The effect of the situated learning on academic success, attitude and learning? permanence of knowledge of students in a computer - assisted classroom environment of the sixth grade primary school social sciences course

The purpose of this study is to present the effect of the teaching strategy based on the situated learning theory of the constructivist learning approach on learning achievement and permanence of knowledge intended for the unit ?our country and our world? ?global connections? learning area in the sixth grade primary school social sciences course. In addition, it is also examined whether situated learning makes any difference in the students? attitude towards the course in the process of the investigation.The independent variable of the study is the situated learning while the dependent variables are academic success, the permanence of success and the attitude towards the course. The participants of the study are the students at the classes 6/C and 6/D (38 students) at Cumhuriyet Elementary School. The total time spent for the implementation of the study is six weeks.The implementation process began when the participants of the study were grouped as control and experimental groups. In order to obtain the data of the study, an attitude scale intended to determine the students? attitudes towards the course of social sciences, and an achievement test intended to determine the students? knowledge of the learning area were prepared. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the attitude scale was found to be 85,8 while the Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the achievement test was 74,4.During the process of the study, before and after the implementation, the scales were practised on the participants in order to determine the achievement and the attitudes of the students at the control and experimental groups towards the course. The data obtained was analysed via using t test. In the section of the tabulation and explication of the data of the study, level of significance was found to be 0.5.In the analysis of the data of the study, a series of analysis were also made considering the effect factor. In addition, in the analysis of the data obtained from the attitude scale, the total points and averages received from 1-5 likert - type rating scale were used.As the consequence of the study, it is founded that the situated learning theory is effective at a medium level on the learning achievement. Intended for the courses taught via using the situated learning theory, there is no significant difference in the students? attitudes.Key Words: Situated Learning, Situated Cognition, Constructivist Approachİhsan ÜNLÜElazığ 2009