The effect of cooperative learning on elementary school fourth grade students's academic achievement and self concepts toward science course

In this experimental study, the effect of cooperative learning on elementaryschool forth grade students? academic achievement and self concepts towards sciencecourse units which are ?Light and Sound? and ?Our Planet Earth? were investigated.The study was conducted at two public elementary schools in the centre ofAydın in 2006-2007 academic years. The participants of the study were 144 studentswhich were divided in two experimental and two control groups. In the study whichlasted nine consecutive weeks, cooperative learning method was used in experimentalgroups and elementary forth grade Science and Technology lesson curriculum?sactivities were used in control groups. The measurement instruments ?ScienceAchievement Test? was administered pre-test, post-test and continuance test, ?PiersHarris Self Concept Scale for Children? was administered pre and post tests to theexperimental and control groups.As a result, there was no statistically significant differences betweenexperimental and control groups regarding total achievement scores, knowledge leveland comprehension level scores in the achievement and continuance tests. Results fromthe Piers Harris Children Self Concept Scale revealed that there was significantdifferences among first control group and second control group in terms of Anxiety inthe favour of the first control group. In terms of the findings the others, there was nostatistically significant differences between groups.KEY WORDS Cooperative learning, Self Concept, Science, Teaching Science,Science and Technology.