Evaluation of the views of the secondary school students for cooperative learning in the visaul arts lessons

This study aims to determine the cooperative methods and experiences of the students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades of the secondary school within the frame of cooperative instruction approach being used in the application of the visual arts lessons.The research consists of four chapters. İntroductory chapter, the problem has been determined and the objectives, sub objectives, importance, premises and restrictions of the research have been defined.In the two chapter, the definition of art education, the need for art education, its objectives and concerns and the methods being used in the art education have been emphasized. In addition, the place and importance of art education in the visual arts, the methods being used with the cooperative learning in our schools and its bringing to the education, the application of the cooperative learning method in the visual arts classes, positive and negative sides have been given place in this chapter.The research was carried out on 160 students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades of Malatya Province Doğanşehir Borough Atatürk Primary School in the 2008-2009 education period. The students were separated into groups in 4 before the study.In the study, 6th grade Visual Arts course with the subject ?Visual Arts and Our Country?, 7th grade Visual Arts course with the subject ?Meeting of the Cultures?, 8th grade Visual Arts course with the subject ?City Project? were carried out by the cooperative learning method. At the end of the study, a survey with 23 items was applied to the students to define their point of views about the cooperation learning.In the third chapter, the findings were evaluated. The results obtained in the end of the study and the percentages of the answers given to the questions in the survey in terms of sub objectives were evaluated.The fourth chapter consists of result and suggestions. The results of this study show that the majority of the students like the visual arts lessons, they can express themselves easily in this course and they like the art studies. We understand that they prefer cooperative learning group work, they have no problems about sharing equipment or working place and they take the notes they deserve during the assessment. We realize that one of the problems facing is about choosing the groups for cooperative work randomly.The result of the work that prepared for the impact of cooperative education on the students studying in elementary education and the opinion of these students about this method gives us the followings:Firstly, we can observe that the most of the students that are practiced this method and given the questionnaire are interested in visual arts and that they can express themselves freely. Secondly, they enjoyed artistic and cooperative works, and wanted to have this method permanently. Thirdly, they began expressing their personal ideas freely, encouraging each other, being thoughtful. Finally, they had no problem with sharing working classes and the materials used for their works, and thought that they had the grade what they deserved.While determination of the group members, the problem faced mostly can be randomly choice. We can observe that the students do not like working with the student that is not chosen by them. The reasons for that can be that they can have closer friendship with the students chosen by them and that they can show their power to them.In the light of the results collected this method, we can conclude this as collective education is accepted by the students while educating them on the topics of Visual Arts, and this education method will increase the success of the students and participation of the students with the lessons.Keywords; Art Education, Creativity, Visual Arts, Cooperative Learning, Group Work, Doğanşehir.