Investigation of sixth grade social studies textbook in terms of spatial cognition skill

The aim of this research is to reveal the necessary findings according to the course book review criteria in the skill of spatial cognition mentioned in the 6th grade social studies textbook prepared by the Ministry of National Education (Turkey) used in the education year of 2017-2018. With this research, it is examined how the degree of spatial cognition skill is located and how it is distributed in the 6th grade social studies textbook which was taught in 2017-2018 academic year. The study group of the research is building the 6th grade social studies textbook belonging to Sevgi Publications which was taught in the academic year of 2017-2018. In order to collect the data, the relevant literature has been examined in order to be suitable for the research and the qualitative research methods have been studied with the document analysis technique and the survey method. The criterion "The Themes Used as Criteria in Qualitative Research" which was developed by Çelebi (2010) and used in his own dissertation, was used in the review of Sevgi Publications 6th grade social studies textbook determined by the Ministry of National Education. After obtaining the required permissions from the person who developed this measurement tool, it was decided to use it in this thesis by examining it according to expert opinions. The obtained data were evaluated by means of descriptive analysis. This study consist of introduction, related explanations, method, findings, results and discussion, and suggestions sections. According to the findings of the study; it seems that the spatial cognition skill in the sixth grade social studies textbook is comparable to the achievements and the textbook review criteria. The ability to spatial cognition was associated with mathematics and science lessons from other courses, followed by the abstract scheme of schematics, photographs and mappings, closely aligned with the principles of abstraction, schema, extension and material organization. It was determined that the preparation and evaluation questions met the measurement and evaluation principles. The skill of spatial cognition is related to mathematics and science courses from other courses. The schematics, photographs and maps used are compliant with from the concrete to the abstract. In the texts, the principles of abstraction, level, diagram, scale and material organization are closely followed. It has been determined that the multiple-choice, gap-filling, and T/F questions are inadequate to gauge unearned information from evaluation questions that met the measurement and evaluation principles of the preparation and evaluation questions. Key Words: Social Studies, Spatial Cognition Skill, Textbook, Document Analysis, Descriptive Survey