Comparison of the activities in the 2018 science program 5th grade first term textbook with the activities in the Turkish Century Education Model 1st term textbook in terms of innovation

This study aims to comparatively examine the activities in the 5th grade science textbook for the first semester of the 2018 curriculum and those in the first textbook of the Century of Türkiye Maarif Model in terms of innovation. The primary focus of the research is to determine the extent to which the activities in both educational resources reflect 21st-century skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and digital literacy, and how effectively they incorporate innovative learning approaches. The study was conducted using qualitative research methods, specifically the comparative education technique. The activities in the textbooks were analyzed based on predetermined innovation criteria, and the data were interpreted through content analysis. During the analysis, factors such as the level of student-centeredness, the diversity of learning environments, technology integration, the encouragement of creative thinking, and connections to real-life contexts were taken into account. The findings indicate that the activities in the Century of Türkiye Maarif Model reflect innovative teaching approaches to a greater extent and more effectively support students' active participation and higher-order thinking skills. These results highlight the importance of incorporating innovative pedagogical strategies in the design of modern curricula. It is considered that the outcomes of this study will provide valuable insights for the development of educational policies and the preparation of instructional materials.