The effect of traditional and team learning on the tenth grade students academic success and their attitude towards chemistry lesson with the unit of the interaction between chemical particles

The main purpose of this research is to investigate whether there is a significant difference between team learning and traditional methods about the interaction among the particles. In this study, as an experimental tecnique quantitative research and half experimental design is used. The study by using traditional methods on the interaction among the particles has been done with 142 students from four different science classes in the tenth grade of Sincan High School in Ankara, Turkey. Two of these classes have been chosen as experiment an the other two as control groups. Interaction among chemical species has been taught with traditional approach in the control group, where as in the experimental group team work based on the constructivist approach. Before study, preliminary information test has been applied to both groups. Moreover, perception and attitude criterion test and success test have been done in one of the groups of both experimental and control groups. After the study, perception and attitude criterion test and success test have been applied to all the groups in order to test whether learning in groups have changed the students attitudes to chemistry or not. Two months later, permanence test hase been applied to check whether there is a significant difference in learning the interaction between the particles under the constructivist approach based on group work and traditional approach.In the study, data which shows normal distribution whit t-test, ANCOVA and data which does not show normal distribution whit Mann Whitney-U test has been analyzed. According to the data gathered from the preliminary information test, it has been found out that there is a significant difference in the level of being ready, so ANCOVA analysis is preferred. When the success and the attitude of (E2) and (C2) groups have been compared, there is not a significant difference according to the statistical results. However, when the same groups have been compared in terms of the permanence of information, (C2) group has been observed to be over the average value and this has been interpreted as the level of the students readiness fort the information. When (E1) and (C1) have been compared in terms of their success rate and permanence of the information, (E1) group has been observed that average values are better. However, when their attitude has been compared, no significant difference has been seen.As a result, it can be said that learning in groups increases the level of the permanence of information and the student?s success. The findings of the study show resemblance with the findings in the literature. This study is important since it offers an alternative learning in chemistry to chemistry teachers in the age of importace of student-centered learning in chemistry.