Background & Objective: Atherosclerosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is a major cause of middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between carotid artery angles and diameters and infarct volume, and to determine the impact of these measurements on in-hospital mortality in patients with MCA infarction. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included patients with symptomatic ICA stenosis of 50-95% and no other identifiable etiology who had suffered an MCA infarction. From computed tomography angiography images, we measured the common carotid artery (CCA)-ICA angle, the carotid bifurcation angle, and the diameters of the carotid arteries. Infarct volumes were obtained from diffusion-weighted MRI. Statistical analyses included the independent two-sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman's rho correlation, logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: A total of 79 patients (46 survivors, 33 non-survivors) were analyzed. Non-survivors had significantly larger infarct volumes (p<0.001). They also exhibited narrower CCA-ICA angles (p=0.001) and wider bifurcation angles (p<0.001). Infarct volume showed a weak but significant correlation with both bifurcation angle (r=0.327, p=0.003) and degree of ICA stenosis (r=0.371, p=0.001). Each 1 degrees increase in bifurcation angle was associated with a 1.433-fold rise in mortality risk (p=0.013). The bifurcation angle had a strong predictive value for mortality (AUC=0.896). Conclusions: In patients with MCA infarction, a wider carotid bifurcation angle and a narrower CCA- ICA angle are associated with in-hospital mortality. A 1 degrees increase in the bifurcation angle increases the risk of in-hospital mortality by 1.433 times.

Aim: This study evaluated the relationship between two‑year changes in hematological and inflammatory parameters—including red cell distribution width–standard deviation (RDW‑SD)—and disease progression and treatment response in relapsing‑remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients receiving dimethyl fumarate (DMF).Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 58 RRMS patients receiving uninterrupted DMF treatment. Hematological data from two years prior and current values were compared. Parameters analyzed included white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocytes, monocytes, RDW‑SD, and inflammatory indices such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Normality was assessed by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and paired t‑test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test , and Spearman correlation analyses were applied as appropriate.Results: Significant increases in RDW-SD (p<0.001), NLR (p=0.005), MLR (p=0.003), and PLR (p=0.001) were observed after DMF treatment. Lymphocyte counts decreased significantly (p=0.002). Statistically significant correlations were observed between the change in monocyte count and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (r=0.386; p=0.003), and between the change in platelet‑to‑monocyte ratio (PMR) and EDSS (r=–0.297; p=0.023). Notably, the increase in RDW‑SD was independent of the conventional RDW-coefficient of variation (CV) (p=0.57).Conclusions: The increase in RDW-SD levels observed during DMF treatment suggests that this parameter may be associated with inflammatory activity. RDW-SD could be evaluated as an auxiliary biomarker in personalized treatment approaches. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of various inflammatory parameters with early neurologic damage and three-month functional outcomes in patients with acute distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion who received intravenous thrombolytic treatment (IV tPA). Materials and Methods: This retrospective exploratory study included 75 patients who underwent IV tPA for distal MCA infarction and had complete clinical and laboratory data. Inflammatory indices were calculated from blood parameters at admission, early neurologic status was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and three-month functional status was assessed using the Modified Rankin Score (mRS). Results: Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) and Neutrophil-to-Albumin Ratio (NAR) were positively correlated with mRS in univariate analyses. The NAR also showed an association with the NIHSS score at presentation and demonstrated modest discrimination for the mRS 3-6 group on ROC analysis (AUC=0.694). In multivariable logistic regression adjusted for baseline clinical confounders and onset-to-needle time, the inflammatory indices lost their independent predictive significance, while admission NIHSS remained the strongest independent predictor. Conclusions: While indices such as SII, SIRI and NAR show potential preliminary associations with early neurologic damage and unadjusted three-month functional outcomes in patients with distal MCA infarction treated with IV tPA, they do not carry robust independent prognostic value beyond initial clinical severity. Admission NIHSS remains the most critical predictor of clinical course.

