Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of cooperative learning and on academic achievements of sixth grade students attending the classes in which the laboratory experiments in science and technology course. The sample of this study consist of 50 sixth grade students who attended the classes in which the laboratory experiments in science and technology were taught in an elementary school during the 2009-2010 academic year. As the data collection instruments, Laboratory Prelim- inary Achievement Test (LPAT), Laboratory Finally Achievement Test (LFAT), Theory Achievement Tests (TAT), Experiment Achievement Tests (EAT), Laboratory Skills Checklist (LSC) and Method Opinion Scale (MOS) were used. This study is carried out two different groups. One of the groups was selected randomly as the Cooperative Learning Group (CLG) and the second was selected as the Control Group (CG), in which the traditional teaching method was applied. The data obtained on instruments were evaluated by using descriptive statistics, independent samples t test. The results of this study indicated that the teaching of laboratory experiments in science and technology course the cooperative learning was more effective than the traditional teaching method in both increasing academic achievement and the labora- tory skills. Some of the negative ideas about cooperative learning method were iden- tified according to the students in CLG Group.

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