Human rights education implementation in Turkish teacher education: faculty members’ and teacher candidates’ views

Teachers play an essential role in promoting human rights and a just society. However, the lack of Human Rights Education (HRE) knowledge, skills, and values among teachers in Turkey is a commonly reported issue. This study aims to assess the need for HRE implementation in the Turkish Teacher Education Programmes (TTEP), where academic research on HRE is scarce. Data were collected from a survey of 632 Teacher Candidates (TCs) and 47 Faculty Members (FMs), interviews with 14 FMs, and focus group interviews with 34 TCs. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were analysed using a qualitative data analysis framework. The results indicate the urgent need to integrate HRE through curricular and extracurricular activities. We also consider the benefits and challenges of implementing HRE in TTEP.


Introduction
Educating people about human rights is integral to advancing human rights protection culture globally.According to Osler (2016), Human Rights Education (HRE) is the process of enabling students to live by human rights principles in all aspects of their lives.HRE is integral to inspiring students to think about their rights and responsibilities toward protecting them for the sake of humanity.Cultivating a human rights mindset that enables all individuals to be fully aware of their actions and their influence beyond the immediate environment can pave the way to a just global society.However, if the primary goal of the educational process is to transfer pure knowledge of human rights into students' brains, HRE is probably ineffective in empowering them to take action to advocate for human rights.HRE is believed to be more than just the transmission of rights information.Nevertheless, HRE teaches 'about' and 'for' rights, because knowing about rights is essential to internalizing and protecting them (Bajaj, 2012;Flowers, 2003;Waldron & Ruane, 2010).Taking into account the 'cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioural or action-oriented' dimensions of HRE (Bajaj, 2012;Tibbitts, 2017), effective HRE utilizes participatory methods to empower students for social change, connects to their realities and daily experiences, and treats them with dignity and respect (Bajaj, 2012;Flowers, 2003).Jennings (2006, p. 296) adds that a human rights mindset can help teachers understand the 'humanizing and sometimes dehumanizing nature of education and enable them to advocate for their own and others` human rights across communities'.Additionally, Robinson et al. (2020) propose a HRE framework across different countries and list specific responsibilities teachers should bear to 'educate' children about, through, and for human rights.Overall, understanding the international policies and the national context of HRE is important in ensuring that Teacher Candidates (TCs) are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect human rights for all.

International HRE policies
Most HRE policies are based on rules and guidelines set up by international and national institutions and authorities.The HRE movement can be traced back to the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.Ramírez et al. (2007) state that UNESCO has been the leading organization in global HRE, having established the Associated Schools Project in 1953 to promote the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' and UN activities through experimental schools and activities.Later, in 1993, the 'Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action' recognized the 'World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy' and called for countries to develop programmes that promote HRE.Meanwhile, the United Nations (2014) declared 1995-2004 the 'Decade for Human Rights Education' and established the 'World Programme for Human Rights Education' in four sequential phases: the first phase emphasized HRE in primary and secondary education; the second focused on higher education and professional training; the third promoted media and journalist human rights training; and the current phase (2020)(2021)(2022)(2023)(2024) focuses on creating a nationwide youth HRE system.The United Nations (2011), in its 'Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training,' states that HRE provides education about human rights knowledge that is aligned with the principles of human rights and empowers individuals to exercise, promote, and protect human rights.The Council of Europe's 'Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education' was adopted in 2010 as a regional initiative to teach students how to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.Similarly, organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Education Associates (HREA), and NGOs like Equitas are involved in promoting HRE.Therefore, HRE policies are important because they provide opportunities to empower people and communities by educating them about human rights and legal avenues to address violations.

