The effects of integrated unit and constructivist based teaching learning process on fourth grades students` learning levels, attitudes towards learning, academic self-confidence

The main purpose of this study was to test the integrated unit and teaching activities basedon constructivist together and separately during the unit of our close environment in socialstudies class of 4th grade in a state school. For this purpose, the following processes andmethods were conducted in three experimental groups:1- Integrated unit and constructivist teaching and learning processes.2- Integrated unit and traditional teaching methods.3- Traditional and constructivist teaching learning processes.In the control group, traditional unit and traditional teaching processes wereconducted.The research was conducted with 146 fourth graders attending a state primary school(%zmir Buca Otuz A*ustos %lkö*retim Okulu) during the fall term of 2004-2005 instructionalyear.The pre-and post-test design was used in the research. The research was conductedwith four groups, as three experimental and one control groups. One of the groups assignedaccording to equal possibility was defined as control group.The data were gathered by; a) Learning Level Test, b) Attitude Test, c)Academic Self-Confidence Test, d) Parents? Views Questionnaire, e) Students? ViewsQuestionnaire, f) InterviewThe learning level, attitudes towards learning and academic self-confidence scores ofthe experimental group and control groups were compared. While the written and verbalviews of students were gathered by questionnaires, parents? views were gathered byinterview form.The integrated unit and teaching and learning activities based on constructivism weredeveloped by the researcher. The unit was integrated by including the social science, science,mathematics, Turkish, painting, music, physical education courses for the 4th grade. Asconstructivist teaching activities group investigations are based on cooperative learning,instructional approaches with discovery and presentation methods and various active learningactivities were done. The researcher himself studied as the teacher with all experimentalgroups and the control group (36x3 =108 hours of teaching). The statistical analysies used inthe research are as follows:1- Arithmethic Mean2- Standard Deviation3- t Test4- Analysis of Variance5- Scheffé ' TestAt the end of the research, it was observed significantly difference in the scoringmeans of academic achievement, attitude and academic self confidence in favour of theexperimental groups which received instructions with integrated unit based on constructivismand integrated unit based on traditional teaching than control grup. While the experimentalgroup receiving constructive instruction with traditional unit were differed significantly thanthe control group regarding academic achievement, there was no significant differencebetween attitude and academic self confidence. When the data gathered from the views ofstudents and parents were examined, it was concluded that the process in the experimentalgroup was perceived and supported positively.