An action research on eliminatingthe problems encountered in the ımplementation of project tasks in secondary school science course

The main purpose of this study is to understand the problems in the field in order to carry out the project tasks expected from the students in secondary school science course in accordance with the purpose and to prepare a work plan for these problems. in the beginning phase,, teachers' opinions were taken about the problems experienced by teachers in creating, distributing and evaluating project tasks. In addition, students' opinions were asked about the problems encountered during the process of selecting, executing, evaluating the project tasks, receiving support from their teachers and parents, and the suitability of physical conditions. With the action plan prepared in this study, it is aimed to carry out the project tasks that the students have to take at least once a year and from a course in accordance with the scientific research processes, and the importance of teacher-student and student-parent cooperation while performing the project tasks. The study was conducted with an action research model which is one of the qualitative research designs. The study was carried out in 2017 - 2018 with a total of 14 students (9 female and 5 male students) who wanted to take part in the project voluntarily. In the first semester of the academic year, the causes of the problem were tried to be revealed and an action plan was prepared for the solution of the problem. In the second semester of the academic year, the action was prepared and the success of the action was tried to be measured. The researcher and the practitioner teacher used the open-ended questionnaire, observation method and document analysis as the primary data source and benefited from interviews as a secondary data source. The data of the research were obtained from open-ended questionnaire, student diaries, student letters, peer assessment, self-assessment and teacher evaluation forms, document project tasks, semi-structured parent interviews and teacher observation results. The data obtained in the study were coded by open coding technique and themed. Codes and themes are detailed by taking samples from the documents. The data obtained from the studies conducted during the 2017 - 2018 academic year were analyzed using descriptive and content analysis techniques. Teacher observations and questionnaire questions were analyzed with content analysis technique and the results were digitized. The project tasks prepared by the students were examined in accordance with the scale prepared and the data obtained from the self-assessment, peer assessment and teacher assessment scales were arranged in tables using Microsoft Excel software. According to the findings of the research, the students stated that they did not know how to do the project tasks verbally and in writing and expressed that their perception of the project task concept changed with teacher presentations and interviews. In the action plan, the project work schedule and plan were prepared together with the students, student-teacher collaboration was increased and it was made possible for the teacher to observe the projects in the process without making an instant evaluation. It was seen that the students' perceptions and attitudes towards the project tasks they were obliged to do and that they took for the purpose of raising grades improved in a positive way. The students stated that they had both fun and learning while preparing the project tasks. In addition, the students stated that they did not know how to conduct scientific research and that they learned under the guidance of the teacher during the project assignment. In the minds of the students, it was found that the project task should be prepared differently from the homework, followed by scientific process steps and researched. While preparing the project task, it was seen that the positive feedback from the working environment improved by the consultant teacher was reflected for the problems experienced by the students in terms of physical conditions. Positive changes were observed in students' working with their families and counselor teachers, evaluating their peers and themselves, their ability to use time effectively, their communication and their self-confidence. In the research, the contribution of school-family cooperation to the achievement of students was emphasized with the information step made to the families and the information letter sent to the parents with the action level covering the parent dimension.