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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 18, Issue 1, Article 6 (Jun., 2017) |
The effect of jigsaw technique on 6th graders' learning of force and motion unit and their science attitudes and motivation
*Evrim URAL, Orhan ERCAN and Durdu Mehmet GENÇOĞLAN
Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, TURKEY
*Corresponding Author E-mail: evrimural@gmail.com
Received 24 Oct., 2016
Revised 25 Jun., 2017
The study aims to investigate the effects of jigsaw technique on 6th graders’ learning of “Force and Motion” unit, their science learning motivation and their attitudes towards science classes. The sample of the study consisted of 49 6th grade students from two different classes taking the Science and Technology course at a government school in Kahramanmaraş/Turkey. The study was conducted in the 2015-2016 Academic year, autumn semester. One of the classes was defined as the control group (N=24) and was taught through the traditional lecturing approach, while the experimental group (N=25) was taught through the cooperative jigsaw technique. Both groups studied the "force and motion" subject for six weeks with different instructional methods. The objectives and the content of the subject were the same for both groups. Also, the groups were taught by the same teacher. The Force and Motion Achievement Test, Science Learning Motivation Scale, Science Class Attitude Scale were administered as pre-test prior to the application. Following to the application, these data collection tools were administered as post-test to the experimental and control groups. With the purpose of learning about the views on the jigsaw technique, a form consisting of 6 open-ended questions was administered to the experimental group. The findings of the study show that the academic achievement of the experimental group was higher in comparison to the academic success of the students who were taught the lesson through the traditional method. Although a statistically significant difference has not been observed between the pre-test and post-test scores of the motivation scale of the students in the experimental group, when the post-test scores of the motivation scale of the experimental and control group students were compared, it has been seen that the motivation of the experimental group students was higher after the application. The quantitative findings of the study have been supported by the qualitative findings.
Keywords: Science education, jigsaw technique, force and motion, motivation, attitude
