The effect of the differentiated method on seventh graders' conceptual learning, scientific process skills and academic achievement in the science unit " Force and movement"

The purpose of this study is to analyse the effects of the science lessons on the students' academic achievements, conceptual understandings and scientific process skills which is taught by differentiated method. In the research of the experimental model " mono group pre-post test poor experimental design" was used and It is preferred these studies planned in this way is the absence of random assignment, mono group design and only found in the test group are used in cases where there is no comparison group. When this design is used in the research, In case the sample size of less than 30 should be used in non-parametric statistics (Büyüköztürk, 2007). The autopsy variable of the research is specified as the differentiated instruction method and the dependent variables are specified as academic achievement(AA), conceptual understanding(CU) and scientific process skills (SPS). The study group of the research is composed of the 12 7th grade students who have studied at a secondary school in İzmir, Kemalpasa, in 2014-2015 educational year. In test group, the science education is continued by using the differentiated methods on lesson contexts, plans and products. Before the application, to identify the students' level of readiness the pre-information test(PIT); to identify the students' mental field, multiple intelligence field inventory (MIFI) and learning styles inventory (LSI), were applied. After the application, it is aimed to identify the differentiated instruction method's effect on students' academic achievements, conceptual understandings and scientific process skills; the academic achievement test(AAT), conceptual understanding test(CUT) and scientific process skills test(SPST) were applied as posttest. The activities composed by using differentiated education methods were completed in 16 lesson times and in 4 weeks of period. The activities which are enriched for the differentiated education methods and not tried at the same time before were mostly applied in the study. In the study, when the differentiation was done also station, centres of learning, centres of interests, tiered education, learning diary, tiered learning agreement, tiered learning blankbood, flexible groups study form, expert of the day forms, trajectory studies, entry points, roller activities, flexible project choise forms, were used. As a result of these studies, it is seemed that the academic achievement tests, conceptual understanding tests and scientific process skills tests which were applied to the students, there is a significant difference in favor of posttests. It is reached a conclusion as a result, by using these methods in science lessons students' academic achievements, conceptual understandings and scientific process skills were developed. Key words : Differentiated instruction method, Science education.