HRE in the Turkish context
The Turkish National Committee on the Decade for Human Rights Education was established in 1997 to give advice during the UN Decade for HRE and create a national programme for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating HRE.As a result, in 1998-1999, 7th and 8th graders in Turkey started studying 'Civics and Human Rights Education' (CHRE) for one hour per week (National Committee on the Decade for Human Rights Education, 1999).Since 2018, HRE has been a required subject in 4th grade and taught for two hours per week.The Turkish Ministry of National Education (2018) incorporated HRE into the primary school curriculum and organized in-service training on human rights, democracy, and children's rights (Gömleksiz, 2011;Karaman-Kepenekci, 2005).Our study was part of a PhD thesis to assess the need for HRE implementation in Turkish teacher education programmes (TTEP).In the beginning, we conducted a narrative literature review by referring to the works of Baker (2016) and Grant and Booth (2009) to identify the existing research on HRE in primary and secondary education as well as the TTEP.We chose this review as it allowed us to conduct an in-depth and comprehensive review of the existing research on HRE implementation in Turkey, as we aimed to identify the gaps in teacher knowledge and practice of HRE in primary and secondary schools.Furthermore, the narrative literature review allowed us to identify the key areas in the literature and develop a research question that addressed the gap in the existing TTEP research.
The review indicated the primary focus of HRE research in Turkey has been on primary and secondary education levels, including coursebook evaluation, student outcomes assessment, curriculum evaluation, and evaluation of in-service teachers' attitudes toward HRE (Dündar & Ekici, 2019;Karakuş Özdemirci et al., 2020;Kaymakcı & Akdeniz, 2018;Şahan & Tural, 2018).
Because HRE has not been fully implemented in TTEP, the literature also highlights the lack of TCs' HRE training, which results in teachers having difficulties in practising HRE in schools (Akar, 2016;Balbağ & Bayır, 2016;Burridge & Chodkiewicz, 2017;Burridge et al., 2013;Cassidy et al., 2014;Froese-Germain et al., 2013;Hahn, 2020;Perry-Hazan & Tal-Weibel, 2020;Şahin et al., 2020;Sirota, 2017;Tibbitts & Kirchschläger, 2010).To address this need, it was essential to assess the need for HRE implementation in TTEP through Mixed Methods Research (MMR) (Tashakkori et al., 2021), in order to gain an understanding of the Faculty Members' and Teacher Candidates' views of how they think HRE should be implemented to meet the needs of TTEP.To address this gap, the two authors developed an original survey, called the Human Rights Education Needs Assessment Survey (HRENAS), and a semi-structured interview protocol to answer the research question, 'What are the faculty members' and teacher candidates' views on the implementation of human rights education in Turkish teacher education programmes?'.

Methods
We used the convergent mixed methods design shown in Figure 1 to address the research question (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017).

Figure 1
Convergent Mixed Methods Design Procedure.
In our study, we aimed to develop a curriculum framework for HRE in the TTEP, as this would provide us with strong, comprehensive, and accurate results.This approach allowed us to gather an understanding of the FMs' and TCs' views and thoughts about HRE implementation in the TTEP.The data would provide us with a deeper understanding than if we had solely relied on quantitative or qualitative data collection.Additionally, the first author was the only person involved in the data collection process, which required us to conduct both quantitative and qualitative data collection simultaneously to efficiently manage the limited time and resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic.This method also enabled us to minimize any potential biases or inconsistencies that could have arisen from using only one type of data.
We collected quantitative and qualitative data concurrently (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017), using the HRENAS to gather quantitative data from 47 FMs and 632 TCs while using individual and focus group interviews with 13 FMs and 34 TCs to obtain qualitative data.We aimed to provide a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of how HRE should be implemented in the TTEP.To obtain confirmatory and complementary data, we combined quantitative statistical results with qualitative findings using a joint-display (Guetterman et al., 2015) and meta-inferences (Tashakkori et al., 2021) to compare and analyse the results.We also wanted to see the potential differences in views between fourth-year TCs, who should have enough understanding of curriculum development, and FMs from four universities: Hacettepe and Ankara (public universities), TED and Baskent (private universities).We included public and private universities to ensure a diverse sample of educational contexts and to examine potential differences in their views based on their profiles in the TTEP.Additionally, the first author's affiliation with a private university and the fact that he was continuing his Ph.D. at a state university provided him with an opportunity to closely monitor the data collection process.We selected four departments in the four different universities.These had the capacity to incorporate HRE into their curricula, and represented diverse subject areas: Psychological Counselling and Guidance (PCG), Mathematics Teaching (MT), Pre-School Teaching (PST), and Classroom Teaching (CT).
In our study, the participants were recruited through convenience sampling.This was due to time and access constraints, as well as the possibility of respondent reluctance to answer the survey during the COVID-19 pandemic.Potential participants, including both FMs and TCs, were identified on the basis of their affiliation with the four selected universities and their enrolment in the selected departments.We reached out to these individuals through department emails and social media to invite them to participate in our study.Our convenience sampling method, conducted via department emails and social media to all TCs and FMs, meant that an indeterminate number of individuals was initially approached.The final participant pool comprised 47 FMs and 632 TCs who responded positively to multiple invitations and agreed to participate in our research.To ensure the protection of participants' rights and welfare, informed consent, emphasizing the voluntary nature of participation and the confidentiality of responses, was obtained from all participants.The study protocol and procedures were reviewed and approved by the office of the rectorate/Hacettepe University with reference number 35853172-300.Figure 2 illustrates the research timeline.

