An examination of the effect of the station technique used in 4th grade social studies course on students' academic achievement and cooperation skills

This study aimed to examine the effects of teaching the "Production, Distribution, and Consumption" learning domain of the 4th grade Social Studies course using the station technique on students' academic achievement, collaboration skills, and retention of learning. Conducted through a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control groups, the study involved thirty-eight 4th grade students in the Patnos district of Ağrı province during the 2023–2024 academic year. Data were collected using the "4th Grade Social Studies Production, Distribution, and Consumption Learning Domain Academic Achievement Test" developed by Şahin Güneri (2022) and the "Collaboration Skills Assessment Scale" developed by Özdemir (2021). To assess learning retention, a retention test was administered five weeks after the experimental process, which lasted five weeks. The findings indicated that the instruction supported by the station technique significantly enhanced students' academic achievement and collaboration skills compared to traditional teaching methods. However, a slight decrease was observed in the retention of these gains over time. In contrast, no statistically significant differences were found in the academic achievement and collaboration skills of students in the control group exposed to traditional instruction. The results were discussed in relation to the relevant literature, and implications were presented for the improvement of instructional methods and curricula, teacher professional development, student learning, and future research.