Value is a concept that is always desirable for human. The intiial values learned from the family and after values earned from social instituons such as, school, peer group and society. The values gained  in  the  pre-school  years will improve the academic success of children and will support social integration. Children when gained of social values, the values will effect all life of children. The peoples enriching society with have values. So, for a sustainable society values must teach to all children. Therefore must start to values education in early childhood.

Preschool period is where the social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language development of a child are very fast. In this period, the experiences of the child have an important effect upon her/his future social and academic life and personality, and they determine what kind of a person the child would become in the future. The studies show that a child’s character considerably forms within the first five years after birth. Besides, childhood is known as a period where children develop an ability of observation, go into action with interest and desire, get socialized and dominate the future society better than adults (YeÅŸil and Aydın, 2007).

Preschool period is where the knowledge regarding values are founded for the first time in children. Family is the basic foundation conveying the social and cultural values, as well as social skills to children. While social skills and values are brought by parents in the first years of childhood; new skills and values are acquired by children depending on the increase in their interaction with the environment and the crowd around them in the later years. Even though children learn the knowledge regarding values lifelong; the first knowledge start to be obtained earlier. This process lasts for a lifetime. On the other hand, basic values start to be formed in this period (Balat and DaÄŸal, 2006).

Value is a belief regarding the preferability or unpreferability of a certain behavior or something. Values, the good and desirable things, are the criteria that motivate and direct the human behaviors and affect the decision-making processes. Values are cognitive principles that direct and guide the preferences in human life (Cooper, 2014; Rokeach, 1973; Sagiv, 2002; Schaefer, 2012; Schwartz, 1994; Simon, Howe ve Kirschenbaum, 1978). Values do not emerge automatically; they are taught and learned from the moment a child is born (Long, 1999). Social values are defined by using concepts like socialization, social consciousness, norm and group spirit (AkbaÅŸ, 2004). Social values are defined as values that are generally agreed upon and are shared by a large part of society, and these values shape, define the society and affect its structure (Naylor and Diem, 1987).

Values education not only supports the responsibility, love and character education, but also comprises entrepreneurship, as well as acquiring basic human values, raising individuals who are at peace with themselves and others, creating an efficient school culture and protecting the social order (Aydın and Gürler, 2013). Educating students regarding values and ethics is an efficient step in forming a strong human character (Howard et al., 2004). It is required to mention the balance between the knowledge and values concerning the importance of values education. A person who gets equipped with knowledge grows to maturity  with  human, ethical, social and cultural values (Aydın and Gürler, 2013). According to a number of studies, the values education has positive effects upon the academic achievement of students (Singh, 2011). Naylor and Diem (1987) suggest that the values education involves four approaches as the value infusion, value explanation, value analysis and ethical reasoning.

Unless there is a parallelism between the values being transferred by schools and the values that are experienced and accepted in society; individuals may deny their society (Akpınar, 2011). Being a community, school is an institution that has specific values and reflects them on individuals it serves. The concept of value is considered a major concept at schools. This major concept is followed by all concepts that make human beings human beings like virtue, character and morals (Akbaş, 2004). Teachers should build the process of value acquisition for children by combining it with social skills (Nucci et al., 2005).

Preschool period is where the first social skills are acquired and the first purposeful relationships are established. Social skills that are acquired in this period also form the basis of the skills to be acquired by individuals in the future. McFall (1982) defines social skills as certain behaviors to be displayed by individuals in order to fulfill the tasks/roles given by society. Social skills are behaviors that are shaped with social competence within the learned situations and conditions (Meadan and Monda, 2008). Social skills not only encourage children to establish and sustain positive social relationships with their peers, teachers and family, but also enable the peer acceptance and the social adaptation (Gresham et al., 2001). The acquisition of social skills, which enable children to be successful in the social environment, will only be possible through a planned program. The first five years of a child’s life have a critical importance for forming early cognitive, social-emotional and organizational skills and competences that are required for a lifelong social adaptation (Sheridan et al., 2010).

