The effect of design-based learning on success, motivation and permanence in 7th grade science course

The purpose of this study is to reveal the effect of teaching the unit "Pure Substances and Mixtures" in a design-based manner on students' success, their motivation towards the Science course and the extent to which their learning about the course is permanent. The research was implemented in the first academic semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. In the study, pre-post test experimental and control group design was used as the method. In the research process, Academic Achievement Test for Pure Substances and Mixtures Unit and Motivation Scale for Learning Science were used as data collection tools. In the last stage of the research, in order to determine the effect of design-based teaching on permanence, the achievement test was applied to the students in two groups four weeks after the application of the research. It was seen that design-based learning had a positive effect on the success, motivation and permanence of the students. In the application stage of the study, the fact that the students worked collaboratively as a group in design-based science teaching also increased the students' motivation positively. Since the students came up with their own designs, they generally became more enthusiastic about the Science course and it was seen that the students were positively motivated because they experienced the excitement of learning firsthand. In the study, since the students handled the subjects in terms of design in design-based learning, the duration of information retention was long and a significant permanence situation emerged. In addition, according to the research results, while the initial and final motivations of the group to which the current Science Learning Methods were applied were much higher than the initial and final motivations of the students to whom the Design-Based Learning Methods were applied, the academic success level for Science Learning was higher in the group to which Design-Based Science Teaching was applied. In other words, the study showed that Design-Based Science Learning achieved more academic success in students despite being applied to a lower motivation group.