Figure 2
Timeline of the Research Study.
Our research timeline was influenced by the need to schedule thesis committee meetings following each stage.This process was vital for discussing progress and determining subsequent steps.However, it inevitably extended the duration of our study.COVID-19 restrictions also had a significant impact on the overall timeline.

Development of the HRENAS and interview protocol
In our literature review, we identified a gap in the HRE field: the absence of a comprehensive needs assessment tool for the TTEP.No existing survey instruments or interview protocols were found that addressed the implementation of HRE in the TTEP, or fully aligned with our research questions to address specific curriculum development needs in Turkey.To fill this gap, we developed the HRENAS and a semi-structured interview protocol.We designed these to gather extensive data on potential approaches to implementing HRE in the TTEP, including both curricular and extracurricular activities.The development of HRENAS and the interview protocol was a rigorous process.We derived the HRENAS items and interview questions from a thorough review of HRE literature (Brander et al., 2020;Brett, Mompoint-Gaillard, Salema, Meira, & Spajic-Vrkas, 2009;Froese-Germain et al., 2013;Gollob et al., 2007;Rasmussen, 2012;Tibbitts, 2015;Tuncel & İçen, 2016;Ulubey & Aykaç, 2016;United Nations, 2011a, 2016b).Rather than directly using questions from existing HRE questionnaires, we created new items.The HRENAS was ranked using a 5-point Likert scale, from 1 (strongly opposed) to 5 (strongly supported).After creating and reviewing the survey questions, we conducted a pilot survey.
The survey allowed us to gain an understanding of how the participants perceive the implementation of HRE and what their preferences are, while the interviews helped broaden our understanding of how HRE can be effectively implemented.To ensure the content validity of the HRENAS items and interview questions, a panel of nine FMs with expertise in areas of HRE, measurement and evaluation, curriculum development, social sciences, and Turkish language teaching reviewed and provided feedback (Creswell & Clark, 2017).The FMs were chosen on the basis of their academic backgrounds and experiences, and their relevant expertise in the field.Finally, 212 TCs from Hacettepe University who participated in the quantitative phase and 6 TCs who participated in the qualitative phase took part in a oneweek pilot.Feedback from the participants led to the removal of repeated items, revisions of some questions, the finalization of 15 HRENAS items, and the reformulation of the interview questions to ensure their relevancy and comprehensiveness.