Today, together with the increase of technological progresses, there has been an increase in the number of stimulus affecting the children either positively or negatively. Children are affected by the violence on earth, social problems and disrespectful attitudes of people toward one another a lot more now (El-Hassan and Kâhil, 2005). For them to a sustainable society, they must first acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values (UNESCO, 2014,). Reasons like the increase of broken families, failure of parents to spare sufficient and quality time for their children due to intense business life and the limitations of urban life have a negative effect upon children. Especially the decrease of communication and interaction between people negatively affects the development of social skills.

Traditionally, the main objective of preschool educational institutions is to provide an early socialization of children and develop preparation for academic achievements. A quality preschool education program should contain academic skills, as well as objectives like character education, development of social and emotional skills and inclusion of social values (Greenberg et al., 2003). Mencious (1997) suggests that teachers need values in the preschool period. Children that adopt values at a young age develop a self-confidence, make their own decisions, solve their problems and consequently become happy. Value education that starts with taking someone as a model in family and imitating parents develops with knowledge and experience that are obtained from school and the environment. Thus, early childhood that leaves nonerasable traces in the personality structure of children is very important for their education (Yılmaz, 2010).

Examining the relevant literature, it is observed that preschool period plays a considerably determinant role in the process of acquiring social skills and values for children. Family is the first social environment for individuals, which is followed by other social environments like school and society. This hierarchical array is applicable for the process of acquiring values. Children primarily acquire the values of their parents and then the values of school and society. Preschool educational institutions are the first governmental institutions with rules in a child’s life. Thus, providing social values education and social skills education for children at preschool educational institutions within the compass of a program will have positive effects upon children. From this point of view, the objective of this study is to develop Social Values Education Program aimed at nursery school students and examine the effect of Social Values Education Program upon the social skill acquisition of nursery school students.

“A Random Pattern with Pretest-Posttest Control Group” was used in the study. The model with pretest-posttest control group involves two groups that are formed with impartial assignment. One of them is used as experimental group and the other as control group. Measurements of subjects in both groups regarding the dependent variable are received before the application. During the application process, on the other hand, the experimental process whose effect is tested is not applied to the control group while being applied to the experimental group. Finally, the measurements of subjects in groups regarding the dependent variable are repeated via the same assessment instrument (Büyüköztürk et al., 2012).

Study group

In order to form the study group, we primarily determined the schools to be included in the study group via the homogeneous sampling technic, which is a type of purposeful sampling method.  Homogeneous sampling is where the sample is derived from a homogeneous subgroup or condition in the population regarding the study problem (Büyüköztürk et al., 2012). While determining the study group, we paid attention to children in the experimental and the control group to have similar socio-cultural features. Thus, two primary schools that were located in the same neighborhood, provided binary education in the morning and at noon and were close to one another were determined as experimental and control group. In order to avoid an interaction between children and teachers that would be caused by the educational environment, the study groups were selected from different schools. Each nursery schools that were selected as experimental and control group involved totally 40 children (n=40) (20 in each). An attention was paid to children in the study group not to have received values education via a specifically prepared program before and not to need a special training. All the children that participated in study have normal development. Examining the distribution of children according to their gender in Table 1; it is observed that 40.00% of children in the experimental group are female and 60. 00% male. It is also observed that 55.00% of children in the control group are female and 45.00% male.

Examining the distribution of children according to the number of siblings in Table 2; it is observed that 30.00% of children in the experimental group have no siblings, 35.00% one sibling, 5.00% two siblings and 30.00% three and more siblings. It is also observed that 10.00% of children in the control group have no siblings, 55.00% one sibling, 30.00% two siblings and 5.00% three and more siblings. 

