The effect of problem-based learning on the elementary students' achievement in genetics

Download

index.pdf

Date

2007

Author

Araz, Gülsüm

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

259
views

167
downloads

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relative effect of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditionally designed science instruction (TDSI) on students’ academic achievement and performance skills in the unit of genetics after controlling for students’ prior knowledge, prior performance skills, reasoning ability, and learning approach. The sample consisted of 192 eight grade students from a public elementary school in Ankara. Four classes instructed by two science teachers were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. The experimental group students were taught the subject through PBL, while the control group students received the TDSI. Students in experimental group dealt with ill-structured problems based on real-life working in small groups and individually. On the other hand, students in control group received an instruction based on teacher explanations and textbooks. Genetics Achievement Test, Test of Logical Thinking, and Learning Approach Questionnaire were administered as pre-tests to students in both groups to determine their prior knowledge and prior performance skills, reasoning ability, and learning approach, respectively. After the treatment, Genetics Achievement Test was administered again as a post-test to compare the effectiveness of PBL and TDSI on students’ achievement and performance skills in Genetics. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used to investigate the effect of problem based learning and traditionally designed science instruction on students’ academic achievement and performance skills in Genetics when students’ prior knowledge, prior performance skills, logical thinking abilities and learning approaches are controlled. Results of the study revealed that students in PBL classes had higher mean scores on Genetics Achievement Test developed to measure academic achievement and performance skills in the unit of genetics. Therefore, the PBL students appeared to be better compared to the TDSI students in terms of genetics understanding and at using relevant information in addressing the problem, articulating uncertainties, organizing concepts, and interpreting information.

Subject Keywords

Elementary or Public School Education.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12608502/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/16907

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

The effect of instruction with concrete models on eighth grade students' probability achievement and attitudes toward probability Yağcı, Fatmagül; Bulut, Safure; Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education (2010) The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of instruction with concrete models on eighth grade students’ probability achievement and attitudes toward probability. Another aim was to examine students’ views about instruction with concrete models. The study was conducted in a private school in a big city in Central Anatolia Region with 12 eighth grade students. Both quantitative and qualitative research designs were used. The treatment was applied by the mathematics teacher for 4 hours per we...
Investigation of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs about using concrete models in teaching mathematics Pişkin, Mutlu; Çakıroğlu, Erdinç; Bulut, Safure; Department of Educational Sciences (2010) The main purpose of the study was to investigate pre-service elementary mathematics teachers’ personal efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies about using concrete models in teaching mathematics. Data were collected from the pre-service teachers in the middle of the spring semester of 2008-2009. Pre-service teachers were junior students enrolled in elementary mathematics teaching program at a public university. Six instructional sessions based on using concrete models in teaching mathematics were carried ...
Investigation of self-regulated learning and motivational beliefs in mathematics achievement Ergöz, Gülnur; Bulut, Safure; Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education (2008) The purposes of this study are to investigate how mathematics achievement can be explained in terms of motivational beliefs (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control and learning beliefs, self efficacy for learning and performance and test anxiety), self-regulated learning components (cognitive strategy use and self-regulation), gender and school types and to determine the differences between two gender (girls and boys) and two school types (public schools and private scho...
Investigating students motivational traits in science Yavuz, Fatma; Öztekin, Ceren; Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education (2006) The aim of this study was to investigate the elementary school students’ motivational traits (achiever, curious, conscientious and social) in science. More specifically present study examined the effects of gender, grade level and location of the school on elementary school students’ motivational traits. The data in the main study was collected by Motivational Pattern Questionnaire from randomly selected 8 classes of randomly selected 15 schools in five districts of Ankara. A total of 3685 students (1927 fe...
The effect of 5E learning cycle approach on sixth grade students' understanding of cell concept, attitude toward science and scientific epistemological beliefs Kaynar, Devrim; Çakıroğlu, Jale; Department of Educational Sciences (2007) The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of 5E learning cycle on sixth grade students’ understanding of cell concepts, their attitude toward science and their scientific epistemological beliefs In this study the data were collected using ‘Epistemological Belief Questionnaire’ developed by Conley, Pintrich, Vekiri and Harrison (2004), the ‘Cell Concept Test’ developed by researcher and ‘Science Attitude Questionnaire’ developed by Geban, Ertepınar, Yılmaz and Şahbaz (1994). The instrumen...

Citation Formats

G. Araz, “The effect of problem-based learning on the elementary students’ achievement in genetics,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2007.