Journal of Interdisciplinary Education: Theory and Practice

Öz

In this study, which was designed within the scope of qualitative research and where document review method is preferred due to access to the primary source of documentation, it was aimed to determine the reflection levels of the concept of ecophobia in social studies textbooks that include environmental issues. In line with this purpose, sections such as reading texts, news columns, and activities that may create a sense of ecophobia in social studies 4th and 5th grade textbooks were identified to shed light on the understanding of the research problem. At the stage of the collection of study data, the researcher is allowed to use social information for five years as of the 2018-2019 academic year 4. and 5. the class has designated the textbooks as the appropriate source. Descriptive analysis, which is one of the qualitative data analysis techniques, was used for the analysis of the data obtained in the study. In this context, social studies textbooks were examined within the scope of the concept of ecophobia and in the light of the findings, some associations and evaluation process were carried out with the analysis process. In the study, 7 visuals in the 4th grade social studies textbook and 14 visuals in the 5th grade social studies textbook were associated with the concept of ecophobia. In addition, it was determined that the curriculum focused on the subject of disasters and these subjects were handled with a focus on destruction and damage in the 4th and 5th grades. This will negatively affect children and cause the problem of ecophobia to appear. As a result, this study will help to evaluate the causes that trigger the feeling of ecophobia in children, so that the necessary measures are taken by being aware of the situation.