An implementation of problem based learning in high school biology courses

Date

2004

Author

Sungur, Semra

Metadata

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The main purposes of the present study included investigation of the effect of problem based learning on students2 academic achievement and performance skills in the unit of human excretory system; and students2 perceived motivation and perceived use of learning strategies. This study was carried out during 2003-2004 fall semester at an Anatolian High School in Ankara. A total of 61 tenth grade students from two biology classes of the same biology teacher were involved in the study. Two classes were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. Experimental Group was instructed with problem based learning, while control group received traditionally designed biology instruction. In the experimental group, illstructured problems based on actual patiens served as a basis for learning the basic science and while dealing with these problems, students did independent study as well as group work. In the control group, instruction was based on teacher explanations and textbooks. Human Excretory System Achievement Test, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire were administered as pre-test and post-test to students in both groups to measure students2 academic achievement and performance skills in the unit of human excretory system; and students2 perceived motivation and perceived use of learning strategies. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to investigate the effect of problem based learning on the dependent variables of current study. Results revealed that problem based learning improved students2 academic achievement, performance skills, intrinsic goal orientation, task value,elaboration strategy use, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation, effort regulation and peer learning.

Subject Keywords

High schools., Secondary Education.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12604717/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/14046

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Theses