Map and map symbols using skill of social studies preservice teachers in geography subjects

This research was conducted to determine map and map symbol using skill of Social Studies preservice teachers in geography subjects at Ahi Evran University. Achievement test consisting of 30 questions developed by researchers as a data collection instrument was applied. This assessment instrument has been applied to 181 Social Studies preservice teachers studying at Ahi Evran University. 30 questions' Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated to be 0, 784 in the test. Screening model was used for detection of situations in the research. In accordance with the sub problems of the research‚ percentage‚ arithmetic average‚ t-test (independent) and for unrelated measurements Kruskal Wallis H- and Mann Whitney-U test was applied with the aim of determining map and symbol using skill levels of prospective Social Studies Teachers. SPSS 15.00 program was used for the data analysis. The effect of variable such as gender of teachers, class, academic gpa, sub-branches of social studies on each attainment level of identified eight map skills was identified. The achievement level of the total 30-item test developed to evaluate all skills in other words the average rate of correct answers was realized as 68.18%. The most carried out skill by prospective teachers among all skills‚ in other words the skill that has the most accuracy percentage in the achievement test has emerged as determination of place skill with the 79.2% achievement rate. After the determination of place skill‚ understanding the symbols skill has been the second skill with the 73.6% achievement rate. Understanding the spatial perspective skill is % 71‚ understanding the distance skill is % 70‚ interpreting maps skill is % 67,5‚ understanding the landforms skill is % 65,6 and map scale skill level is % 62. Understanding the direction skill is the least achieved skill among eight skills with % 56,5. There is not a significant difference in gender and grade during the achievement process. However‚ map skills of those who choose geography as a subject of interest from the sub branches of the social sciences, those who can easily find the described address and prospective teachers with high academic grade point average are higher and it was found a significant difference between these variables. Keywords: Map, map skills, , social studies education, social studies preservice teachers