Table 3 shows the distribution of children in the experimental and the control group according to the state of having received preschool education before the study. It is observed that 75.00% of children in the experimental group had not received preschool education and 25.00% had received preschool education before. It is also observed that 90.00% of children in the control group had not received preschool education and 10.00% had received preschool education before. Table 4 shows findings regarding the educational background of the mothers of children in the experimental and the control group. It is observed that 35.00% of mothers of children in the experimental group are primary school graduates, 40.00% secondary school graduates and 25.00% high school graduates. It is also observed that 30.00% of mothers of children in the control group are primary school graduates, 50.00% secondary school graduates and 20.00% high school graduates.

Table 5 shows findings regarding the educational background of the fathers of children in the experimental and the control group. It is observed that 20.00% of fathers of children in the experimental group are primary school graduates, 20.00% secondary school graduates and 60.00% high school graduates. It is also observed that 20.00% of fathers of children in the control group are primary school graduates, 45.00% secondary school graduates and 35.00% high school graduates.

Data collection tools

In the study, “General Information Form” and “Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale (PSSES)”, which was aimed at determining the social skill levels of nursery school students, were used as data collection tools. General information form was developed by the researcher in an attempt to obtain information about the demographic features of children and their parents. General Information Form involves questions about children in the study group such as their gender, number of siblings, duration of attending a preschool educational institution and their parents’ educational level.

PSSES was developed within the scope of “Preschool Social Skill Support Project (PSSSP)” that was supported by TUBITAK in 2012 (ÖmeroÄŸlu et al., 2012). PSSES aims to determine the competence of 36-72 months old children regarding social skills. The scores that are obtained from the scale reveal data aimed at determining the performance of children regarding social skills. PSSES was organized in two separate forms that were aimed at teachers  and  parents  o f 36-72  months old children. Both forms involve 49 social skill items aimed at the development levels of 36-72 months old children, as well as general/demographic information. Five-factor structure of the scale that was defined and supported by expert opinion was examined via the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The alpha coefficients that were calculated for the teachers form of PSSES were determined  as  0.88  and  0.96  for  the  norm sample of 3-year-olds; 0.90 and 0.97 for 4-year-olds; 0.88 and 0.96 for 5-year-olds and 0.90 and 0.96 for the entire norm sample. The relationships between the scores that were obtained from the teachers and parents form for children in the same norm sample were examined by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient. Correlation value was calculated as 0.482 for onset skills, 0.454 for academic skills, 0.441 for friendship skills, 0.405 for emotional management skills and 0.495 for the total score. 

Preparing the education program

Education program was prepared primarily by examining the value theories and determining the common “values” in these theories. In order to evaluate the convenience of the determined values for preschool children, opinions were received from five domain experts and 10 values (Love, Respect, Tolerance, Friendship, Helpfulness, Responsibility, Cooperation, Kindness, Self-Control, Honesty) were determined as values to be included in the education program according to the expert opinions. Behavioral indicators of these values were determined and the acquisitions and indicators of the education program started to be written. All the preschool education programs were primarily examined in terms of acquisitions and indicators regarding values and the convenient acquisitions and indicators were obtained from the preschool education programs. Other acquisitions and indicators were written by the researcher and presented to the expert opinion. 35 acquisitions and 113 indicators were determined as the acquisitions and indicators of the education program in line with face-to-face interviews that were conducted with five domain experts and education activities started to be written in line with these acquisitions and indicators.

Each activity plan contains the subtitles of acquisitions and indicators, materials, methods and technics to be used, concepts and words, preparation of the educational environment, learning process and evaluation process. Social Values Education Program was broached to five domain experts to be evaluated in terms of the aforementioned criteria; convenience of educational activities for acquisitions and indicators, materials and methods, concepts and words, preparation of the educational environment, learning process and evaluation, and the education program was finalized after receiving the feedbacks.

Applying the pretest

Before applying the PSSES, the researcher participated in activities in the classes of children in the study group and spent time with them for the purpose of meeting them, communicating with them and learning their developmental features. Following an observation of one week aimed at meeting the children, the researcher started observing the children for filling the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale.

