The effects of constructive learning method on students' academic achievement, retention of knowledge, gender and attitudes towards science course in "matter of structure and characteristics" unit

The purpose of this research is to examine on students' academic achievement, retention of knowledge and attitudes towards science course in matter of structural and characteristic subject with constructivist education version. This study was conducted with students 7/A (N=34) and 7/B (N=34) located in Ankara, during the spring period of 2008-2009 academic year. The study used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test and post-test control group was used in this study. According to this research model achievement test and the scale of attitudes towards science were administered before and after instructional intervention. Achievement test were given both groups three months after intervention as retention test. Students in the control group were taught by traditional teaching method (narrative, question and answer, discussion, etc). The experimental group was taught constructive education besides traditional teaching method. The implementation was carried out in a four week period. After implementation, post-test (achievement test) was administered to both groups. The independent samples t-test was used to compare pretests and posttests of control and experimental groups. The findings of the study show that there is a significant difference in favour of the experimental group who taught by constructive education version over the control group regarding to averages of academic achievement scores. Achievement test scores of experimental group were found higher than the control group after instructional intervention. Results of the study showed no meaningful difference between the experiment and control group according to attitudes towards science course. It can be stated that the teaching method used in experimental group was more successful, thus students in experimental group was scored high in the achievement test for retention