The Impact of Authentic Learning Practices on Students' Financial Attitude, Financial Literacy and Financial Behavior in 5th Grade Social Studies Course

In this research, it was hypothesized that authentic learning, which has been shown by various studies that it provides students with qualities related to daily life, could be used effectively in the social studies course. Based on this hypothesis, it was investigated how authentic learning practices in the 5th-grade social studies course affect students' financial attitude, financial literacy and financial behavior levels. The sample of the research, which was carried out with the quasi-experimental model with pretest-post test control group, one of the quantitative research methods, was formed with the convenience sampling technique. A total of 53 5th grade students took part in the research which was conducted in a middle school in Erzincan province of Türkiye. The research data were collected through the Financial Attitude Scale, Financial Literacy Behaviour Scale and Marmara Financial Literacy Attitude and behavior scale and analyzed with an independent samples t-test and mixed model ANOVA test. Consequently, it was determined that social studies education based on authentic learning practices improved students' financial attitude, financial literacy and financial behavior levels. Depending on the results obtained in the research, recommendations were made to researchers on the use of authentic learning practices in studies conducted at different grade levels and for the acquisition of different skills, and to the Ministry of National Education on the use of authentic learning in social studies coursebooks.