Activity observations were realized separately in the experimental and the control group for five days in such a way to comprise all preschool activities like Time to Start the Day, Turkish, Science, Games, Movement, Art and Music. The researcher came to the class before children and started observing them as from they entered the educational environment until they went home. As the class teacher realized activities with children, the researcher observed them and took notes regarding the observation. Four children were observed in a day and the researcher filled the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale as a pretest for the children being observed in the evening of the same day in accordance with observation notes. As a result of analyzing the pretest results, no significant  difference   was   determined  between  the  groups  and thus, the education program started to be applied.

Applying the education program

Social Values Education Program consisted of a 12-week application process and 36 sessions. The education program was applied to children in the experimental group by the researcher in the afternoons for three days a week. Children in the control group continued the normal education program. The education program was applied in classrooms where children received education.

Applying the posttest and the permanence test

After completing the education program, the researcher applied the PSSES to the experimental and the control group as a posttest and a permanence test (only to the experimental group) in the same environment and conditions with the pretest. The scales were filled according to the observations of the researcher. The permanence test was applied three weeks after the posttest (Duchastel, 1981; Nungester and Duchastel, 1982).

Data analysis

The data that were collected via the PSSES and the General Information Form were analyzed by using a convenient data analysis program. The distributions regarding the demographic information of children and their families were given as frequency and percentage analyses. As a result of the Shapiro-Wilks test was performed for determining the convenience of the study data for normal distribution, it was determined that the data did not show a normal distribution. Being used for examining the convenience of scores for normalcy; the Shapiro-Wilks test is used in case that the group size is smaller than 50 and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test is used in case that it is larger than 50 (Büyüköztürk, 2008). Mann-Whitney U test was used for determining whether or not the PSSES scores of children that participated in the social values education showed a difference due to the education, compared to children who did not participate in this education. In this analysis, the "Mann Whitney U" test examined the hypothesis, which suggested that the two independent groups derived from ground masses with the same distribution. Mann Whitney U Test examines whether the scores that are obtained from two unrelated samples show a significant difference or not (Büyüköztürk, 2008).

Wilcoxen Sign Test was used in intragroup pretest-posttest comparisons and posttest-permanence test comparisons. Wilcoxen Sign Test is frequently used in experimental studies which try to determine whether or not there is a significant difference between the pretest-posttest scores in experimental studies and which determine that there is no normal distribution (Seçer, 2013). The significance level was used as .05 and it was determined that there was a significant difference in case that p < 0.05 and no significant difference in case that p >0.05.

1. Do the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale scores of children that participated in the Social Values Education Program vary according to the effect of the education program? 

2. Are the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale scores of children that participated in the Social Values Education Program permanent?

Examining the pretest score averages of the subscale of Onset Skills in Table 6; it is observed that the score average is 36.80 for children in the experimental group and 39.80 for children in the control group. There is no statistically significant difference between the pretest scores of the subscale of Onset Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=164.00; p>0.05). Examining the pretest score averages of the subscale of Academic Support Skills; it is observed that the score average is 36.60 for children in the experimental group and 38.55 for children in the control group. There is no statistically significant difference between the pretest scores of the subscale of Academic Support Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=191.50; p>0.05). Examining the pretest score averages of the subscale of Friendship Skills; it is observed that the score average is 40.95 for children in the experimental group and 43.95 for children in the control group. There is no statistically significant difference between the pretest scores of the subscale of Friendship Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=177.50; p>0.05). Examining the pretest score averages of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills; it is observed that the score average is 34.45 for children in the experimental group and 37.05 for children in the control group. There is no statistically significant difference between the pretest scores of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=151.00; p>0.05). Examining the pretest total score averages of PSSES; it is observed that the total score average is 148.80 for children in the experimental group and 159.35 for children in the control group. There is no statistically significant difference between the pretest scores of the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale (PSSES) in the experimental and the control group (U=169.50; p>0.05).

