Examination of Reference Value Preferences in Theses Prepared on the Existence of Values

The aim of this study is to determine the reference value preferences as an analysis unit in the graduate theses prepared on values education in our country. For this purpose, as a result of the search conducted with the concepts of "values" and "values education" in the YÖK thesis database, research was carried out on 340 theses prepared to determine the existence of values. The data of the study were coded through the form developed by the researcher and the data were analyzed by the content analysis method. As a result of the research, it was seen that the number of theses in question increased with small fluctuations since 2007 and reached the highest number in 2019. It has been determined that almost all of the theses prepared on this subject are master's thesis. Atatürk University, Gazi University and Necmettin Erbakan University are the prominent institutions in this field. More than half of these theses have been prepared in Turkish Language Education departments. In the most frequently used reference values, it was determined that the core values and the values in the Social Studies Course Curriculum were preferred. It was determined that almost half of the theses did not specify reference values. In the research conducted until 2019, it was seen that there was a tendency to take the values in the Social Studies Course Curriculum as reference values in all departments. In the theses prepared in 2019 and after, it was determined that there was a shift towards core values.