The effect of project based learning on academic success, creative thinking, permanance, attitude levels towards life study course in knowledge of life teaching

The purpose of this study is make suggestions to teachers and researchers by evaluating the effect of project based learning?s, a model where students work cooperatively, reach information by research and study, and present the product they make at the end of this process, on attitude and permanence levels of creative thinking, academic success, knowledge of life course. This research was conducted with the participation of 48 3rd grade students. The model of the research is determined as half-experimental pattern with pre test and final test control group. After determining experiment and control groups according to the related pattern, both groups? teachers have practiced Knowledge of Life Course Success Test, developed by the researcher, and Knowledge of Life Course Attitude Scale and Torrance Creative Thinking Test Verbal A Form, developed by Dundar (2003) to both groups. For a 9-week period, ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education?, consisting of 3 projects and with a topic of ?Occupations, Natural Disasters and Courses? was given to the students in experiment group. There was no interference with the control group?s daily education routine. At the end of each project, a success test to both experiment and control groups was conducted by the researcher. After nine-week ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education? practice, Torrance Creative Thinking Test Verbal B Form and Knowledge of Life Course Attitude Scale were practiced to the students in experiment and control group again. Also, success tests about ?Occupations? and ?Courses? were practiced again 15 days after the final tests to determine the permanence of learned information. The collected data was evaluated by analysis. At the end of the research: 1.It is seen that the final test scores of the students in the group of ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education? practice have increased significantly when compared to the final test scores of the students in the control group. Pre test ? final test scores of the experiment group had significant difference in favor of final test scores in Wilocoxon marked lines test. 2.The permanence final test scores of the students in the group of ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education? practice have increased significantly when compared to the final test scores of the students in the control group. Pre test ? final test scores of the experiment group had significant difference in favor of final test scores in Wilocoxon marked lines test. 3.The attitude scale final test scores of the students in the group of ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education? practice have increased significantly when compared to the final test scores of the students in the control group. Pre test ? final test scores of the experiment group had significant difference in favor of final test scores in Wilocoxon marked lines test. 4.The creativity test final test scores of the students in the group of ?Project and Learning Based Knowledge of Life Education? practice have not shown a significant difference when compared to the final test scores of the students in the control group. Pre test ? final test scores of the experiment group had not shown significant difference in favor of final test scores in Wilocoxon marked lines test. 5.No significant relation between creativity test and academic success final test scores of the students in experiment and control groups was reported. However, a positive and significant relation was reported between the attitude and academic success final test scores of the students in experiment and control groups.