Perception of Outdoor History Teaching in Theory and Practice: Opinions of Teachers and Prospective Teachers

Abstract

Outdoor learning as an experiential process which is based on the contact with environment, learning by doing and living can be used in teaching of different fields from mathematics to history. Understanding of history education in recent years provides opportunity to this kind of a teaching (style). However, expanding the use of these activities in teaching is closely related with the knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers and prospective teachers. To develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers and prospective teachers on Outdoor History Teaching (OHT), pre-service and in-service needs, goals and plans should be determined and realized firstly. This research intends to contribute determining these pre-service and in-service needs, goals and plans by getting the opinions of teachers and prospective teachers about the subject. The research implemented by getting opinions of 12 history teachers and 12 prospective history teachers in spring semester of 2013-2014 and fall semester of 2014-2015 academic years. In the research which was carried out on the basis of phenomenology that is one of the qualitative research designs, opinions of teachers and prospective teachers were collected as based on the semi-structured interview technique. Then interview data were typed and content analysis was made. As the result of analysis it was seen that the awareness of the prospective teachers towards the concept is higher. Moreover, it was identified that all of the teachers and prospective teachers found OHT relevant to history course, similarly majority of them was feeling themselves insufficient in this subject and thought that a special education is necessary to perform these activities. However, unlike teachers, prospective teachers could associate different types of methods with OHT. In contrast, awareness of prospective teachers in questions related with practice and curriculums is lower than the teachers’. In the research suggestions were offered according to the results.