The effects of experimental applications on student?s cognitive levels and attitude towards chemistry laboratory in teaching of dissolving-melting concepts

In science programs, it is important to learn basic scientific concepts by using of scientific instructional methods. For this purpose; experimental applications based on constructivism has come to the fore in students' awaken interest and curiosity, conceptual understanding and developing of practical skills. The aim of the study is to compare the effects of experimental applications based on constructivism and traditional learning approaches on teaching the concepts of dissolving and melting, and the students' attitude towards the laboratory. The research has been conducted with 67 tenth grade students who are enrolled in Izmir Buca Omer Seyfettin High School of 2009-2010 academic year. Of those 67 students, 34 were assigned into the experimental group while remaining 33 were assigned into the control group. Traditional learning methods were applied in both groups. Also the experimental applications based on constructivism were carried out in experimental group. Data were collected through pre-test, achievement test and attitude scale. Both groups were then subjected achievement test as the post test after the teaching period in order to measure the success rate. According to the results of the analysis by using SPSS 15.0 program, success rate of the experimental group to control group was statistically significant (p = 0.000 <0.05). Accordingly, the levels of conceptual understanding and academic achievements of students in the experimental group were higher than the control group. The results of attitude scale showed that the significantly increase of the experimental group students' attitudes toward the laboratory arises from experimental applications based on constructivism (p = 0.000 <0.05).Key Words: Experimental Applications Based on Constructivism, Traditional Teaching Method, Dissolving, Melting, Attitude.