The effect of argumentation-based science learning approach supported by augmented reality applications on secondary school students' unit-based achievement and creative thinking skills

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of rgumentation-Based Inquiry (ABI) approach supported by augmented reality (AR) applications on sixth grade students' academic achievement and creative thinking skills. Mixed method was used in the study. The study was conducted in the autumn semester of the 2021-2022 academic year in a secondary school in Kastamonu province. In the study, one control group and three experimental groups were randomly selected. No intervention was made to the control group. While curriculum-based education was carried out in the control group, the subjects were taught with the ABI approach supported by AR applications in the Experimental A group, with the ABI approach in the Experimental B group, and with AR applications in the Experimental C group. Teaching practices were carried out within the scope of the unit 'Systems in Our Body'. At the beginning and end of the unit, Unit Based Academic Achievement Tests (UBATT) were used to determine and compare the academic achievement of the groups in science course and Scientific Creativity Scale (SCS) was used as a measurement tool to determine their creative thinking skills. The data obtained were analysed in SPSS software. At the end of the applications, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three students at different achievement levels from the four groups. The interviews were analysed and themes and codes were created. According to the results of the quantitative data, it was determined that the Experiment A group, in which the ABI approach supported by AR applications was used, differed significantly from the other groups, was more successful and had higher creative thinking skill test scores. In addition, the results of Experimental B and Experimental C groups were significantly different in favour of the experimental groups. In addition, it was determined through interviews that both ABI and AR practices had a positive effect on students' creative thinking skills as well as increasing their academic achievement.