The effect of teaching through case study method of the acquisition of learning outcomes and retention of the learning in the course of 8th grade Citizenship and Democracy Education

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of teaching through case study method on the acquisition level and retention of learning out comes belong to Citizenship and Democracy Education course of 8th grades. In the study, pretest-posttest quasi experimental design with an experimental group and a control group was used. In the experimental group, students took the course with cases considered appropriate for each learning outcome of the theme. In the control group, however, the course went on as usual with the prevailing teaching programme inspired constructivist approach. After experimental implementations, post test was administered to both groups. After posttest, retention test was administered after 56 days to both groups to check the post test results. Findings obtained from the study were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Descriptive statistics methods such as mean and standard deviation. To compare the quantitative data, independent samples t test and paired samples t test were used. Data was evaluated at 95 percent confidence interval. In conclusion, there is a significant difference between students post test scores in 2 of 9 learning outcomes in favor of experimental group. Similarly, there is also a significant difference among students? retention test scores in another two learning outcomes in favor of the experimental group. Besides, it is revealed that there is not a statistically significant difference between students pre test scores (t=0,257; p=0,798>0,05). Additionally, there is a statistically significant difference between students post test scores (t=2,180; p=0,034<0,05) in favor of the experimental group?s mean (x=1,956) in comparison to control group (x=1,640). Also, there is a significant difference between students retention test scores (t=-2,498; p=0,016<0,05) and experimental groups? retention test mean (x=1,840) is much more than control groups? retention test mean (x=1,489). These results given above reveal that case study method is more effective educational tool than classical instruction to improve students? level of acquiring corresponding learning outcomes. Keywords: Case Study Method, Teaching Through Case Study Method, Democracy and Education, Citizenship and Education, Citizenship and Democracy Education