Effect of using concept maps technique in college science and technology courses of an 8th class, unit ?substance states and heat? on student achievement, knowledge durability and attitude towards science

Taking into consideration the century we live in promote students reduce to little misconceptions with meaningfull learning is one of the most important goal for being achieved in science teaching and education. Meaningfull learning helps connect the knowledges which have been learned in the past with the new ones. In that way knowledges remain durable in one?s mind-concept maps is one of the techniques which make possible the promotion of meaningfull learning.This research which has been made in college shool science and technology courses of an 8th class unit ?Substance States and Heat? aims to in vestigate how using concept maps technique influences students achievement knowledge durabilitiy and their attitude towards science.In this study an experimental draw with pretest-posttest made in a control group has been used the experimental group was taught with the concept map technique, the control group was taught with their usual explaining method. Thus, appropriate methods to Science and Technology Teaching Programmes have been used.The research has been made in the second semester of the 2007?2008 academical year in Tokat Pazar Dereköy College School it has been continued during four weeks (four courses in a week) with 33 students from an 8th class.In the research according to experimental draw 2 model with pretest-posttest made in a control group achievement test and test of attitude towards science have been presented twice, first at the beginning of the research period as well as at its end. Three weeks later after the posttest achievenent test experiment and durability test were given to the control group students. Conclusions were analysed with help of SPSS program.Statistic evaluation lets appear that teaching the unit of ?Substance States and Heat? with concept maps technique has had positive effects. This research?s final conclusion is that concept maps contribute significantly either to students academical achievement or knowledge durability or positive attitude towards science.Key Words: Science Education, Concept Maps, Substance States and Heat, Attitude Towards Science.