OBJECTIVES:To investigate the potential utility of the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) as a biomarker in distinguishing between BPPV and acute cerebellar infarction (ACI) due to posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) involvement. METHODS:The data of 2545 patients registered in our hospital database between 2017 and 2024 with a diagnosis of vertigo were retrospectively analyzed and 102 patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and 100 patients with ACI were included in the study. Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test were used to compare variables between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to investigate the predictive value of the data. RESULTS:The CAR and SII values were significantly higher in the ACI group compared to the BPPV group (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were as follows: CAR=0.768 (95% CI, 0.705-0.832), white blood cell count (WBC)=0.735 (95% CI, 0.667-0.802), monocytes=0.622 (95% CI, 0.544-0.699), red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD)=0.600 (95% CI, 0.522-0.678), SII=0.674 (95% CI, 0.599-0.748), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)=0.687 (95% CI, 0.613-0.761). CONCLUSION:CAR and SII could be useful biomarkers to differentiate between ACI and BPPV in vertigo patients, but further validation is needed in larger studies.

Background & Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) would be more severe in individuals with shorter body length and short but more voluminous hands. Methods: This study was conducted between December 2024 and February 2025, and a total of 126 patients with CTS and 59 non-CTS individuals were enrolled. CTS patients were further categorized into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups. Demographic characteristics, hand volumes, various hand anthropometric measurements, and derived measurement ratios were recorded for statistical analysis. Results: Compared to the control group, the patient group exhibited significantly higher mean hand volume/hand length ratio, and hand volume/body length ratio (P <0.001), whereas the median hand length was lower (P =0.028). Significant differences among the four groups were also observed in the mean hand volume/hand length ratio, and hand volume/body length ratio (P <0.001 and P =0.002). The severity of CTS was negatively correlated with body length (rho =-0.153, P =0.037) but showed positive correlations with hand volume/body length ratio (rho =0.287, P <0.001), and hand volume/ hand length ratio (rho =0.278, P <0.001). The areas under the ROC curves were 0.679 (95% CI, 0.595-0.763) for the hand volume/hand length ratio and 0.654 (95% CI, 0.568-0.739) for the hand volume/body length ratio. Conclusions: CTS manifests more severely in patients with shorter body lengths and hands that are short yet relatively voluminous. Hand volume/body length and hand volume/hand length ratios may be predictive of CTS.

OBJECTIVES:Status epilepticus (SE) is a severe neurological condition associated with a poor prognosis. Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is a treatment-resistant form of SE with an even worse prognosis. The exact mechanisms underlying the development of RSE are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors contributing to the development of RSE in SE patients and to identify predictors of RSE occurrence. METHODS:This retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with SE and RSE between 2014 and 2024. Demographic information, comorbid conditions, and blood sample data of the patients were recorded for statistical analysis. The statistical analyses used included the Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, ROC curve analysis, and logistic regression. RESULTS:A total of 82 SE patients were included in the study. Of these, 44 were non-RSE patients (control group), and 38 were RSE patients. Significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of median age (p = 0.001), blood glucose level (p = 0.023), pan-immune inflammation value (PIV) (p = 0.002), Monocyte/Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) (p = 0.009), Neutrophil/Albumin Ratio (NAR) (p = 0.003), Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII) (p = 0.013), Eosinophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (ELR) (p = 0.016), Eosinophil/Neutrophil Ratio (ENR) (p = 0.006), and Eosinophil/Monocyte Ratio (EMR) (p = 0.002). The multivariate logistic regression model identified the presence of arterial hypertension as the only factor significantly associated with the development of RSE (p < 0.001). In the ROC curve analysis, PIV (AUC = 0.696) and NAR (AUC = 0.689) were found to be predictive factors for RSE. CONCLUSIONS:The findings obtained in the current study suggest that systemic inflammation and arterial hypertension may be associated with the progression of SE to RSE. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and integrate them into routine clinical practice.

