The implementation of oral history on child games and toys: Computer games versus hand-made toys

Abstract

After the new educational programs launched in 2005, the new teaching methods used in Social Studies courses came to the fore. The oral history is one of those teaching methods highlighted in the Turkish Social Studies Teaching Program. Oral history as a way of teaching method is new to both teachers and students. Thereby, the present study aims to implement oral history within school settings and to find out students’ viewpoints about the process that they experienced as well as their achievement in conducting oral history on child games and toys. The study is planned in the line of constructivist research orientation where action research among qualitative designs is benefitted. The state school students (n=60) who are 5 graders participated in the study. Students in groups of three make a research about “change and continuity†of child games and toys from past to present. Additionally, they carried out interviews with adults above 50 using the principles of oral history. They compiled their research and interview data to form their oral history report. Students’ oral history reports
and interview forms and diaries are the data collection tools of the research. Content analysis was realized in the study. The results of the analysis indicated that most of the groups were successful in conducting oral history. Also majority of the groups emphasized that they were happy to function as “little historiansâ€.
Keywords: Social studies, oral history, action research.