Creating a database with GIS - geographic information system and using for geography lesson

The purpose of this research was to develop a GIS (Geographic Information System) software and use it for teaching ?Unit 2: Map Information, Map drawing technics, projections and its features, travels with maps? in geography lesson.The experiment of the GIS based geographic lesson presentation was realised in 2006 ? 2007 education year first semester at Seyhan Şetih Temel Cingöz High School in Seyhan in Adana. One of the two classes was randomly determined as experimental group and the other one as control group since their academic achivement mean was similiar. The experimental group consists of 38 students and control group consists of 39 students.The lesson was presented to the experimental group using GIS based digital maps and animations, the control group have taught in the classroom with a standard program.The data obtained from the research was analyzed by using Mann Whtitney U-Test. As a result of the research, a significant difference was observed between the post test scores of the experimental and control groups in favor of experimental group.