Examination of student and teacher views about implementation science course with regard to different variables (the case of Giresun province)

The aim of the study is to determine the views of the secondary school students who selected the Implementation Science elective course and the teachers who instruct this course. The research was carried out with descriptive survey method. The study was conducted in the secondary schools in Giresun during 2013-2014 education year. A total of 359 5th and 6th grade students who selected "Implementation Science" course and 17 science teachers who instructed the course participated in the study. The population of the study was randomly selected from 3 schools in the city centre, 5 schools in the towns, and 5 village schools. During the data collection process, a teacher questionnaire and student questionnaire developed by the researcher were used to seek answers for the problem and sub problems of the research. Frequency (f) and percentages (%) were used for the statistical analysis of the data gathered within the framework of the main objective of the study and chi-square analysis was used to determine the differences between the independent variables. The open–ended questions in teacher and student questionnaires were analysed and evaluated by conducting content analysis. It was revealed in the study that Implementation Science course was mostly preferred by the students who were interested in Science and Mathematic course. It was found that nearly all the students participating in the study selected this course as they took interest in science subjects and they liked doing experiments and observations. Moreover, the results revealed that while selecting the course, the students' desires and the families and school administration/ teachers were effective. The reasons why the course was preferred were examined and it was revealed that there were significant differences regarding some variables. In addition to this, nearly half of the teachers participating in the study instructed Implementation Science course voluntarily; however, almost all of them stated that they were happy to instruct this course. It was determined that all the teachers instructing the course did not receive in-service training regarding this course and almost all of them stated that they wanted to receive in-service training regarding the course. Almost all the teachers in the study stated that Implementation Science course made contributions to the students in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains and the course achieved its goal in a strict sense. It was identified that teachers encountered some problems within the course. The problems encountered can be listed as follows: lack of course materials or written materials about the course, and lack of experience because of not being informed about how to teach the course, lack of student interest in the course because of not assessing it with exams/ grades and the course usually being the last lesson on the timetable.