Determining effectiveness of developed materials based on 5E model by students' ideas

The aims of this study are to develop guided materials for 8th grade students about Electricity unit and to investigate the effects of those materials on the students' success which are compatible to the 5E model. In order to achieve this purpose, the students? study book and students' practise book were evaluated according to the criteria of the books that were accepted by the MEB.The pilot study was implemented with 57 8th grade students. The main study was carried out with 127 8th grade students at two different elementary schools, one at city center and one at town center in Rize. The activities in the students? study book and students? practice book were implemented at both 8th grade classes of those elementary schools. The pre and post tests were given to the students according to 2010 MEB 8th grade Electricity unit aims. In addition, the semi-structured classrom interviews were done with 5 students from each school. The effectiveness of this research was increased with the help of these semi-structured interviews. In order to compare the pre and post tests of the achievement test, Paired Samples t-test was used. With this analysis, the effects of the activities of the students' success were investigated seperately. Also, to understand if the experimental group students have higher scores than the control group students ANCOVA was analysis was used by using the materials that were developed. The analysis of semi-structured interviews was made with the content analysis. Those materials were developed according to 5E model that were increased student success in both city center primary school and town center primary school with a significant difference. The findings of semi-structured interviews indicated that the materials are suitable for the criteria of the MEB study books. By looking at the findings of this research, suggestions were also presented for teachers, researchers, and educators.Key Words: Constructivist Teaching Strategy, 5E model, the students? study book, students? practise book, Electricity Unit