The effect of context-based learning on academic success: A meta-analysis study

The aim of this research is to determine the overall effect size of the context-based learning studies conducted between 2011-2022 on academic achievement compared to the traditional approach, using the meta-analysis method. At the same time, the publication type, course type and teaching level moderators of the academic achievement variable were also discussed. For this reason, 48 different effect sizes obtained from 41 experimental studies selected according to certain criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Computer software named CMA (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis) was used for the analysis of the included studies. Considering the results of the meta-analysis in this study, the effect size of context-based learning on students' academic achievement was calculated as 0.931. The effect size found is in the large effect class according to the effect size classification of Cohen (1988). As a result of this research, context-based learning made a significant difference on the academic achievement of students compared to traditional teaching methods and it was seen that it had a positive effect. In the studies included in the research, the comparative effect sizes of context-based learning were calculated according to the course type, teaching levels and publication type. As a result of the moderator analyzes, no significant difference was found between the effect sizes of the moderator variables of publication type, course type and teaching level.