The effect of non-school learning environments on the academic achievements of students: The example of the hydroelectric power plant trip

In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effect of a planned trip made to the hydroelectric power plant on learning and to get opinions about the trip of the students in order to be an example for informal learning environments. Both qualitative and quantitative data were used for this purpose.For this reason, the interlocking pattern is used from mixed patterns. As the working group, in the 2015-2016 academic year, Tirebolu İmam Hatip in Giresun was selected as the eighth grade student in the middle school. 19 of these students are in the experimental group and 18 of them are the control group students. The quantitative part of the study was designed according to two groups (experimental and control) pretest-posttest experimental design pattern. In this section, as data collection tool; The academic achievement test was applied as pre and post test to experimental and control groups on the topic of "electricity in our lives" prepared by the expert's opinion. As a result of analyzing the data in SPSS package program; Mann Whitney U ve Wilcoxon Testi, it was determined that there was a significant difference between pre-test academic achievement scores and post-test academic achievement scores in favor of the final test (Z=3,731; p=.000<.05). In the qualitative part of the research; After the trip, the students were interviewed with the semi-structured interview form which was prepared by the researcher and the data obtained were evaluated.According to the results obtained by analyzing the data, a well planned hydroelectric power plant tour has a positive effect on learning. They found that they found the excursion to be fun and informative, that they had learned better by having fun and that they found the brochures about the hydroelectric power plant before the trip and the guiding of the teachers and the plant workers helpful on the trip. Besides these results, the hydroelectric power plant tour; it has been seen that the availability as an educational environment and the rate of achievement are positively affected.