TEACHERS' VIEWS ON THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES

Abstract

Given the current technological advancements, adjusting to the digital era by incorporating digital technologies into both personal and societal aspects of life is crucial. Within ongoing change and transition, the educational process serves as a basis for effectively employing digital technology, with Social Studies programs being particularly remarkable. This study aims to reveal educators' viewpoints regarding the utilization of digital technology in Social Studies classes. The study utilizes qualitative research methods and applies a case study methodology to conduct a situational analysis. The study's implementation phase involved the participation of 11 volunteer Social Studies instructors. Participants were chosen by a method of easy sampling. Focus group discussions were undertaken to collect participants' perspectives and recommendations on the topic. A semi-structured interview form, which was created based on expert opinions, was utilized during the implementation process. The interview form comprises two sections: one for collecting participants' personal information and another for addressing subject-related inquiries. Thus, the interview form approach was predominantly utilized during the implementation phase. The online focus group discussion was scheduled at specific times with the participants. Following the conclusion of the interviews, the data was transcribed and subjected to analysis by document review. The findings were scrutinized by descriptive and content analysis. The study's findings indicate that Social Studies teachers favor incorporating digital technologies within and beyond the classroom, and effectively employ a range of technological resources. The significance of incorporating digital technology in the instruction of geography issues within the field of Social Studies is readily apparent. The method prominently features suggestions such as enhancing digital competencies and tackling digital inequalities