this understanding is the flipped learning model. With this model, the traditionally defined teaching approach is reversed. Accordingly, the theoretical part of the course, which includes the processes of acquiring knowledge, was moved outside the classroom. In the classroom, the effectiveness of learning environments is tried to be increased through learning experiences in which students are active. The primary school period has a critical importance in the development of a teaching approach in which learners take responsibility for their own learning processes, actively participate in teaching experiences and use online environments for educational purposes as a competence in students. Because this competence, which will be developed in students in primary school, will form a basis for them to take responsibility for their own learning, to discover ways of accessing information and to use online environments for educational purposes. All courses in primary school serve the purpose of preparing individuals for the social, cultural and economic tasks they will take when they become adults, and providing the most basic knowledge and skills for these tasks. Social sciences course is one of these courses. The aim of this research is to determine the reflections of the flipped learning model on the learning-teaching process within the scope of primary school Social Studies course and to reveal the applicability of the model at primary school level. The research was carried out with action research design from qualitative research methods. The participants of the study were determined by using criterion sampling from purposeful sampling methods. In this context, the research was conducted with 8 primary school 4th grade students. The data collection process was carried out in two interconnected stages: field entry and application process. In the process of entering the field, data were collected through academic achievement tests to identify students who had problems in the Social Studies course. Then, teaching activities based on the flipped learning model were carried out. On the other hand, action plans were developed to solve the problems encountered during the process. In this process, more than one data collection tool including observation, interview, researcher diary, student diaries, student products, virtual classroom environment data were utilised. Data were analysed simultaneously. The data obtained were analysed with inductive approach. A total of seven action cycles designed according to the flipped learning model were carried out with the students in the social studies course. As a result of the research, it was determined that the students enjoyed the teaching process based on the flipped learning model, and that the model allowed the students to progress at their own individual pace, to repeat and to access the course content at any time. It was also observed that there was an improvement in the academic achievement of the students. As a result, it was determined that the flipped learning model is beneficial for students' cognitive and sensory development. In this direction, it is suggested that this model should be used as a teaching approach in primary school level and social studies course.