Developments in the field of education have also been reflected in curricula through the methods and techniques applied. In fact, the 2009 Education Council emphasized the need to restructure curricula in a way that would allow students to learn how to access information, develop decision-making and problem-solving skills. Within this framework, new approaches in curricula have drawn attention. One of these approaches is oral history studies, which are based on historical inquiry skills within historical thinking. Oral history can be defined as a way of writing history shaped by the memory-based oral narratives of living individuals and the everyday lives of ordinary people, as well as a method that collects the knowledge of the past from memories, ranging from social history to economic and political history. Oral history is a widely used method in educational activities for the purpose of teaching history, as it increases students’ interest and curiosity towards history lessons and contributes to the development of various skills such as critical thinking, observation, and research. Therefore, the use of the oral history method in history teaching is of great importance. In this context, the aim of the study was to determine teachers’ views on the place and use of oral history in history teaching. The study group consisted of a total of 10 history teachers working in public schools in Province A, located in the Eastern Anatolia Region, during the 2016–2017 academic year. A convenience sampling method was used in the research. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form. The data obtained were analyzed using content analysis, teachers’ views were presented with direct quotations, and the findings were interpreted. According to the findings of the study, it was concluded that history teachers had existing knowledge about oral history, that teacher approaches were important in the use of oral history, and that oral history studies contributed to both students and history teaching, but also had certain limitations in history instruction. Based on the findings, suggestions for solving the identified problems were provided.

Oral history, oral history sources, history education, history teacher, basic qualitative research.