English abstract
The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a training program based on
the Theory of Cognitive Balance in enhancing ethnographic research methods among social
studies teachers in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as their attitudes towards these methods
and their perceptions of the program's effectiveness in developing social studies curricula
and their specialized knowledge related to cultural tourism and oral history. The study
sample consisted of 30 social studies teachers from Al-Dakhiliyah Governorate, including
15 male and 15 female teachers. To achieve the study's objectives, the researcher adopted a
mixed-methods approach with a multi-phase design. Various tools were used to collect data,
including quantitative tools such as the Ethnographic Research Methods Test and the
Attitude Towards Ethnographic Research Methods Scale, as well as qualitative tools like two
interview forms to uncover the trained teachers' perceptions of the training program's
effectiveness in developing social studies curricula and their specialized knowledge related
to cultural tourism and oral history. After ensuring the validity and reliability of the
quantitative tools and the credibility and trustworthiness of the qualitative tools, they were
applied to the sample.
The study concluded with the following main results:
- There were statistically significant differences in favor of the post-application in the
Ethnographic Research Methods Test. The study results also indicated no statistically
significant differences attributed to gender and years of experience variables.
- Statistically significant differences were found in the post-application regarding attitudes
towards ethnographic research methods across all scale dimensions except for the fourth
dimension. The results also revealed statistically significant differences between males
and females, generally favoring females in the second dimension (willingness to work
with ethnographic research) and the third dimension (importance of ethnographic
research for social studies teachers), as well as in the overall attitude score. The study
results indicated no statistically significant differences attributed to the years of
experience variable.
- The interview results revealed the training program's contribution to developing the social
studies curriculum with topics related to cultural tourism through proposing enrichment
topics and activities (classroom and non-classroom). The interview results also showed
the development of teachers' knowledge of visited heritage sites, which in turn enhanced
their specialized knowledge.
- The interview results disclosed the training program's contribution to developing the social
studies curriculum with topics related to oral history by proposing enrichment topics and
activities. Furthermore, the interview results revealed the development of teachers'
knowledge of oral history related to visited heritage sites.
