Improving the topic of children's rights in 5th grade social studies through educational games: Action research

This study aims to enhance the perceptions and awareness of 5th grade primary school students regarding children's rights within the scope of the Social Studies course through the use of educational games. Designed as an action research based on qualitative research methods, the study was conducted with 22 students attending a middle school in the Yerköy district of Yozgat province during the 2023–2024 academic year. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interview forms, field notes, and the Word Association Test (WAT). Initially, children's rights were identified by reviewing the 4th and 5th grade Social Studies textbooks and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). An open-ended questionnaire covering 14 rights was administered to 165 students outside the study group. Subsequently, semi-structured were conducted with the sample group to determine their perceptions of these rights. The collected data were analyzed using MAXODA 2024 content analysis software. Findings revealed that students had deficiencies in their understanding of six specific rights: the right to protection, the right not to be subjected to child labor, the right to rest and leisure and to engage in cultural and artistic activities, the right to equality and non-discrimination, the rights of children with special needs, and the right to a name. To address these gaps, a weekly action plan was developed and implemented through educational games. The WAT was applied before and after the intervention to assess changes in students' perceptions. The results indicated that the game-based activities effectively improved students' understanding of the targeted rights. Moreover, the process contributed to more permanent learning and increased motivation towards the course. Keywords: children's rights, educational games, action research, maxoda, game, Social Studies.