Data collection and analysis
For the quantitative phase of the study we used Google Forms, which made it easy to collect the data in an environmentally friendly manner.46 FMs participated; 38 (82.6%) female and 8 (17.4%) male.We selected the participants from the PCG (13), MT (9), PST ( 14 The HRENAS aimed to elicit participants' desired preferences for curricular and extracurricular activities in TTEP HRE.By providing clear instructions and a consent form we ensured participants understood the study and felt comfortable in answering questions honestly.We also emphasized the importance of providing truthful responses.For further information, HRENAS can be found in Appendix A. We used descriptive statistics and the chi-square test to identify relationships between FMs' and TCs' views on how to implement HRE in TTEP.We used Fleiss' kappa statistic to measure the inter-rater reliability of an agreement between nine raters, and a substantial agreement was found (Fleiss, 1971).The Kappa was found to be Kappa = 0.65 (p <.0.000), 95% CI (0.52, 0.78).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted individual interviews with FMs instead of focus group interviews because it was not possible to bring them together at the same time.This change allowed us to explore their views and experiences in-depth, while the use of both individual interviews and focus groups as complementary methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of HRE in the TTEP.Once the interviews were finished, we utilized the Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) framework (Miles et al., 2019) to transcribe, reduce, code, and organize the data.This included the data collection, reduction, display, and interpretation stages, as well as a combination of deductive and inductive coding procedures.
To ensure internal validity in the coding process, we employed a deductive approach that produced a preliminary codebook based on the research question and HRENAS items.We also used an inductive approach to generate additional codes through careful re-reading and notetaking.To maintain consistency and minimize bias, one QDA and one HRE expert participated in the coding process (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017).To improve the internal reliability of the qualitative data collection process, we evaluated the intercoder reliability (ICR).Two coders worked independently and used the 'simple percentage agreement' formula (Miles et al., 2019) to calculate ICR (agreement percent: 80%).The ICR percentage we obtained was 86%.
Finally, the synthesized quotes provided transparency and allowed readers to verify research findings, ensuring external reliability.Table 1 displays the survey items utilized during the quantitative phase and the corresponding frequency of qualitative data obtained during the interviews.

Table 1
Survey Items and Qualitative Codes Frequencies.We designed the 15 survey questions to obtain quantitative data on the TCs' and FMs' views on how HRE should be implemented in the TTEP.We also designed the interview question to offer an in-depth understanding of the topic.We did this by asking the FMs and TCs about their thoughts on HRE implementation in the TTEP.We also asked about their reasons for believing there is or is not a need for it.Lastly, we asked them for their views on the positive and negative sides of such an implementation.

Quantitative Results
The HRENAS descriptive statistics and chi-square findings for HRE Implementation in TTEP are presented in Table 2, which is followed by an interpretation and discussion of the results.

Qualitative Results
Both confirmatory and complementary results on HRE Implementation in TTEP are given in Table 3.

Table 3
Confirmatory and Complementary Results.

Confirmatory Complementary
Compulsory The qualitative findings reflect the views of participants regarding HRE and the benefits and challenges associated with its implementation in TTEP.We identified twelve key themes that emerged from participants' responses when we asked FMs and TCs about their thoughts on HRE implementation in the TTEP.Their answers are summarized below: 1. Compulsory Implementation of HRE: FM 2 emphasized the critical need for HRE to be compulsory in TTEP.On the other hand, TC 5 criticized the ineffectiveness of inservice teacher training programs.
2. Integrated Implementation of HRE Curriculum: FM 8 recommended that HRE be integrated into the curriculum from the beginning in TTEP, whereas TC 15 expressed disappointment in the lack of HRE implementation in TTEP.
3. HRE Project Development: FM 12 believed that project-based approaches should be used in HRE along with the theory, while TC 10 emphasized the importance of working on HRE projects focused on injustice and oppression issues.

Implementation of HRE as an Elective
Program: FM 6 suggested that HRE can initially be implemented as an elective programme.On the other hand, TC 18 stated that it should be at least an elective in TTEP.
5. Incorporating Drama: FM 5 emphasized the benefits of drama in developing empathy and gaining a wider perspective, while TC 3 highlighted the importance of integrating HRE through drama, projects, and other extracurricular activities.
6. Organizing Field Trips: FM 9 stated that it is crucial for teachers to visit museums, relevant institutions, and historical sites to witness human rights issues closely.TC 26 supported field trips to human rights organizations in addition to exhibitions and museums highlighting human rights violations.
7. Developing Social Responsibility Projects: FM 8 stated that HRE is more meaningful if it is based on social responsibility projects, while TC 11 emphasized that social responsibility projects will be effective in TTEP for personal growth and social development.
When asking the second interview question on why they think there is or is not a need for HRE implementation in the TTEP, the FMs and TCs provided the following responses: 1. Importance of HRE: FM 7 criticized the lack of HRE in TTEP and emphasized that future teachers must internalize HRE, whereas TC 2 stated that the HRE process must be introduced to TTEP to raise individuals' human rights awareness.
2. Role Modelling of Teachers: FM 7 highlighted the importance of HRE teachers serving as role models for students, while TC 16 emphasized that teachers are expected to serve as role models during their teaching missions.

