Investigating of the effect of support and training courses on the science achievement of middle school students: Sound and features unit

In this study, the effect of DYKs' on sixth grades middle school students science courses academic success, decomposition of problems and ability to explain the events with science concepts that they encounter in daily life, was investigated. The study group of the research consists of sixth and seventh grade students studying in four public middle schools in the Central district of Aksaray in the 2022-2023 academic year. While the pre-test post-test control group design was used in the quantitative dimension of the study in which mixed research methods were used, the phenomenological research method was used in the qualitative dimension. Validity and reliability studies were conducted with 129 seventh grade students. The achievement test was applied as a pre-test to students who participated in DYKs and those who did not. Scales measuring students' problem-solving skills and their ability to explain daily events with science concepts were also administered to the students simultaneously. After the course teaching process in schools and DYKs related to the unit of sound and its properties, the same measurement tools were applied as a post-test and the results were analyzed. According to the analysis, it was concluded that DYKs had a positive effect on the science achievement of sixth grade middle school students, their problem-solving skills and their ability to explain daily events with science concepts. In the qualitative dimension of the study, science teachers' opinions about DYK were taken. In this regard, it has been concluded that DYKs are efficient and additional studies should be done to increase the efficiency of DYKs.