Values education is crucial in eliminating social distortions, and schools are making serious efforts to foster character development in students. While gifted individuals in society often come to mind with the potential to achieve success in every field, each gifted individual has different intelligence levels and developmental areas. It is crucial to provide gifted students with values education and examine the effects of this education in social studies classes. Within the scope of the 2023 Social Studies Curriculum at BİLSEM, the goal is to raise awareness among gifted students in the 5th and 6th grades regarding the values of "Aesthetics and Sensitivity to Cultural Heritage" in the 5th grade and "Cultural Heritage" in the 6th grade. This study aims to examine the extent to which gifted/specially gifted students acquire values such as aesthetics and sensitivity to cultural heritage in the 5th and 6th grade social studies classes. A part-time interview formula was conveyed with the data of the research. The research is a descriptive study in the screening model and was carried out with qualitative method. The study concluded that gifted students' perceptions of values have improved. Activities implemented in values education have a positive impact on the acquisition of values. The use of activities in the acquisition of values is recommended. Studies on values education can be conducted with gifted students who appear to have a high perception of values. In-depth research can be conducted using methods such as keeping a diary to document students' feelings and thoughts during the periods in which the activities were implemented.

Araştırmanın amacı Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinin bireyi tanıma teknikleri hakkında görüşlerini inceleyerek bu görüşlere yönelik öneriler geliştirmektir. Araştırma sürecinde bireyi tanıma teknikleri hakkında Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinin bilgi sahibi olup olmadıkları araştırılmıştır. Bu bağlamda temel nitel araştırma tekniği kullanılarak yapılan çalışmanın katılımcıları kolay ulaşılabilir örneklem ile seçilmiştir. İstanbul ilinde bulunan ve MEB’ ait özel okul ve devlet okullarında görev yapan öğretmenlerden yüz yüze görüşme yöntemiyle veriler elde edilmiştir. Toplanan veriler nitel araştırma yöntemlerinde çoğunlukla kullanılan betimsel analiz tekniği ile değerlendirilmiştir. Değerlendirmede tümdengelim yaklaşımı benimsenmiştir. Değerlendirme aşamasında “Bireyi tanıma teknikleri Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerine göre ne anlam ifade etmektedir?” problem cümlesi bağlamında temalar belirlenmiştir. Çalışmanın araştırma grubu 2023-2024 eğitim ve öğretim döneminde İstanbul'daki MEB'e ait devlet okulu ve özel okullarda çalışmakta olan Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenleridir. Verilerin elde edilme sürecinde hem devlet okulunda çalışan 6 Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmeniyle hem de özel okulda çalışan 6 Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmeniyle yüz yüze görüşme yöntemi kullanılarak görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Öğretmenlerin tamamı bireyi tanıma tekniklerinin öğrenciyi tanıma da olumlu etkisi olduğunu ve gerekli olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Öğretmenlerin bireyi tanıma teknikleri konusunda hizmet içi eğitim verilmesi, ders sürelerinin arttırılması, sınıf mevcutlarının azaltılması, Sosyal Bilgiler müfredatının bireyi tanıma tekniklerine göre düzenlenmesine yönelik istekleri olmuştur. Sosyal Bilgiler öğretmenlerinden elde edilen verilerin incelenmesi sonucunda öğrencilerin tanınmasının öğretmenler açısından gelecek planlamalarının yapılması, ilgi ve yeteneklerine uygun mesleklere yönlendirilmeleri ve başarılarının arttırılmasında olumlu etki oluşturduğuna ulaşılmıştır. Öğretmenlerden elde edilen veriler incelendiğinde öğrencileri tanıma sürecinde en fazla gözlem ve görüşme tekniklerinden faydalandıkları neticesine varılmıştır. Öğretmenlerin ders sürelerinin az olması, sınıf mevcutlarının fazla olması ve öğrencilerin iletişime kapalı olmaları yönünden çoğunlukla öğrencileri tanımada zorluk yaşadıkları saptanmıştır.

The aim of this research is to reveal the general status of graduate theses written on the basis of “differentiated teaching” with gifted students in Turkey. In this study, where basic qualitative research method is used, data were obtained by document technique examination. Descriptive analysis method was used in the analysis of the obtained data. In the determination of the graduate theses to be used in the study, the thesis screening electronic environment of the Higher Education Institution was used. In line with the findings of the study, most of the theses related to the differentiated teaching in the field of gifted people in Turkey were concluded within the Institute of Educational Sciences in 2014, where the most thesis was doctoral theses. The most studies are written within the Istanbul University. In addition, the methods used in research are mostly quantitative research patterns. The most used models in the theses are the parallel (running) curriculum model and integrated curriculum models respectively. Again, the most differentiated disciplines are mathematics, science and social knowledge respectively. The majority of the sample/working group of the research are 5th grade. When the results of the research are examined, it is recommended that differentiation models related to the superior talents be carried out with the courses at the secondary level (high school) level and with the students, qualitative and mixed method researches are also given weight and studies are carried out at the graduate level.

