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The use of different tools in the field of education has become widespread with the developments in technology. Online student response systems are one of these tools. Online student response systems have been used for many years. In the last couple of years, game items have been added, and game-based online student response systems have started to be used. In this context, this study aims to find out the effects of online student response systems both with and without being based on games on the achievements, engagements, and test anxiety levels of students. The study group consists of 46 seventh grade students (Control, 23; Experimental, 23). This study was conducted by using a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test groups. The topics in the "living democracy" chapter of social studies course were taught for four weeks by using the online student response system named Socrative for the control group and the online game-based student response system called Kahoot for the experimental group. The results of the study showed that game-based student response systems increase the achievement and engagement and decrease the test anxiety level when compared to non-game-based student response systems. In this direction, it may be suggested to use online game-based student response systems on different topics of social studies courses.

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This study aims to investigate the relationships among the features of learning environment (investigation, equity, and student cohesiveness) in social studies class, self-efficacy and critical thinking disposition (engagement, maturity and innovativeness) among middle school students. The study group consists of 422 students studying at five middle schools in one of the largest cities located in eastern part of Turkey. The research data was collected by using UF/EMI Critical Thinking Disposition Scale, "What is happening in this class?" Scale and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed by using LISREL 8.80 programme to test the hypothesized relationships among constructs. The results show that self-efficacy among students is higher in classroom environments where investigation is encouraged and equity among students is overseen. It is found that critical thinking disposition is higher in students with higher self-efficacy. Besides this, it is further observed that learning environment with investigation predicts all critical thinking dispositions positively whereas student cohesiveness predicts only maturity positively.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the argumentation-based science learning approach on students' academic achievements and examine student views about use of this approach in social studies. We used a mixed methods research design to document changes as a result of an argumentation-based science learning approach implementation. The participants were 94 seventh grade students from three different classrooms of a middle school in Erzurum, Turkey. We developed the Population in our Country Academic Achievement Test to collect quantitative data before and after the implementation, and used a semi-structured interview form to collect quantitative data after the implementation. Using descriptive, one-way ANOVA, and multiple comparison Tukey test statistical data analysis methods, we analyzed the quantitative data. Then, we used content analysis method to analyze the qualitative data. Results of the quantitative data analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference between academic achievements mean scores of the students in the experimental and control groups in the pre-test. However, after the implementation, there were statistically significant differences between groups indicating that academic achievement mean scores Review of International Geographical Education Online © RIGEO, 9 (1), Spring 2019 of students in the experimental group was statistically higher than those students in the control groups in the post-test. Results of the qualitative data analysis indicated the argumentation-based science learning approach activities helped students understand subjects better, facilitated their learning, provided permanent learning opportunities, increased their interest and attitudes towards the course, and enhanced their success in social studies. These results suggested that implementing the argumentation-based science learning approach in social studies was effective in enhancing students' academic achievement and resulted in developing positive views of students about the approach.