Empowering Faculty Members in HRE:
FM 10 suggested that FMs must acquire HRE awareness, skills, and behaviours if they wish the same for teachers, while FM 12 criticized their own lack of HRE knowledge.
4. Extracurricular HRE Activities in TTEP: FM 6 suggested that teachers need to witness human rights issues through extracurricular activities, while TC 16 emphasized that internalizing human rights can be better attained through extracurricular activities.
When asking the last interview question on the FMs and TCs about their thoughts on the positive/negative aspects of HRE implementation in the TTEP, the FMs and TCs provided the following responses.
1. Benefits and Challenges of HRE Implementation: FM 1 highlighted the benefits of HRE implementation for broadening teachers' perspectives and contributing to the establishment of a more just society.FM 5 also stated that HRE should focus on debating stereotypes, prejudices, generalizations, and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours.TC 13 also highlighted the challenge of HRE being ineffective if uncritical of current social issues and problems.

Data Convergence
Table 3 shows how qualitative data confirmed and completed quantitative data through the merged results of HRE implementation in TTEP.Table 4 presents a joint display of the integrated results of HRE implementation in TTEP.In Table 4, the meta-inference is highlighted with italics and bold font.The italics represent the confirmatory quantitative findings, while bold font signifies the complementary qualitative findings, providing a meaningful representation of the key findings.

Table 4
Integrated results of HRE implementation.We aimed to provide a thorough understanding of how HRE should be implemented in TTEP based on the data collected from the FMs and TCs.Thus, results may not be generalizable to the larger population.However, the merged results seen in Table 4 suggest that HRE implementation is a critical need and should be integrated across disciplines rather than being a single, distinct course.Empowering FMs and enabling TCs are necessary for an effective HRE implementation.The benefits and challenges of HRE implementation should be considered, with a focus on raising TCs' human rights awareness while also empowering them to be critical and transformative in their human rights advocacy efforts.HRE projects can be an effective means of empowering TCs for their future practice, and incorporating drama with HRE content can develop empathy among TCs.To actively follow human rights legislation and become acquainted with human rights issues, TCs need to participate in extracurricular activities such as field trips to relevant organizations.Aligning social responsibility projects with democratic participation can also ensure that TCs are empowered and transformative in their actions to advocate for human rights.

Discussion
We present the discussion section under four main results, highlighting the importance and benefits of compulsory HRE implementation, the need for integrated implementation, the challenges faced, and the potential of extracurricular activities to enhance HRE in TTEP.

Result One: importance of compulsory implementation of HRE in TTEP
Our study found strong quantitative and qualitative support for the compulsory implementation of HRE within TTEP.Both FMs and TCs advocated for its necessity, citing perceived deficiencies in current HRE practice and a resulting impact on in-service teachers' confidence in HRE classroom application.These findings resonate with Karakuş Özdemirci et al. ( 2020) and Şahan & Tural (2018).These researchers highlight gaps in teacher preparedness for implementing Citizenship, Democracy, and Human Rights (CDHR) curricula, and hence support the case for compulsory HRE in TTEP.Further, our study posits that compulsory HRE implementation could empower FMs to produce quality TCs, who can then serve as advocates for human rights.This potential outcome aligns with research by Yemini et al. (2019), Saperstein (2020), and Robinson et al. (2020), who all underscore the vital role of HRE in bolstering human rights-related competencies among TCs.Moreover, the study findings suggest that through compulsory HRE, teachers can better internalize human rights principles and serve as effective role models for students, a point supported by Merey & İşler (2018).
However, we also note that TCs are not the sole agents of promoting a human rights culture.
Other stakeholders such as policymakers, teacher educators, and civil society organizations have critical roles to play, as demonstrated by Akar (2016) in his exploration of extracurricular HRE activities.Our findings are thus embedded within a wider scholarly discourse, encapsulated by Hantzopoulos & Bajaj (2021), that argues inclusive and transformative HRE in TTEP is crucial to increasing TCs' awareness of human rights, driving social change, and empowering individuals.This underscores the significance of our study's results and further propels the argument for compulsory HRE in TTEP.

