Abstract:

This study intended to search how geography can be taught to students in a more clear, permanent, concrete, and entertaining way. The study group consisted of 45 pre-service geography teachers studying at Marmara University in the 2013-2014 academic year. They prepared and employed experimental materials on many subjects via separate review of the learning domains and subjects of each grade established by the Secondary Education Geography Curriculum. An attempt was made to ensure that the experimental materials could be found easily and cheaply nearby. The participants in the study group thought at the beginning of the study that they would not succeed in preparing and employing experimental materials. However, teaching effectiveness and authenticity of the experimental materials increased the participants’ self-confidence regarding geography teaching. In addition, material preparation improved the participants’ manual skills. By use of the attitude scale conducted at the end of the study, the participants’ views and attitudes towards experimental material practices were determined. It was realized that when experimental materials are used in geography education, many abstract geographical concepts and subjects can be taught more concretely and amusingly, thereby increasing students’ interest and curiosity through learning by doing and experiencing. In addition, at the end of the study, an exhibition titled “Entertaining Geography Education” was held, and information was provided about the application of the experimental materials prepared. Key Words: Experimental material, learning by doing and experiencing, entertaining geography education.

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