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Issues in Educational Research, 2024, Vol 34(4), 1506-1525.
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Small group, problem-based learning in primary school social studies: A mixed methods study in Turkey

Esra Özcan
TED University, Turkey

Mehmet Gültekin
Anadolu University, Turkey

Controversial issues require students to analyse information critically, discuss different perspectives, and develop views on important questions. The problem-based learning model (PBL) allows learners to gain insights from various perspectives and apply the knowledge acquired to different situations. This mixed-method study aims to examine the effect of problem scenarios and argumentation activities on students' academic achievement and argumentation quality by addressing a controversial issue in the context of PBL in the fourth-grade social studies course in primary school. The cultural dimension of globalisation was chosen as the controversial issue. The findings revealed that problem scenarios and argumentation activities with the controversial issue in the context of PBL positively affected students' academic achievement and improved their argumentation quality.
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Authors: Dr Esra Özcan holds a masters degree from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Türkiye. Her main research interests include social studies curriculum, new approaches in social studies teaching, argumentation, controversial issues, and computational thinking.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4059-1696
Email: esra.ozcan@tedu.edu.tr

Dr Mehmet Gültekin is a Professor in the Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Education, Eskişehir Anadolu University, Türkiye. He is also the head of this department. He has done many studies in the fields of social sciences and humanities.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5281-1767
Email: mgulteki@anadolu.edu.tr

Please cite as: Özcan, E. & Gültekin, M. (2024). Small group, problem-based learning in primary school social studies: A mixed methods study in Turkey. Issues in Educational Research, 34(4), 1506-1525. http://www.iier.org.au/iier34/ozcan.pdf


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