Result Two: integrated implementation of HRE in TTEP
Our study adds evidence to the growing body of literature supporting the integrated implementation of HRE in TTEP.Both FMs and TCs in our study advocated for this approach, making it the second most prevalent finding in both our quantitative and qualitative data.This aligns with the call by the United Nations (2016) for a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to HRE in higher education, and expands on the work of Sirota and Mitoma (2022), who argue for the integration of the HRE process with other academic disciplines, such as global education and social justice education.This is a view that our results substantiate.
Moreover, our findings resonate with Howe (2013), who posited that the integration of HRE and global citizenship education in teacher training can empower TCs to educate future generations to respect human rights.This supports our conclusion that integrated HRE can facilitate TCs' development of a broad, interdisciplinary perspective on human rights, preparing them for future HRE practice.Our results also corroborate the assertion of Carr et al. (2014) that critical global citizenship should be integrated into university curricula to help TCs gain insights into social inequality, oppression, and injustice.We also found convergence with the argument of Cargas & Eberbach (2020) that interdisciplinary HRE in higher education can empower students to become advocates for human rights and contribute to societal change.Our study adds that this interdisciplinary approach should extend beyond a single classroom, enabling TCs to apply their understanding of human rights to their daily lives and diverse societal issues.In conclusion, this result strengthens the argument for an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to HRE in TTEP, offering important insights into its potential to prepare TCs as future human rights advocates.

Result Three: the benefits and the challenges of HRE implementation in TTEP
Qualitative findings from our study further illuminated both the benefits and challenges associated with the implementation of HRE in TTEP.In accordance with the assertion of Tarrow (1990), our interviewees indicated that HRE can indeed foster individuals' understandings of their rights and responsibilities and spur them towards safeguarding human rights.This tangible benefit of HRE was recurrently emphasized throughout our interviews, thus aligning our research with Tarrow's theoretical underpinning.Additionally, the claim of Tibbitts (2017) that HRE should empower teachers to be transformative advocates for human rights was echoed in our study.Both FMs and TCs in our study expressed a belief that effective HRE implementation could enable them to effect social change.This finding serves as an empirical validation of Tibbitts's theoretical proposition.Interestingly, our research also suggests that traditional HRE practices that focus primarily on knowledge acquisition may fall short.This finding, although novel, echoes a growing sentiment within the literature suggesting the need for a more critical and transformative approach to HRE within TTEP.Such an approach should aim to empower teachers to not only revise their teaching practices but also address human rights issues in both local and global contexts.One challenge that our study reveals is that the diversity of perspectives, perceptions, and beliefs on human rights among educational stakeholders may pose a significant hurdle to successful HRE implementation.This concern, while not directly addressed in the literature, underscores the critical need to address these challenges to avoid adverse impacts on teaching practices.Our research also found alignment with the contention of Kingston (2014) regarding the importance of ethical responsibility and quality in HRE practices.According to our participants, comprehensive and unbiased HRE implementation might be better achieved through continuous self-reflection and acknowledgment of gaps in human rights law.This, in turn, aligns with Kingston's emphasis on creating a rights-protective learning environment.Such trips allow TCs to directly connect with individuals whose human rights have been violated.This interaction encourages them to act with greater responsibility, cooperation, and dedication to protecting human rights, as argued by Flowers (2000) and Henck (2018).Overall, our findings not only corroborate the existing theoretical framework on HRE but also provide concrete empirical evidence that can be instrumental for educators and policymakers in structuring effective HRE programmes.

