The effect of group activities structured according to cooperative learning principles on students' level at the beginnig and at the end and attitudes in 4th grade mathematics lesson in primary school

The aim of this research is to determine the effect on students level at the beginning and at the end and attitudes related to Mathematics in teaching with group activities structured according to cooperative learning principles compared to teaching with group workings not structured according to cooperative learning principles in teaching 4th grade mathematics lesson in Primary school.In the research `pretest and last test model with control group? are used. The research is made on subjects about naming fractions, showing fractions on number line, comparing fractions, lining up the same denominator fractions, lining up the same proportion fractions, finding the multitudes as to simple fractions, addition with the same denominator fractions, subtraction with the same denominator fractions, addition and subtraction problems with fractions throughout five weeks in 2007-2008 Academic Year spring term in 4th grades in Eskiizmir Primary school in Konak, İzmirThe necessary data for attempting the hypothesis are acquired using `level test which shows the conditions at the beginning and at the end? and `Maths lesson attitude scale?. In analysing the data arithmetic average, standart deviation and t-test are used. The research results are acquiredby using SPSS 12.0 statistics packaged software.According to the findings that are acquired after the research we found important differences between level test that shows the condition at the beginning and at the end and attitudes related to mathematics lesson of the control group applied to group workings not structured acording to cooperative learning principles with the experiment group applied to group acitivities structured according to cooperative learning principles, in favor of experiment group.Key words: Mathematics, Cooperative Learning, Achievement, Attitude