The effect of instruction the life event which enables continuity of species (reproduction) subject through worksheets on primary school eighth grade students` achievement and retention

In the literature, there are a number of studies regarding the difficulties inteaching the subject of cell division, which occurs in the microscopic level andincludes many abstract concepts. To promote students to comprehend the subject andcostruct the concepts, appropriate instructional methods and techniques should beselected.The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of instruction `The lifeevent which enables continuity of species (reproduction)? subject through worksheetson primary school eight grade students? achievement and retention. The research wasbased on pre-test post-test experimental design with control group. The participantsare 59 students (31 from the experimental group, 28 from the control group) fromEge İhracatçı Birlikleri Primary School in Buca, a district of İzmir, in 2005-2006term. For five weeks, the control group received a conventional instruction whereasthe experimental group was instructed through worksheets. The data were obtainedby means of an achievement test, a science attitude scale and an interview scale. Sixweeks after the implementation had been completed, in addition to administering theachievement test and the attitude scale to both groups as pretests and posttests, thesame achievement test was, again, administered as a retention test. A pair of sixstudents from both groups were interviewed. Compared to convetional instruction,instruction through worksheets has increased student achievement and it has beenmore effective on retention and increased positive attitudes towards science. Also,contrary to convential instruction, this instructional method has been more promotingon constructing knowledge.