FMs
and TCs rated differently on certain items, including compulsory implementation of HRE, implementation of HRE as an elective course, and integrated implementation of HRE.This was the case for items related to curricular and extracurricular activities such as developing social responsibility projects, project development, organizing field trips, organizing conferences, use of movies, use of simulations, incorporating drama, organizing sport activities, organizing summer schools, and establishing student clubs.Even though both FMs and TCs supported that HRE should be required and integrated into the TTEP, they had different views about how it should be done.One reason could be that they have had different learning experiences and degrees of exposure to HRE.FMs, who are generally more experienced and probably trained in HRE, may have a stronger belief in the importance of HRE and its implementation in the TTEP.Likewise, TCs might have been less familiar with HRE.Furthermore, contextual factors such as institutional policies, resources, and support might have also played a role in shaping the views of FMs and TCs regarding the implementation of HRE in the TTEP.This might have influenced their support for the compulsory or elective implementation of HRE as well as their support for specific activities and strategies to be implemented in the TTEP.The quantitative results underscore the importance of HRE implementation in the TTEP, as FMs and TCs consider it a crucial necessity to empower the TCs' HRE knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours.
Four: the implementation of extracurricular activities in HRE in TTEP Our study's final result reinforces the belief in the effectiveness of social responsibility projects; drama activities, and field trips to relevant institutions are regarded as methods to reinforce TCs' personal and social responsibilities towards human rights advocacy and empower their agency beyond the classroom.This finding complements and provides empirical support to the theoretical underpinnings proposed by the United Nations (2016) andGrossman et al. (2019), who emphasized that project-based learning can lead to meaningful HRE learning experiences, while also strengthening TCs' practices and fostering student agency in knowledge construction.Additionally, our study provides empirical evidence that social responsibility projects can promote social mobility, reflect social sensitivity and solidarity, and enhance social life, as theorized byDower (2008),Flowers (2000), andRasmussen (2012).Our study's findings, thereby, advance the understanding of how such projects can be integrated into HRE.Drama activities, such as role-play, were also highlighted as effective tools in our study.This supports the assertions made byBrander et al. (2020),Brett et al. (2009), andUlubey & Aykaç (2016) regarding the role of drama in enhancing learners' HRE knowledge and skills.Our research further substantiates these claims and underscores the value of integrating such activities into HRE.Lastly, our study provides additional empirical evidence for the practice of organizing field trips to relevant institutions.
implementation in TTEP provides the necessary knowledge, skills, behaviours, and values to protect them.Using the participants' views on HRE implementation in TTEP, the convergent MMR design illustrated how the participants viewed HRE implementation as being inclusive of different types of curricular and extracurricular activities.Our findings provide insights into a deeper understanding of HRE implementation in TTEP.They provide a framework for the type of implementation and catalogue a broad spectrum of activities.Our study also focused on providing TCs with practical experience in HRE and training FMs in HRE.These approaches could serve as a model for other teacher education programmes in different contexts.Therefore, we suggest that an integrated approach to HRE should be implemented to develop competent and transformative teachers in HRE.This includes curricular and extracurricular activities such as HRE projects, social responsibility initiatives, drama activities, and visits to relevant institutions.Additionally, in order to prepare TCs to effectively teach HRE, it is advised to offer them opportunities to acquire hands-on and practical experience in the field.It is crucial and urgent to make HRE programmes accessible to TCs to equip them with the necessary HRE-related knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours.Lastly, training FMs in HRE is essential for effective implementation of HRE in the TTEP.The training should equip them with a deep understanding of the principles and concepts of HRE as well as the skills and competencies necessary for delivering effective HRE instruction.However, there are some limitations to our study.For this research, the study group consisted of FMs and TCs from the Guidance and Psychological Counselling, Mathematics Teaching, Preschool Teaching, and Classroom Teaching Departments of Hacettepe, Ankara, TED, and Başkent Universities in Ankara.To further enhance the scope of the study, future research can consider involving other study groups from different departments across various faculties of education.While our research did not explore the influence of gender, future research could investigate it further for a deeper understanding of the topic.Although this study provided helpful knowledge on how HRE could be implemented in the TTEP, we used convenience sampling, which affects the generalizability of the research results.Therefore, it is suggested that future studies use different sampling strategies to improve the study`s rigour.In future studies, the systematic observation of TCs and in-depth interviews with other staff members can enhance the methodological rigour and the validity and reliability of the research outcomes.Finally, future research such as case studies and pilot HRE implementation in the TTEP are expected to corroborate the findings of this research.
Based on the descriptive and chi-square results, both FMs and TCs supported the compulsory implementation of HRE as an integrated programme in the TTEP through developing social responsibility projects, project development, and drama activities.