The effect of problem based learning on students? achievements, scientific process skills and attitudes towards problem solving in physics education

In the study, the effect of problem based learning (PBL) on students? achievements, scientific process skills and attitudes towards problem solving in physics education were investigated.The research was conducted with 46 students attended of 1th class of Department of Physics Teaching at the Buca Faculty of Education in Dokuz Eylül University in 2008-2009 academic years, fall semester. Pre-test- post-test control group design was used in this research. The unit of ?Work-Energy? in the topics of mechanics was taught to experimental group by PBL method, and taught to control group by traditional method.The data was collected by using the ?Work-Energy Unit Achievement Test?, ?Scientific Process Skills Test of Mechanic Topics? and ?The Scale of Problem Solving Attitude towards Physics?. Besides, interview was carried out with some students in order to check their opinions about the PBL method.According to the results of the research, it was found that problem based learning method raised students? achievements, effected students? conceptual development positively, improved their scientific process skills, and constituted positive attitudes towards problem solving in physics lesson. In addition, it was also found that students have positive views about PBL method.