Analysis of questions in social studies textbooks prepared according to the Turkish century education model

The aim of this study is to analyze the questions included in 5th grade Social Studies textbooks prepared in accordance with the Türkiye Century Education Model (TCEM), which was implemented in 2024. The analysis focuses on the types of questions, their cognitive levels, the source materials they are based on, and their overall adequacy. The study was conducted using a qualitative research approach within the framework of document analysis. According to the findings, open-ended questions are the most frequently used question type in the textbooks. This aligns with TCEM's objective of fostering higher-order thinking skills. While most questions are concentrated at the "understanding" level, fewer questions target higher cognitive processes such as "creating" and "evaluating." The majority of the questions are based on instructional texts, and supported by visual materials and concept maps. In conclusion, the textbooks prepared under the TCEM are generally consistent with the goals set out by the model. However, the distribution of questions across learning domains is unbalanced, and there is a need to increase the number and variety of questions that support higher-order thinking skills.