Implementing of context-based REACT teaching model supported by digital content in elementary school social studies lesson

The purpose of this study is to examine the reflections of teaching Social Studies lesson with digital content designed based on context-based REACT teaching model on students' academic achievement, attitudes, and learning motivations related to the teaching material. The research was conducted with the combination (triangulation) design of mixed method. The research was conducted with the participation of 55 students attending the 4th grade in a primary school in Haliliye district of Şanlıurfa province in the 2023-2024 academic year. In the quantitative phase of the study, a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was used. Academic achievement test, social studies lesson attitude scale and motivation scale for teaching material were used to collect quantitative data. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to analyze the quantitative data. In the qualitative phase of the study, data were collected through researcher diary, student diary, observation and semi-structured interview form. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. At the end of the research, it was determined that the teaching applied in the experimental group made a significant and positive contribution to the students' academic achievement, attitude and learning motivation related to the teaching material in the social studies course compared to the teaching applied in the control group. In the qualitative data, in parallel with the quantitative data, it was concluded that the experimental instruction had positive reflections on students' academic achievement, attitudes and motivation to learn based on the instructional material and that students found the lessons more interesting and enjoyable than the previous lessons. In line with these results, it can be said that the digital content developed within the context-based REACT teaching model is an effective model for "using technology to improve teaching in social studies lesson".