The effects of combined application of computer simulations and labrotory activities on the students? science achievement and attitudes of towards computer

This study aims to investigate the effects of the combined application of laboratory activities and computer simulations in the teaching of ?What is an Electricity Current??, ?Series and Parallel Connection? subjects in ?Electricity in Our Life? unit on students? achievement, computer attitudes and the role of gender in the teaching of these subjects.The experimental design of pre-test post-test control group model was used for the study. A total of 66 7th graders from three schools participated in the study in the first semester of the 2009-2010 academic year, and the study has lasted for 3 weeks, 4 class hours a week, making a total of 12 class hours. Control Group I, had the subject covered by laboratory activities; the Control Group II had the subject covered by simulation activities; and the Experimental Group, had the subject covered by simulation and laboratory activities merged together. Data were collected by means of Electricity Achievement Test (EAT) and Computer Attitudes Scale (CAS) and students? opinions on the application were collected through a questionnaire of four open-ended questions.The data were evaluated in the SPSS program. Groups? EAT and CAS pre tests evaluated with variance analysis and post tests evaluated covariance analysis. According to research findings it was found out that the application of computer simulations and laboratory activities in combination has a positive effect on student achievement that computer simulations affect the attitude towards computer and that gender difference does not influence student achievement and attitudes towards the computer.