THE EFFECT OF USING GAMES IN PRIMARY SCHOOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ON THE SUCCESS AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE UNIT OF STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF A SUBSTANCE

Bu arastırma, oyunlarla fen ögretiminin ilkögretim 8. sınıf ögrencilerinin akademik basarı ve Fen ve Teknoloji dersine yönelik tutum düzeylerine etkisini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıstır. Ayrıca arastırmada, oyunlarla fen ögretiminin akademik basarı ve tutuma etkisi, geleneksel ögretim yöntemiyle de karsılastırılarak incelenmistir. Arastırmada deneysel yöntem, ön test-son test kontrol gruplu desen kullanılmıstır. Arastırma 2009-2010 egitim-ögretim yılı I. Döneminde Özel Ankara Hayat İlkögretim Okulunda 8. sınıf ögrencileri üzerinde yürütülmüstür. 8. sınıfı olusturan üç subeden rasgele bir sube kontrol, bir sube deney grubu olarak seçilmistir. Kontrol grubunda geleneksel ögretim yöntemi, deney grubunda ise oyunlarla fen ögretimi uygulanmıstır. Arastırmanın deneysel islem basamagı, kontrol ve deney grubunda Fen ve Teknoloji dersinde Maddenin Yapısı ve Özellikleri ünitesinin ögretiminde arastırmacı tarafından gerçeklestirilmis ve 8 hafta, 48 ders saati sürmüstür. Veri toplama araçları olarak Akademik Basarı Testi, Fen ve Teknoloji Ögretimine Yönelik Tutum Ölçegi kullanılmıstır. Verilerin analizinde Bagımsız Gruplar İçin t- Testi ve Bagımlı Gruplar İçin t-Testi analizleri kullanılmıstır.Arastırmanın sonucunda elde edilen verilerden oyunlarla fen ögretiminin, ilkögretim 8. sınıf ögrencilerinin akademik basarı ve Fen ve Teknoloji Dersine yönelik tutum düzeylerini artırmada etkili oldugu görülmüstür. Geleneksel ögretim yönteminin ise Fen ve Teknoloji dersine yönelik tutum düzeyinin gelisiminde etkisi bulunmazken, ögrencilerin akademik basarı düzeyinin gelisiminde etkisi oldugu görülmüstür. Ancak geleneksel ögretim yönteminin uygulanması sonucunda akademik basarı düzeyi üzerinde meydana gelen artıs, oyunlarla fen ögretiminin meydana getirdigi artıs kadar yüksek seviyede degildir. Fen ve Teknoloji dersine yönelik tutum ve basarı düzeylerini artırmada oyunlarla fen ögretiminin geleneksel ögretim yöntemine kıyasla daha etkili olmasının temel nedeni oyunun çocukların dünyasına daha çok hitap etmesi, oyun içinde kendilerinin aktif olmaları ve eglenerek ögrenmeleri ile açıklanabilir. Bu baglamda fen ögretiminde oyunların kullanılmasının, etkili ögrenme ürün ve sonuçlarının ortaya çıkmasına katkı saglayabilecegi söylenebilir.The present research aims to examine the effect of using games in science education on the levels of academic success and attitude towards Science and Technology course of the 8th grade primary school students. In addition, the present research examines the effect of using games in science education on the academic success and attitude level by making a comparison between the above mentioned method and the conventional educational method. A preliminary test final test control group pattern was used as an experimental method in the present study. The present research was conducted with the 8th grade students in the Private Ankara Hayat Primary School in the 1st semester of the Academic Year 2009 2010. One class was randomly selected as a control group and one class was randomly selected as an experimental group among the three classes comprising the 8th grade in the stated school. The conventional educational method was used in the control group while the method of using games in science education was used in the experimental group. The experimental operation phase of the present research was realized by the researcher while the unit of Structure and Properties of a Substance was taught in the Science and Technology Course for both control and experimental groups and it lasted 8 weeks and 48 course hours. An Academic Success Test and an Attitude Scale for Science and Technology Education were used as a means of collecting data. In the analysis of the data, the t-Test was used for the Independent Groups, while t-Test analysis was used for the Dependent Groups. According to the data obtained from the present research, the method of using games in science education was found to be effective and to increase the academic success and the attitude levels of the 8th grade primary school students towards Science and Technology Course. It was found that the conventional education method was effective in increasing the academic success levels of the students, while it did not make any contribution to the attitude level of the students towards Science and Education Course. However, the increase in the academic success level arising due to the application of the conventional educational method was not as high as increase in the academic success level arising due to the application of the method of using games in science education. The main reason why the method of using games in science education was more effective in increasing the attitude level and success level of the students towards Science and Technology Course compared to the conventional educational method could be explained with the fact that the games appealed to children's world more, children take an active part in a game and they learn while having fun. In this context, it can be said that using games in science education can contribute to an effective learning