The effects of cooperative learning method at teaching elementary school 7th class science and technology course's electricity in our life chapter of students's success and their attitudes to the lesson

The purpose of this research is to determine whether there are differences of success, the attitude against ?Science and Technology? course and remembrance of subject taught students according to traditional teaching and cooperative teaching methods of teaching Elementary school 7th class science and technology course?s ?Electricity in our life? chapter.In this research a quantitative method pre and post-test experimental design has been used. To the test group, cooperative teaching method?s Jigsaw technique has been applied whereas to the check group traditional teaching method, explanation and ask-answer, has been applied.This research has been done on 72 students, schooling 7th class in an elementary school at Pendik/İstanbul 2008-2009 fall semester. Students have been divided into two groups. 36 students have been chosen for the test group and 36 students for the check group randomly.The research has lasted four weeks. Many different data gathering tools have been used before and after the application of the test on both test and check group to determine the learning level, the attitude against ?Science and Technology ?course and remembrance of subject taught such as; background information test, Academic success test,Science and Technology course attitude survey and Jigsaw Opinion Scale . In addition the test group?s opinions of the Jigsaw technique have also been determined.Results has been analyzed by the software SPSS. According to these results Jigsaw Technique increases the students? academic success and the remembrance of the subject of the 7th class science and technology course?s ?Electricity in our life? chapter. However the attitude of the students against the course has not been affected by the Jigsaw Technique.Key words: Cooperative learning, Jigsaw, Electricity, Elementary Education, Attitude, Opinion