Student readiness for technology-enhanced history education in Turkish high schools

This study examined whether the Turkish high school social sciences major students would feel adequate and fit in a technology-enhanced educational environment, particularly in history classrooms. To this extent, this study investigated high school students' level of proficiency in technology-use and their attitudes toward the use of educational technologies in classrooms. The study also examined the level of technology-use in social sciences courses and social sciences major students' learning style preferences. The data for this study was collected using Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI Version-3) and a 27-item Technology Questionnaire. These instruments were administered to 1350 Turkish high school students from 15 schools located in 13 different cities.;The results showed that Turkish high school social sciences major students have the essential technology skills and knowledge to feel adequate in a technology-enhanced learning environment. They also have positive attitudes toward the use of educational technologies in history classrooms. Therefore they seem to be ready for technology-enhanced instruction. Unfortunately the level of technology-use in social sciences courses is very low. The study results revealed the need for an extensive reform in curriculum and instructional methods that focused on increased technology-use and better technology integration in classrooms. The study also found that any related reform proposition should be constructed to address different learning style preferences, since all the learning style preferences described by Kolb exist among Turkish high school students.