A Proposed Model to Develop Social Responsibility Awareness in Primary School: “School Social Service Program”

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the School Social Work Program on students' social behaviors in terms of learning outcomes. In the study, there is a program prepared with the aim of creating a model for the implementation of "School Social Work" practices in Turkey. The universe of the study is a secondary school determined by the District Directorate of National Education in Sakarya; and the study sample is 125 students at the 5th, 6th, 7th grade levels. The data of the study were collected with the Social Behavior Observation Form developed by the researcher. Before the School Social Work Program was implemented, a Social Behavior Observation Form, which was required to be filled in for each student, was distributed to the teachers. The program designed by the researcher was implemented for 6 months, and after the completion of the program, the Social Behavior Observation Form was distributed to the teachers again. In practice, it was observed that there was a significant difference at the beginning and end of the program in Social Behavior Observation Form measurements. With the data analyzed using the experimental model, one of the quantitative research methods, an increase was observed in students' social sensitivity, social responsibility and effective communication skills. The program has shown that students create positive attitudes in their social behaviors including doing good and they gain awareness about social problems. In this context, it is thought that the School Social Work Program improves the social responsibility awareness of the students and will contribute positively to the students' ability to create their plans for the future. At the end of this study, it has been suggested that school social work practices, which focus on the well-being of the student on the axis of problem-needs, aiming at the social development of the student as well as academic success, should be started in Turkey, so that students can gain experience by living, be aware of their individual differences, and benefit the society.