Social Studies Teacher Candidates’ Experiences of Active Citizenship: The Case of Non-Governmental Organizations

The aim of this study was to investigate social studies teacher candidates’ active citizenship experiences in nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The study was designed based on phenomenological approach. The research data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, the candidates’ teaching reflective practice reports and journals and then analyzed with interpretative phenomenological analysis technique. The teacher candidates thought that their passive citizenship perception shaped by duties and responsibilities for the state began to evolve into an active and democratic citizenship perception. According to the teacher candidates, their social and moral responsibility and social participation skills are far more improved than their political literacy skills. The teacher candidates personally experienced the social and political roles, services, and social benefits of non-governmental organizations. In addition, the teacher candidates gained an initial experience about active citizenship education activities with NGO’s in social studies. In order to ensure continuity of the gains of teacher candidates regarding active citizenship, various courses should offer activities about NGOs and active NGOs should be determined before the implementation process.