The effects of alternative instructional activities in education for environment on students' achievement and attitude

The main purpose of this research is to determine effectiveness of alternative instructional activities on students? academic achievement and environmental attitude about global problems which are known environmental issues, such as thinning of the ozone layer, greenhouse effect, global warming. In the research, pre-test and post-test semi-experimental design was used. The samples of the research were 55 students who were in two different elementary schools in Rize during the academic year of 2011-2012. The data were collected with ?Academic Achievement Test? which was developed by the researcher and ?Environment Attitude Questionnaire for Elementary School Students? which was taken from literature and ?Self-Assessment Form for Elementary School Students? which was taken from Elementary Science and Technology Curriculum. The data of the research were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 package software programme. Independent t-test was used to find out whether there is a meaningful difference between experimental and control groups by pre-test and post-test. Furthermore, Pearson Correlation calculation was utilised to see variables of success and attitudes and how their interactions in experimental and control groups. The results of independent t test showed that there was significant difference between the experimental and control group on the students? achievement levels. This difference was in favour of the experimental group. Whereas there was no significant difference regarding students? environmental attitudes between the experimental and control group. Pearson Correlational analysis results showed that there is a weak and positive relationship between the sample?s achievement and altitude. In this sense, it was reached a conclusion that alternative instructional activities had positive affect on academic achievement. According to the results of the research, it was recommended that the students could be provided activities in which they could be involved actively by doing-and-living rather than traditional teaching methods in process of education for environment.