The aim of this study is to reveal social studies teachers' opinions on the use of Augmented Reality in the education of gifted students. As part of the research, a qualitative study was conducted with teachers experienced in the education of gifted and talented students working in BİLSEM and various schools in Istanbul regarding the use of Augmented Reality. Due to the qualitative nature of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 Social Studies teachers. The research was conducted within the scope of Social Studies and gifted and talented education during the 2023-2024 academic year. A descriptive content analysis was used to thoroughly examine the data. According to the findings from the interviews, the teachers are knowledgeable about augmented reality. Additionally, the results indicate that the use of augmented reality in the education of gifted and talented students strengthens skills such as permanent learning, capturing attention, increasing motivation, rapid learning, critical and creative thinking, developing perspective, and problem-solving.

It is known that chronic migraine (CM) is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic complaints. We designed this study with the assumption that greater occipital nerve (GON) block treatment could potentially improve not only pain symptoms but also psychosomatic complaints. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the visual analog scale (VAS), somatosensory amplification scale (SSAS), beck depression ınventory (BDI), and beck anxiety ınventory (BAI) with GON block treatment in patients with CM. This study was conducted retrospectively on 164 patients with CM between December 2018 and January 2023. Patients underwent six sessions of GON block treatment at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. VAS, SSAS, BAI, and BDI scores; number of attacks per month (NAM); attack pain duration (APD); and monthly use of analgesics (UA) were compared before the start and at week 8 of GON block treatment. The mean age of the subjects was 38 ± 9 years. Statistical analysis revealed that VAS, SSAS, BAI, and BDI scores; NAM; APD; and monthly UA were statistically significantly lower following GON block treatment than before GON block treatment (p < 0.001 each). GON block treatment was effective for pain and somatic complaints (amplification of physical symptoms), anxiety, and depressive symptoms accompanying CM in patients with CM.

This research, 7. the classroom social studies course was conducted in order to determine the effect of historical sites on students' academic achievements and attitudes towards the course through virtual museums in concept teaching. In line with the aim, 20 concepts included in the social studies curriculum were selected. A 20-question academic achievement test was prepared and applied to be applied to students in relation to these concepts. In addition, a 35-item attitude scale was applied to determine the students' attitudes towards the Social studies course. The study group of the research consists of 40 7th grade students (20 experimental, 20 control). The study was carried out over a total period of 3 weeks. The experimental group was taught concepts through virtual museums in historical places, and the control group was taught according to the Social Studies curriculum. SPSS, which is a statistical analysis program, was used for the analysis of quantitative data. In the measurements related to the research, dependent and independent variable t test, mean, standard deviation values were calculated. According to the results of the analysis, it has been determined that the use of virtual museums with historical sites in social studies course concept teaching enables more effective learning compared to traditional methods and creates significant differences in students' attitudes towards social studies course.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the frequency of symptomatic acute cerebral infarction (sACI) among patients with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease and the predictive value of laboratory parameters such as D-dimer and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in sACI. Methods: This retrospective case-control study analyzed the data of 2,378 patients with COVID-19 registered in our database between April 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. Of these patients, a total of 119 subjects were included in the study, including 31 COVID-19 patients with sACI (patient group) and 88 randomly selected COVID-19 patients without sACI (control group). Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test and predictive value of the variables was analyzed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Thirty one (1.30%) of 2,378 COVID-19 patients had sACI. Mann-Whitney U test showed that median D-dimer, neutrophil and NLR values were significantly higher in the sACI group compared to the control group (p = 0.004, p < 0.048 and p = 0.007, respectively). ROC analysis yielded the following areas under the ROC curve: D-dimer = 0.674 (95% CI, 0.569-0.779), NLR = 0.663 (95% CI, 0.559-0.767) and neutrophils = 0.620 (95% CI, 0.509-0.73). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that elevated D-dimer levels can be used as a predictor of sACI in COVID-19 patients.

