The effects of the socio-cultural constructivist and traditional learning environment on learner's acedemic achievement, learning permanency and learner's views for the unit "güzel yurdumuz Türkiye" of social studies at the 5th grade of primary school

In this study the effects of the socio-cultural constructivist and traditional learning environment on learner's academic achievement, learning permanency and learner's views were aimed to examine. For this purpose, the unit "Güzel Yurdumuz Türkiye" of Social Studies at the 5th grade of primary school was applied within the principles of socio-cultural constructivist approach and traditional learning environment. Using the pretest and posttest experimental research method with control group, this study was carried out on two 5th grade classes in Mustafa Eravutmuş Primary School, in the second term of the academic year, 2004-2005. In order to choose the groups in the study, the mean of the 5th grade learners' marks in the previous year were examined using t-test so as to determine whether their marks were statistically meaningful. According to t-test results, three groups, in which the differentiation was the least, were specified and two groups were randomly chosen. Using the same method, one of these groups was chosen as the control group and the other was determined as the experimental group randomly. 42 participants, consisting of 13 girls and 29 boys formed the experimental group, while 41 participants consisting of 16 girls and 25 boys formed the control group. The data gained from the research was gathered with an achievement test developed by the researcher. After doing the content validity of the test, 117 learners attending the 6th grade participated in the pre-practice and according to the results, the mean of the difficulty of the test was found 0.51 and Cronbach Alpha (&) coefficient for reliability 0.70. In order to determine the similarity levels of the control and experimental groups and to find out pre-knowledge of the groups about the unit, the pretest was given both to the control and the experimental groups. Before the practice, the outlines of the lesson plans were completed by the researcher taking the principles of constructivist approach into consideration and during the practice, these lesson plans were arranged together with the learners of the experimental group and carried out in the same group. In order to determine whether the learning environment in the experimental group was arranged in accordance with the constructivist approach or not, "Constructivist Learning Environment Scale" was used to control. The lesson plans of the control group in which the traditional learning IXmethods were applied were prepared by the class teacher and these plans were checked by the researcher on the basis of their suitability for the traditional approach. One week after the practice which lasted approximately for six weeks, achievement test was given as the posttest; and six weeks after the posttest the achievement test was carried out as the retention test on the control and the experimental groups as well. The data gained from the research was examined in terms of mean, standard deviation and One Factor Covariance Analysis (ANCOVA). The first finding of the research demonstrated that when the marks of the control and the experimental group from the pretest were taken under control; the experimental group in which the constructivist approach was carried out was more successful on the basis of academic achievement than the control group in which the traditional learning methods were applied. This finding supported the first hypothesis. The second finding of the research demonstrated that when the marks of the two groups from the posttest were taken under control; the experimental group in which the constructivist approach was carried out was more successful on the basis of learning permanency than the control group in which the traditional learning methods were applied. This finding supported the second hypothesis. The third finding of the research demonstrated that constructivist learning environment affected the learner's views positively. At the end of the research, it was found that in terms of academic achievement and the learning permanency between the learners in the control group and the experimental group, there was a meaningful differentiation on behalf of the learners in the experimental group. Moreover, it was also found that constructivist approach affected the learners' views in a positive way. x