Examining the posttest score averages of the subscale of Onset Skills in Table 7; it is observed that the score average is 56.50 for children in the experimental group and 44.70 for children in the control group. There is a statistically significant difference between the posttest scores of the subscale of Onset Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=31.500; p<0.05). Posttest scores of the experimental group are significantly higher than the posttest scores of the control group. Examining the posttest score averages of the subscale of Academic Support Skills; it is observed that the score average is 53.85 for children in the experimental group and 40.95 for children in the control group. There is a statistically significant difference between the posttest scores of the subscale of Academic Support Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=25.000; p<0.05). The significant difference is observed to be on behalf of the experimental group. Examining the posttest score averages of the subscale of Friendship Skills; it is observed that the score average is 62.50 for children in the experimental group and 48.20 for children in the control group. There is a statistically significant difference between the posttest scores of the subscale of Friendship Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=11.000; p<0.05). The significant difference is observed to be on behalf of the  experimental  group. Examining the posttest score averages of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills; it is observed that the score average is 53.05 for children in the experimental group and 39.65 for children in the control group. There is a statistically significant difference between the posttest scores of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills in the experimental and the control group (U=14.500; p<0.05). The significant difference is observed to be on behalf of the experimental group. Examining the posttest score averages of the PSSES; it is observed that the total score average is 225.90 for children in the experimental group and  173.50 for children in the control group. There is a statistically significant difference between the posttest scores of the PSSES in the experimental and the control group (U=21.000; p<0.05). The significant difference is observed to be on behalf of the experimental group.

Examining the score averages of the subscale of Onset Skills in Table 8; it is observed that the posttest score average is 56.50 and the permanence test score average is 56.95 for children in the experimental group. It is observed that the permanence test score averages are higher  than  the  posttest score averages and there is no statistically significant difference between the posttest scores and permanence test scores of the subscale of Onset Skills (z=-2.460; p>0.05). Examining the score averages of the subscale of Academic Support Skills; it is observed that the posttest score average is 53.85 and the permanence test score average is 53.50. It is observed that the permanence test score averages are lower than the posttest score averages and there is no statistically significant difference between the posttest scores and permanence test scores of the subscale of Academic Support Skills (z=-1.384; p>0.05). Examining the score averages of the subscale of Friendship Skills; it is observed that the posttest score average is 62.50 and the permanence test score average is 62.60. It is observed that the permanence test score averages are higher than the posttest score averages and there is no statistically significant difference between the posttest scores and permanence test scores of the subscale of Friendship Skills (z=-632; p>0.05). Examining the score averages of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills; it is observed that the posttest score average is 53.05 and the permanence test score average is 52.55. It is observed that the permanence test score averages are lower than the posttest score averages and there is no statistically significant difference between the posttest scores and permanence test scores of the subscale of Emotional Management Skills (z=-2.124; p>0.05). Examining the score averages of the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale; it is observed that the posttest score average is 225.90 and the permanence test score average is 225.60. It is observed that the permanence test score averages are lower than the posttest score averages and there is no statistically significant difference between the posttest scores and permanence test scores of the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale (z=-1038; p>0.05). According to these results, it could be suggested that the Social Values Education Program that was applied in the experimental group is still effective upon children.

In this study, we examined the effect of the Social Values Education Program upon the social skill acquisition of nursery school students. Examining the findings; it was observed that the PSSES pretest scores of children in the experimental and the control group were very close to one another and there was no significant difference between them. This condition is associated with paying attention to criteria like preferring schools that would be located in the same neighborhood, close to one another and have similar parent profiles while determining the study groups. In an experimental study, the pretest scores of the experimental and the control group should be close to one another as much as possible (Kaptan, 1998).

