The effect of the guide materials in getting the biology teachers to comprehend the difference between bacteria and yeast in laboratuaries

ABSTRACT Effects of the developed resource teaching material on student success and comments on the material concerning yeasts and bacteria, both of which are the subjects of microbiology were investigated in the present study. Initially a literature survey on the contents and context of resource material to be prepared with the aim of distinguishing between yeasts and bacteria was carried out. The output showed that the most suitable methodology for biology teaching is the laboratory method, therefore the material to be developed should contain experiments. In further chapters of the Thesis, importance of laboratory technique and general properties of bacteria and yeasts were addressed. Differences between the two groups were given and experiments concerning their differentation were prepared and presented in a suitable format. The experimental part of the study was applied to a sample of 26 third year Biology Teaching Programme students of Gazi University Gazi Faculty of Education, during the 2006-2007 Spring semester. The subject of differentation of yeats and bacteria were given to the Control group in the form of classical lecturing; while four representative experiments of the resource material were applied to the Experimental group. Pre-test and post-test experimental design was used. The data were collected using (1) Bacteria and yeasts pre-test and post-test measure and (2) Materials measure to test opinions on the resource material. Data analyses employed Students t-test for the apprehension measure and written answers to the questions were evaluated using five different categories of: Correct answer ? Correct explanation, Correct answer ? Incomplete explanation, Correct answer ? Wrong explanation, Wrong answer ? Wrong explanation, I do not know. The evaluation of the answers given to the opinion questionnaire applied to the Experimental group was carried out by the candidate. v In conclusion, the Experimental group taught by using the resource material for the differentiation of yeasts and bacteria, was found to be better than the Control group in accomplishment and correcting misconceptions. In addition, all students in the Experimental group answered the opinion questionnaire positively and found the material useful. The resource material developed was found to achieve the aims set forth.