The effect of mind maps and demonstration experiments applied activities on academic success and inquiry learning skills in genetic engineering and biotechnology teaching

This study aimed to determine the effect of lecture transfer using mind mapping technique on the academic achievement and inquiry learning skills of the students in the 8th grade science course "Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology". The sample of the research consists of 123 8th grade students from 4 classes in a state secondary school in Meram district of Konya province. In the research, pre-test and post-test design with control group, which is one of the quantitative methods, was used. "Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Achievement Test" and "Inquiry-Oriented Learning Skills Perception Scale for Science" were used as data collection tools. Mind maps to be used during the application were created by the researcher. After the pre-tests were applied in each group, the explanation of the subject was as follows; Mind map+experimental demonstration was performed in the I. experiment group, mind map was performed in the II. experimental group, and an experimental demonstration was performed in the III. experimental group. In the control group, the subject was explained with the traditional method in accordance with the science curriculum. Then, the achievement test and the post-tests of the perception scale were conducted. According to the results of the analysis, there was a significant difference in the inquiry learning skills in the 1st experimental group, in which mind maps and demonstration experiments were performed, compared to the 2nd experimental group, which only used minp maps, and the control group.According to the result obtained from this data, it can be stated that using mind map contributes positively to inquiry learning skills, but using experiment demonstration besides mind map contributes more to inquiry learning skills. According to the results of the applied achievement test, all experimental groups differed significantly from the control group. As a result, it was seen that performing mind mapping and demonstration experiments increased academic success, and even using both together positively supported academic success. In addition, it was concluded that there was a weak positive relationship between academic achievement and inquiry skills towards science.