Investigate the effect of activity-based science teaching practices in the acquisition of problem solving skills for 5-6 year old pre-school children

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of Activity-Based Science Teaching Practices in the acquisition of problem solving skills for 5-6 year old pre-school children. Primarily, the schools were detected through purposive sampling method in order to form the study group. Within this context, two different classes consisting of children at same age group and similar developmental period in two separate kindergartens were selected in the central district of Bolu province. These classes from two different schools were randomly determined as an experimental and a control group. The study group was formed by a total of 32 children, 17 of whom studying at Bolu Bağışçılar Foundation Kindergarten were in experimental group, 15 of whom studying at Aktaş Kindergarten were in control group. The data collection tools used in the study were Personal Information Form and Problem Solving Skills Scale. Activity based Science Teaching practices for 12 weeks (24 integrated activities) which was prepared by the researcher were applied to the experimental group two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday). Each session lasted 45 minutes. During this process, the students in the control group did not receive any Activity-Based Science Teaching Practices, the Pre-school Curriculum of the Ministry of National Education was applied (for 36-72 month-old). In order to determine the persistency of Activity-Based Science Teaching Practices, Problem Solving Skills Scale was applied again to the students in the experimental group. In the data analysis, Mann-Whitney U Test was used with the aim of testing whether there was a difference in the Problem Solving Skills Scale scores of pre-test, post-test and retention test applied in the experimental group and pre-test and post-test used in the control group. Wilcoxon Rank Test was used in group pre and post test comparisons and post-test retention test comparisons. Significance level was taken as 0,05 in the interpretation of the results. According to the results, it was concluded that there was a significant difference in the problem solving skills of the students in the experimental group (p<.05). Furthermore, with the retention test applied three weeks after the post-test to the experimental group, it was ascertained that the effect of the practices was preserved. Based on these results, it was found that Activity-Based Science Teaching Practices had positive effect on the development of problem solving skills of children. It can be said that pre-school teaching practices at every level of education in pre-school period should support problem solving skills of children with a variety of activities. Therefore, the problem solving skills of preschool children can be supported. Key Words: Preschool Period, Problem Solving Skill, Activity Based Science Teaching Practices, Science.