The effect of multi-representation-based secondary school 7th grade electric circuits unit teaching on students' conceptual understanding, science lesson motivation, self-efficacy and metacognitive awareness

This study examined the effect of multiple representations-based 7th grade electric circuits teaching on students' conceptual understanding, motivation, self-efficacy and metacognitive awareness. The sample of the study consisted of 70 middle school 7th grade students who were studying in two middle schools in Akhisar district of Manisa province in the 2021-2022 academic year. A mixed method that combined qualitative and quantitative data was chosen for the design of the study. The data collection tools of the study were electric circuits concept test, interview form, transfer test, motivation test, selfefficacy test, metacognitive awareness test and readiness test. The concept test, semistructured interview test and transfer test were developed by the researcher. Experimental and control groups that were considered equal according to the readiness test results were formed. The concept test, motivation test, self-efficacy test and metacognitive awareness test were applied as pretest-posttest to both groups. The teaching designed based on multiple representations was implemented in the middle school where the researcher worked as the experimental group. The research findings revealed a positive increase in the frequency of concept test scores for the experimental group students after the instruction enriched with multiple representations compared to the control group. When the effects of the instructional interventions on students' metacognitive awareness were examined, no differences were found in the control group, whereas a significant difference was found in the experimental group between the pre-test and post-test scores on the metacognitive awareness scale. However, no significant differences were found in motivation and self-efficacy tests between the pre-test and post-test scores in both groups. The experimental group students who participated in the semi-structured interviews expressed that they were positively influenced by the instruction. Additionally, the transfer test conducted with three students from each experimental and control group revealed that the experimental group students performed significantly better in transfer skills between different representations compared to the control group students.