Effect of Teaching Practices Enriched with Innovative Teaching Materials

The present research aims to investigate the effect of using innovative teaching materials in social studies on students' map literacy skills, academic achievement, and retention. The research was designed using the pre-test/post-test unequalized control group model, which is a type of quasi-experimental design. Academic achievement test, map literacy skill assessment developed by researchers, and comprehension learning outcomes assessments prepared by the Ministry of National Education in Türkiye were used as data collection tools. The data obtained from the tests and assessments were analyzed using the TAP and Jamovi statistical programs. Based on the analysis of map literacy skills, the research concluded that the pre-test scores of the experimental group and the control group did not show a statistically significant difference. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in the pre-test and post-test scores of the control group. On the other hand, the post-test scores of the experimental group showed a statistically significant difference. Based on the analysis of student responses in terms of academic achievement, there was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test scores of the experimental group and the control group, but the post-test scores of both the experimental group and the control showed a statistically significant difference. The research found that the experimental group showed a statistically significant difference in the retention of learning as measured one month after the completion of the implementation of the innovative teaching materials.