The effect of context-based storyline method in science education on academic achievement, creativity and attitudes towards science

The purpose of the study is to find out the effect of context-based storyline method in science education on student's academic achievement, creativity, and attitudes towards science. For this purpose, "Mirrors and Apsorption of Light" and "Relationship Between Human and Environment" units, which are in the national science curriculum, were designed according to storyline teaching method. Then this method was applied to the students of seventh grade. A quasi experimental design with experimental and control groups was used in the study. The implementation of the program was carried out in a secondary school in the city of Devrek in the second term of 2016-2017 teaching year. Fifty-two seventh grade students participated to the study. While context-based storyline method was applied in an experimental group, teaching methods provided in the curriculum were carried out in the control group. Data were collected through Torrance Creativity Test, The Scale for Attitudes Towards Science Lesson and two achievement tests which were developed by the researcher. In addition, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the experimental group in order to strengthen the results of the study with qualitative data. Below are the results of the study: • The study group has shown significantly better achievement scores in Mirrors and Apsorption of Light unit than the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control group in terms of achievement scores in Relationship Between Human and Environment unit. • While figural creativity levels of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group, there was no statistical difference between groups regarding verbal creativity. • The experimental group and the control group did not differ according to their attitudes towards science classes. • The interview with the experimental group revealed that students appraised the context-based storyline teaching process as enjoyable, useful, stres-free, and interesting. Students also indicated that storyline method was practice-based, encouraging active involvement, and helped to increase long-term recall of knowledge and overall success. According to these results, context-based storyline method might contribute positively to students' achievement, creativity and attitudes towards science class. This method might also be used effectively in science education.