In this study, it is aimed to examine the doctoral theses prepared in the field of social studies education in the USA and Turkey between the years 2018-2022 in terms of various categories. For this purpose, 113 doctoral theses accessed through ProQuest database and 121 doctoral dissertations accessed from YÖK Thesis Center database were analyzed by document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods. Theses examined in the study were analyzed in terms of 7 different categories such as the year, the university, research approach, research design, study group/sample, data collection tools and the subject. According to the findings obtained from the research, in both countries between 2018-2022, at least the thesis in the field of social studies education was prepared in 2020, while the year 2021 was the year in which the most theses were prepared in this sense. While “University of South Carolina” is the university where the most theses are produced in the USA, “Gazi University” comes first in Turkey. While more qualitative research approach, research designs and data collection tools were preferred in the USA, mixed research approach was mostly preferred in studies in Turkey. While researchers in the USA mostly work with teachers, the most studied sample/study group in Turkey is students. While doctoral theses in the field of social studies education in the USA were mostly prepared on teaching methods, due diligence, teacher self-efficacy, education policies and curriculum, theses in Turkey were generally prepared on teaching methods, value and skill acquisition. The results of the research show that the studies in the field of social studies education in Turkey tend to repeat, especially in terms of subject. In this sense, it is thought that this study can be a guide for researchers in Turkey to produce different and original researches.

Textbooks are the most fundamental educational materials. For these materials to be effectively used, they need to be relevant to the era we live in. In this context, since 2004, the content of textbooks in Turkey has been prepared within the framework of constructivist education, aiming to enhance students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills. This study examines the assessment and evaluation elements within Social Studies textbooks to determine their alignment with constructivist education and the specific skills they target for students. The research analyzes assessment components found in six different textbooks approved by the Ministry of National Education (MEB). Within these textbooks, the assessment elements related to seven learning approaches—such as preparatory questions, in-text questions, activities, end-of-text evaluations, self-assessment, peer assessment, concept maps, end-of-unit assessment questions, and group self-assessment—are classified and studied from a constructivist perspective. Using a qualitative research design, document analysis is employed to identify assessment elements and link them to skills consistent with constructivist education. Finally, a comparative evaluation reveals differences between textbooks at different educational levels, contributing to the literature on the relationship between assessment elements and constructivist education in Social Studies textbooks.

Background/Aim: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric condition linked to chronic conditions, suicide and relapse, leading to disability. Fine motor skills (FMS) can potentially provide valuable insights into the suspected psychomotor slowing associated with depression. This experimental, observational study aims to use a fresh paradigm to probe how the slowing of FMS impacts MDD patients, particularly in relation to motor and cognitive processes. Methods: This study involved 28 patients with MDD and 28 healthy control subjects. We developed the Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT), Finger Tapping Test (FTT), and Target Hitting Test (THT) to examine the impact on FMS in relation to motor and cognitive processes. The THT incorporates cognitive elements like strategy and action monitoring and assimilates the other two tests. Participants were asked to complete the SRTT, FTT, THT, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) in two separate sessions. Results: We found significant differences between the groups across BDI, BAI, FTT, and SRTT data (P<0.001 for BDI, BAI, P=0.019 for FTT, P=0.032 for SRTT). There was also a noticeable difference in THT performance among the groups (P=0.013). The disparity between the depression group and the control group was primarily attributed to the THT error score (P=0.003). We noted that when BDI and SRTT scores increased, THT target values decreased (P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively), but they increased with higher FTT scores (P<0.001). The depression group performed worse than the control group on all three computerized tests related to FMS (SRTT, FTT, THT). The poorer performance of patients with depression in THT was mostly due to THT error values. This suggests that these patients may have exerted more effort on motor performance to hit the target, compensating with physical effort rather than applying the necessary cognitive strategy required by the test. Conclusion: This study’s findings indicate that MDD primarily impacts cognitive functions while also impairing FMS.

