The Effect of poster presentation activity on science education 3rd grade students' learning gene cloning

Ill THE EFFECT OF POSTER PRESENTATION ACTIVITY ON SCIENCE EDUCATION 3rd GRADE STUDENTS' LEARNING GENE CLONING (M.Sc. Thesis) Nilay KESKİN GAZI UNIVERSITY EDUCATION SCIENCES INSTITUTE June 2003 ABSTRACT When the researches done about biology education in Turkey were investigated; it was being seen that teacher-centred teaching techniques-as oppose to contemporary education systems- dominated over education systems. This kind of education systems have been inadequate in enhancing students' interests toward biology, in realising the meaningful learning's and in educating individuals that today's informational societies required. However, in recent years, genetic engineering and biotechnology subjects start to exist in our life in various areas (treatment techniques, vaccinations and foods) with going outside of laboratories. Yet; the discussions which were executed about from the point of view of benefits, risks, and ethic aspects of these applications have required contemporary approaches that will make students understand the main subjects about genetic engineering and biotechnology more effectively. Thus, in this research; poster presentation activity was used as an alternative for traditional teaching approach on teaching "gene cloning" subject that takes places in Biology high school 3rd grade educating programme, and it has been aimed to reveal the effect of this activity on learning by comparison with narrating. Research sample have consisted of 131 students who have been educated in Gazi Faculty of Education, Science Education Department in 2001-2002 educationIV term., and those students consisted of 68 1st Education and 63 2nd Education students. Experimental design with pretest-posttest control group has been used in order to reveal the effect of poster presentation activity over learning. Data collecting tools that were used in research are Test of Logical Thinking and Gene Cloning Achievement Test. Data that were obtained from collecting data tools were analysed by using t- test for independent groups, t-test for dependent groups and ANCOVA in SPSS package programme. As a conclusion, it was revealed that experimental group students who perform gene cloning subject with poster presentation were more successful than control groups who perform gene cloning subject with narrating technique. Key Words: Poster Presentation, Biology Education, Biotechnology Education. Page Number: 93 Adviser: Prof. Dr. Orhan ARSLAN