Determining the map literacy skills levels of secondary school students

Social studies is a discipline that aims to provide the knowledge, values and skills that the individual needs in almost every area of life. It has a homogeneous structure formed by the coming together of many disciplines. Especially the data of geography science is important for social studies. Maps are integral parts of geography. Therefore, the use of maps in social studies teaching is of great importance. In order to benefit from maps correctly, it is necessary to acquire map reading skills. These skills were considered as wayfinding skills, symbol reading and interpretation skills, using scales, distance measuring skills, map reading and interpretation skills, location and coordinate determination skills, map reading skills. In this study, it was aimed to explain the map literacy skills, which are one of the geography acquisitions within the scope of the social studies course, and to determine the map reading skill levels of the secondary school students. The relationship between map skills and class, gender, school type variables was tried to be determined. The universe of the research consists of secondary schools in Alanya district of Antalya province. The sample group of the research consists of 375 students, including 6th, 7th and 8th grade students studying at Private Yedibilim Secondary School, Private Bahçeşehir Secondary School, Private Hamdullah Emin Paşa Secondary School, Kestel Yaylalı Secondary School, Kestel Akdeniz Secondary School, Değirmendere Secondary School, Demirtaş Nihal Demirel Secondary School. In the research, an achievement test consisting of 25 questions prepared to measure map skills was applied as a data collection tool. The research was carried out in the 2020-2021 academic year. The research is in the screening model and was carried out in accordance with the quantitative research methods. During the data collection phase, an achievement test of 25 questions developed by Sönmez (2010) was applied. Obtained data were analyzed with SPSS 21 program. Independent t-test and One Way Anova (one-way analysis of variance) were used in the analysis of sub-problems in the research. Arithmetic mean, percentile calculations and frequency values were used. According to the findings obtained from the research; The map reading skill levels of secondary school students studying in private schools were higher than the map reading skill levels of secondary school students studying in public schools. At the same time, as a result of the detailed analysis of the map reading skill levels of the grade levels, it was concluded that the map reading skill levels of the 7th and 8th grade students were higher than the map reading skill levels of the 6th grade students. In line with the data obtained, it was concluded that female students were better than male students between map reading skills and gender variable.