Effect of argumentation based learning on students scientific creativitiy, entrepreneurship and inquiry learning skills

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of argumentation-based learning on entrepreneurship skills, scientific creativity, inquiry learning skills of students. Among experimental models, quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was used for this study. This study was conducted in a town secondary school in the province of Isparta. The study was carried out with a total of 28 students, including 15 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group, all of which are 6th Grade students. Substance and Heat topic involved in the science lesson was used in this study group. This topic was carried out with activities prepared according to the argument-based learning approach in the experimental group and with activities prepared based on the curriculum in the control group. First,14-item entrepreneurship observation form prepared by expert opinion and then 6 open-ended questions items were used to determine entrepreneurial characteristics of students as the data collection tool. Observation form and open-ended questions were applied twice, including pretest and posttest scores. Entrepreneurship observation form was graded in 3 phases; ''observed'', ''partially observed'' and ''not observed'' and then percentage frequencies were prepared as a table. In addition, pretest – posttest comparisons of the experimental and control group observation forms were made with Mann-Whitney U test, while pretest – posttest comparisons of the experimental group and pretest – posttest comparisons of the control group were made with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. In the analysis of open-ended questions, descriptive analysis is used among the qualitative data analysis methods. The answers given were tabulated by creating categories. Perception of Scientific Inquiry Learning Skills Scale developed by Balım and Taşkoyan (2007) was to determine inquiry learning characteristics of students as the data collection tool. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient for this scale is 0.84. This scale consists of 22 items. In determining the scientific creativity skills of the students, Scientific Creativity Scale was used as the data collection tool and pretest/posttest, which was developed by Hu and Adey (2002) and adapted to Turkish by Deniş, Çeliker, and Balım (2012). The Cronbach Alpha score reliability coefficient of the scale, which was composed of seven open ended items, is 0,86. After determining that the data demonstrated a normal distribution, related samples t-test and unrelated samples t-test were used. In determining the questioning learning skills of the students, Questioning Learning Skills Perception Scale for Science was used, which was developed by Balım and Taşkoyan (2007). The Cronbach Alpha score reliability coefficient of the scale is 0,84. This scale is composed of 22 items. As the conclusion of this study, Entrepreneurship Observation Form and Determining the Entrepreneurship Features Test was applied to the experimental and the control groups as pretest and posttest. Substance and temperature unit was conducted via argumentation-based learning method in the experimental group, while this unit was conducted via the content and activities of science and technology teaching program in the control group. As the conclusion of the tests and applications, it was determined that there was a statistically significant increase in the experimental group concerning the entrepreneurship features, while statistically no significant increase was determined in the control group. When the results of the Questioning Learning Skills Perception Scale were examined, it was observed that conducting substance and temperature unit based on argumentation had no effect on development of learning skills of students. When the comparison of the pretest-posttest scores of the experimental and control groups were examined, an increase was observed in both, although statistically not significant. When the results of the scientific creativity test applied to experimental and control groups as pretest and posttest were examined, it was determined that there was statistically no significant difference between the scientific creativity pretest scores of the experimental and control groups, while it was determined that there was statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group. In the comparison of the pretest-posttest comparison of the experimental group, it was determined that there was statistically significant difference in favor of the posttests. It was determined that there is statistically no significant difference between the pretest-posttest scientific creativity scores of the control group. As the conclusion, we can mention that argumentation-based learning method is influential on scientific creativity of the students. Based on these results of the research study, it is evaluated that the activities used in the argumentation-based learning method might be effective on development of the entrepreneurship, scientific creativity, and questioning learning skills of the students.