Experiences of Takers of PPSE Social Studies Teaching Field Knowledge Test

Abstract

The current study aims to investigate the perceptions and experiences of working and prospective social studies teachers regarding the TFKT. This research employed the descriptive phenomenology design, which is one of the phenomenology types. The working group comprised 14 participants (seven females, seven males), who had previously taken the TFKT. The participants were determined using the criterion sampling method. In this regard, the inclusion criterion was having taken at least one of the TFKTs held between 2013 and 2020. The obtained data were assessed using the content analysis method. The results indicate that the participants have both positive and negative perceptions about and experiences with the TFKT. First, it was determined that the participants mostly preferred private teaching courses to prepare for the exam. Secondly, it was seen that the resources that the participants used to prepare for the exam included lecture books, educational websites, question banks, articles, faculty of Open University publications (AÖF), tests, MoNE textbooks, social media, electronic books, digital dictionaries, and documentaries. Third, the participants were asked to evaluate the "history, geography, political science, other branches of social sciences, and field education" that make up the TFKT courses. Accordingly, the participants pointed out that test questions were too detailed, there were too many courses in other branches of science, and the boundaries of subjects were unclear. Finally, it was seen that the participants did not consider the TFKT successful in measuring professional competence and skills.