Effect of scientific scenario activities enriched with animation-supported concept cartoons on 7th grade students' metacognition, inquiry learning and scientific literacy levels

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of scientific scenario activities enriched with animation supported concept cartoons on 7th grade students' metacognition, inquiry learning and scientific literacy levels. It also aims at determining the students' views on the use of scientific scenario activities enriched with animation-supported concept cartoons. The research was carried out in the Pure Substances and Mixtures unit of the 7th grade Science Lesson. The study group is composed of a total of 70 students, 29 of which are in the experimental group and 41 in the control group, who are studying in a public school in Yunusemre district of Manisa province in the 2018-2019 academic year. While the science lesson was taught to the experimental group students with scientific scenario activities enriched with animation supported concept cartoons, the current science lesson curriculum was applied to the control group students. The experimental process of the research took 8 weeks in total. The mixed method in which quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques are handled together was used in the study. In the quantitative dimension of the study, quasi-experimental design with pre-test-post-test control group, which was not equalized among experimental research methods, was used. The quantitative data were collected with 'Metacognitive Scale', 'Inquiry Learning Skills Perception Scale' and 'Scientific Literacy Scale'. These scales were applied to all students as pre-test and post-test. As a result of the analysis of the data obtained from the research, it was determined that the students' metacognitive skills were high on the basis of the entire Metacognition Scale and sub-factors. After the experimental procedure, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of metacognitive skill scores. At the same time, it was found that the metacognitive skill scores of the experimental group students did not differ significantly from the pre-test to the post-test. It can be said that the applications made in this context do not have a significant effect on the development of students' metacognitive skills. In addition, the metacognitive skill scores of the experimental and control group students did not differ significantly in terms of gender variable. It was determined that the inquiry learning skill perceptions of both the experimental and control group students were high in the whole and sub-factors of the Inquiry Learning Skills Perception Scale. After the experimental procedure, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of inquiry learning skill scores. At the same time, it was found that the inquiry learning skills perception scores of the experimental group students did not differ significantly from the pre-test to the post-test. It can be said that the applications made in this context do not have a significant effect on developing students' inquiry learning skills perceptions. In addition, the inquiry learning skill scores of the experimental and control group students did not differ significantly in terms of gender. It was determined that the scientific literacy levels of the students were high in the whole and sub-dimensions of the Scientific Literacy Scale. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of scientific literacy scores after the experimental procedure and this difference was in favour of the experimental group. At the same time, it was found that the scientific literacy scores of the experimental group students differed significantly from the pre-test to the post-test. In this context, it can be said that the applications (based on scientific scenario activities enriched with animation supported concept cartoons) have a significant effect on the scientific literacy levels of the students. In addition, it was determined that the scientific literacy scores of the experimental group students did not differ significantly according to gender, while the scientific literacy scores of the control group differed significantly according to gender. As a result of the analysis of the qualitative data of the research, it was determined that the students in the experimental group had positive opinions about the effects of the teaching carried out with scientific scenario activities enriched with animation supported concept cartoons on the learning process and their learning. In line with the examined science journals, opinion form and interviews, it has been concluded that the experimental practices affect the students' attitudes towards the science lesson positively; they find the lessons taught with the activities fun, nice, different, interesting and instructive, they like the activities performed, so they can understand more easily and the information learned provides permanence. As a result, it is thought that this research will contribute to the literature on the effects of the use of scientific scenario activities enriched with animation-supported concept cartoons in the learning-teaching process of the Science course and will shed light on new studies on the subject.