A study of developing humorous comprehension based material in teaching: Science cartoons

The purposes of this study are to develop a material (science cartoons), which is based on humorous comprehension, and to answer the question: What are the effects of this material and of didactic teaching on pupils? achievement, attitudes towards biology, and motivation in biology. To reach these aims, firstly a wide literature research has been carried out and a humorous comprehension mechanism which can be use to interpret wits, normal cartoons, and science cartoons has been developed. In the study, pre test-post test controlled design has been utilized for comparing didactic method and the teaching material based on this mechanism. In the research, study groups have been preferred instead of sample and universe. Accordingly, while 28 pupils were in the control group, 27 pupils were in the experiment group. The study has covered the topics of `Biology as a science?, and `Ecology?. Through the study, achievement tests, attitude scale, motivation scale, and structured interviews have been used in order to collect data. The conclusions of achievement tests and scales have been compared by using t tests, the distribution of frequency, and percent values. The results of the study showed that science cartoons based teaching has increased students? achievement, attitudes toward biology, and motivation in biology with a meaningful and positive proportion in comparison with didactic method. Furthermore, the students reported that science cartoons based teaching was `funny-enjoyable?, `visual?, `retentive?, `the participation is high?, `constructivist?, and `creative?. At the end of the study, the suggestions about the studies which can be carried out in future were taken part.