Aim: This study aimed to review cognitive function and fine motor skills in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and investigate the association with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. Material and Methods: The study included 22 patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS and 22 controls. Participants underwent neuropsychological tests, including the Stroop test, Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), line bisection test (LBT), serial reaction time test (SRTT), and finger tapping test (FTT). The relationship between severity of disease, MRI, and test performance was investigated. Results: It was determined that the patients were lateralized to the right in the LBT data, while the control group was lateralized to the left (p=0.024). On cognitive tests, there was no significant difference in Stroop test results (p=0.134), but the mean overall RAVLT of the patient group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p

Bu çalışmanın amacı bir döneme damgasını vuran popüler tarih dergisi olan “Hayat Tarih Mecmuası”nı tarih öğretimi açısından incelemektir. Hayat Tarih Mecmuası 1965- 1982 yıllarında çıkarılan popüler bir tarih dergisidir. Tarih öğretimi açısından konu yelpazesi oldukça geniştir. Avrupa tarihi, arkeoloji, seyahat, coğrafya, edebiyat gibi konulara yer vererek tarih öğretimi açısından çok önemli materyaller sunmuştur. Çalışma nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olan doküman analizi kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmanın evrenini derginin yayınlanan tüm konu alan dizini ve ayrıntılı olarak görselleri incelenmiş olan 10 sayısı oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma ile dergi, okuyucularına tarih öğretimi bağlamında tarih bilinci kazandırmak istediği sonucuna varılmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda dergi, yayınlandığı dönem içerisinde Hayat Tarih Mecmuası okuyucularına Türk tarihinin farklı alanlarında bilgi sunduğu gibi dünya tarihi ile ilgili konulara da yer vermiştir. Okuyucularına tarih okuma ve öğrenme zevki aşılayan dergi; geçmişte yaşanan olaylara ışık tutarak halka popüler konularda önemli bir tarih birikimi sunmuştur.

It is essential to identify the challenges encountered by graduate students who play a significant role in the continuity of higher education during the thesis preparation phase. If students do not cope with the difficulties encountered at this stage, their education may have to end. This study aimed to determine the problems and obstacles encountered by graduate students in the field of social studies education during their thesis work. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 students pursuing a graduate degree in social studies education. The data of the study, which is a qualitative research, were analyzed with descriptive analysis and the identified difficulties were thematized. Additionally, the participants were asked to assess the level of difficulty associated with these challenges. Based on the findings, students expressed that they encountered challenges, such as determining the topic of study, selecting appropriate methods and techniques, establishing effective collaboration with their supervisors, encountering conventional obstacles, accessing necessary resources for their theses, gathering information, following university-related procedures, and getting stuck in formal processes in the field study. Given these obstacles, it is imperative for academic institutions and relevant organizations to take preventive measures. It is also crucial to conduct research to offer solutions to these difficulties. Just as highlighting the issues encountered by graduate students sheds light on their difficulties, a similar investigation of the experiences of doctoral students during the thesis preparation process can provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges within graduate education.

The first impression of history acquired by students who encounter history subjects for the first time in the "Culture and Heritage" learning area of the social studies course in schools is a critical point for their view of history for the rest of their educational life. The aim of the research, which is designed with this motivation, is to reveal the problems experienced in the teaching of history subjects in primary social studies courses from the perspective of teachers. The study group of the study consists of 27 social studies teachers working in 21 different secondary schools in Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Hatay and Trabzon provinces of Turkey. The study is designed in the case study pattern from qualitative research methods. In the study, the semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was used as a data collection tool through Google Forms. The data obtained in the study were subjected to descriptive analysis; QDA Miner 5 qualitative data analysis program was used for this. According to the findings of the research, social studies teachers face problems such as the fact that the curriculum is very intense, the course hours are insufficient, the students do not show interest in the course, the history subjects are boring and irrelevant to the present, the students cannot perceive abstract subjects and concepts and the physical facilities of the schools are insufficient. In the solution of such problems, teachers and students, as well as especially the program makers who develop the curriculum, have a great responsibility.