The effect of creative drama used as a method in primary school mathematics courses on course success, learning permanence and student attitudes

In today's era, where competition has become increasingly intense and ruthless, all developed countries have begun to place greater emphasis on childhood education. This is because the future existence of their nations depends on well-equipped, well-educated individuals who can think freely. Accordingly, educational systems are undergoing various explorations, introducing new programs and models. Among these emerging educational models, drama education stands out as a significant method. Due to its instructional effectiveness, the creative drama method is frequently employed in education. Creative drama activities and studies, conducted collaboratively with the entire class, support student achievement throughout the entire curriculum. In instructional activities, creative drama is used as a tool for teaching and learning. Unlike teacher-centered methods prevalent in education systems, the use of creative drama greatly contributes to the development of students who actively participate in the process, inquire, and share their thoughts. Through the creative drama method, students construct knowledge themselves, thereby positively contributing to the retention of learning. Since students engage in the process with their own learning experiences, they participate more attentively and with greater interest in lessons. Many educators incorporate the creative drama method in their classes and use it in their activities, aiming to enhance students' academic success. They also seek for the taught information to be more permanent in students' minds. Additionally, they aim for their students to be more active in lessons, to be highly motivated, and to listen to classes with enjoyment. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the creative drama method on the teaching of mathematics to third-grade primary school students. The research investigated the impact of creative drama on students' academic achievement, attitudes toward mathematics, and retention of learning within the teaching of the "Our Money" subtopic of the "Numbers and Quantities" theme in the third-grade mathematics curriculum. The study was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year at a Ministry of National Education-affiliated primary school in the Haliliye district of Şanlıurfa. Two classes with similar achievement levels were randomly selected, and a semi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control groups was implemented. Class E was assigned as the control group, and Class A as the experimental group. Each group consisted of 32 students, totaling 64 participants. Prior to the application, a pretest was administered to both groups to determine their initial levels. The instructional process concerning the topic "Our Money," included in the third-grade mathematics curriculum by the Ministry of National Education, was planned. While creative drama-based teaching plans were applied to the experimental group, the control group was taught using textbook-based instructional methods. The application process lasted two weeks, followed by a posttest; the same test was administered again four weeks later to measure retention. Students' attitudes toward mathematics were measured using the "Mathematics Attitude Scale" developed by Nezih Önal. Additionally, data from the experimental group were collected through the "Self-Assessment Scale," prepared by Feray Debbağ for students to evaluate themselves following the creative drama application. The study was conducted within the framework of a pretest-posttest control group experimental design. The pretest, posttest, and retention data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test, while attitude scale data were analyzed with a paired samples t-test. The analysis results revealed significant increases in academic achievement, attitude scores, and retention measurements among students in the experimental group. Compared to students in the control group, it was observed that the creative drama method made learning processes both more effective and more permanent. During the application, students actively participated in the lessons, showed eagerness in group work, and found the learning process enjoyable. Moreover, creative drama activities encouraged positive social interactions among students and fostered a cooperative learning environment. In conclusion, it can be stated that the creative drama method is an effective teaching approach supporting both cognitive and affective development in primary school mathematics education.