Educating teachers from inside the notebook: Creative practices in social studies

The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of pre-service social studies teachers regarding the use of interactive notebooks and to reveal how this process contributes to the development of their teaching skills. Interactive notebooks are learning tools that promote active participation in the learning process, both cognitively and affectively, while supporting thinking, reflection, and creative production. The study was conducted using a qualitative case study design. The study group consisted of 17 pre-service teachers enrolled in the social studies teacher education program at a public university. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documents obtained from the participants' notebooks and were analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that the use of interactive notebooks contributed to the development of various pedagogical skills, such as lesson planning, creativity, self-assessment, and a student-centered teaching approach. In addition, participants reported high levels of motivation and a sense of belonging throughout the process. The findings are discussed along with suggestions for the more systematic and widespread use of interactive and creative instructional materials in teacher education.