In the study, the Social Values Education Program consisting of 36 different sessions was applied to children in the experimental group for 12 weeks. It was observed that the posttest scores of children in the experimental group were considerably higher than pretest scores, which was associated with the effect of the education program. Posttest scores of the experimental group were significantly higher in the lower dimensions of the scale and in the entire scale, compared to the posttest scores of the control group.

It was observed that the Social Values Education program which was applied to children in the experimental group in the light of study findings supported the social skill acquisition of children. Values education could be used as an alternative method in supporting the children with social skill deficiency. As a matter of fact, similar results were presented in studies that were conducted by different researchers (Dereli, 2014; Neslitürk, 2013; Samur, 2011; Cheung and Lee, 2010; Elhassan and Kâhil, 2005). Some researchers stated childrens gain values in pre-school period such as; helpfulness, co-operation, friendship, honesty, forgiveness (Alpöge, 2011; Dinç, 2011; Gunnestad et al. 2015; Ogelman and Sarıkaya, 2015; SapsaÄŸlam, 2015). Warneken and Tomasello (2007), they was do research and demonstrated yet 18 month old baby helping araund people. Examining the results of relevant studies, it is observed that providing values education or character education for preschool children has a positive effect upon the social development, emotional development and social skills of children. There was no effect on the social skills of children and their parents demographic characteristics. Those data’s do not contain important difference.

Social skills are highly important for a sustainable social life. Children with advanced social skills become more successful in communicating with people, meeting the requirements of social life, participating in social environments, following the social norms and rules, and complying with the environment. Acquisition of these skills in early childhood years is important in terms of internalizing the skills and using them in social life.

Children who fail in making friends and acquiring social skills that would enable them to successfully sustain the friendships have a number of social and emotional risks like being rejected by their peers, as well as loneliness and lower self-confidence (Merrell, 1999). The studies show that children who suffer from a self-control deficiency and problems with expressing their feelings and display aggressive and maladaptive behaviors in the preschool period will experience social adaptation problems and emotional disorders in the future (Egeland et al., 2002). Skills that are acquired by children in the preschool period generally underlie their future education (Pagani et al. 2005).

Values education and character education are among the  concepts  that define a successful education in terms of student success and academic acquisitions (Lovat, 2011).

Three weeks after applying the posttest for determining the permanence of the education program, which was performed within the scope of the study, upon the social skills of children; the researcher reapplied the PSSES form as a permanence test to children in the experimental group. As a result of the analyses; it was observed that the Social Values Education Program that was applied to children in the experimental group was still permanent and the difference between the posttest and permanence test scores of children in the experimental and the control group was not significant in the lower dimensions of the scale and in the entire scale. According to these results; it could be suggested that the Social Values Education Program that was applied in the experimental group is still effective upon children.

According to the study results; the following recommendations were made for trainers and researchers.

(i) There are many studies indicating the positive effects of the applications and activities of values education upon the development of children. Thus, it is recommended for preschool education teachers to involve “Values Education and Social Skills Education” in their education programs and educational activities.

(ii) It is recommended for the Ministry of National Education to organize in-service education programs regarding the “Values Education, Social Skills Education and Communicational Skills Education” for preschool education teachers in such a way to also include social skills.

(iii) It is important for children to have real life experiences by means of which they could learn by practising and experiencing. It is recommended for preschool education teachers to involve intraclass activities based on real life experiences by means of which children could learn Social Skills via Social Values and enable children to acquire and internalize social skills.

(iv) It is known that behavioral problems are encountered more frequently in children living in lower socio-economic environments. Supporting the social skills via the Social Values Education Program may be effective upon preventing behavioral problems and undesirable behaviors at schools especially in lower socio-economic environments.

(v) This study examines the effect of Social Values Education Program upon the social skill acquisition of nursery school students. It is recommended to investigate the effect of Social Values Education upon academic success, communicational skills, cognitive development and language development of children.

The authors have not declared any conflict of interests.