Map Literacy Skill in Social Sciences Curriculum of Turkey: The Gap between Theory and Practice

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the attainments of map literacy skills in the 2018 Social Studies course curriculum
according to the learning areas and examine t he applicability of the program . The research sought answers to the
following questions: 1. How is the distribution of attainments related to map literacy skills in the 2018 Social Studies
course curriculum by class levels and learning areas? 2. What is the level attainments associated wi th map literacy in the
2018 Social Studies course curriculum related to the lower dimensions of map skills in the high school geography
curriculum? 3. What is the applicability level of map literacy skills in the 2018 Social Studies course curriculum for
s tudent centered learning activities? Looking at the results of the study, it was found that at fourth grade level, there was
an improvement in the global connections learning area, where four skills were included with map writing in P eople and
P laces and E nvironments. At fifth grade level, it was found there were two attainments linked to map literacy in P eople
P laces and E nvironments , while there was one attainment in Gl obal C onnections. According to the results of the research,
it was found that at sixth grade level, there were four achievements in People, Places and E nvironments , one achievement
in P roduction, D istribution and C onsumption , and three achievements related to map literacy skills in Global Connections .
Finally, at the seventh grade level, it was found there were two achievements related to map literacy skills in the field of
learning People Places and E nvironments . When S ocial S tudies textbooks were examined, it was observed that map
literacy skills and application activities were at a limited level. In Social S tudies course learning area s, the level of
applicability in terms of map literacy skills is quite high. The recommendations to be developed on this issue are to teach
both teachers and students about Geographic Information Systems, where students can find application areas, support
map literacy skills.