The effect of the interactive whiteboard use in biology lesson on students' achievements and attitudes towards the course and the interactive whiteboard

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of attitudes towards the use of smart board in biology courses of 10th grade in secondary school and students' academic success. Another purpose of this study is to reveal students' misconceptions about photosynthesis and eliminate the effects of smart board use on this topic. In this study the "pre-test and post-test control group with quasi-experimental model" is used. Working group of the research consists of a total of 50 students at a public school in two different classes. Pre-test and post-test control group model based on neutral assignment to 25 students in the creation of two groups of experimental group with Adobe using Flash CS5 program with prepared course content smart board, based on the learning approach constructivist methods and techniques courses are taught. 25 students in the control group, the Board of Education adopted the 12/09/2011 date and 133 numbered decision Biology curriculum teaching done by the specified events lessons are taught with relevant methods and techniques. As the study subjects for 10th Grade "Photosynthesis: Connecting the Power" unit is selected. Implementation phase of the research was carried out 2013 - 2014 education in the first period of the school year for 5 weeks in December and January. Course has been taught to the both groups by researchers. In this study to investigate the effectiveness of the applications both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data of the study "Biological Attitude Scale for the course", " Interactive white board (IWB) Attitude Scale", the qualitative data "Photosynthesis Conceptual Achievement Test" and semi-structured interview form were collectted. Quantitative data with SPSS programme and qualitative data were analyzed by using the content analysis method. As a result of the study, in the biology class, by using the smart board, teaching the course with basic field methods and with techniques of the constructivist learning approach, the experimental and control groups according to teaching the lessons with activities and methods in the present curriculum consist of a significant difference between students' success. The success of the experimental group students was higher than the control group students. It was concluded that experimental and control group students' for eliminating the existing misconceptions, their usage of the smart board to the method is more effective than the activities and the existing curriculum. There wasn not statistically significant difference between Experimental and control groups students' attitudes towards biology course. As a result of the processing of the course using the smart board, a statistically significant difference was found in attitudes towards the experimental group compared to the before application of the students' usage of the smart board. In addition, through interviews with students of the experimental group more comprehensive vision for the use of smart boards were obtained. This study has the potential to provide insight into the biology teachers who want to use the smart boards at schools in terms of student achievement and to reveal the effects of attitudes towards the course of biology and educators in the field who want to work in this field. This study is important to reveal the impact of eliminating misconceptions that students have about photosynthesis concept by using the smart board applications. Keywords: Smart Board, Academic Achievement, Photosynthesis, Misconceptions, Attitude