Meta-analytic evaluation of the effectiveness of primary school values education practices on learning outcomes

Values education; It is the whole of the elements that enable the individual to have a moral and characterful structure, to make sense of his life, and to be an honest, tolerant, responsible and social being. The most important aim of values education is to raise moral and responsible individuals who are beneficial to themselves and the society. With this study, it was aimed to synthesize the researches made on the effect level of values education practices in primary school through meta-analysis and to determine a general effect level. In this context, experimental-semi-experimental studies published in YÖK National Thesis Center on values education in primary school between 2010-2023 were screened according to the inclusion criteria of meta-analysis. As a result of this screening, 12 thesis studies (9 master's and 3 doctoral theses) meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated within the scope of this research, but in some of these studies, more than one experimental study was conducted and discussed separately. For this reason, a total of 23 meta-analyzed data were reached. According to the data obtained from the studies; effect size, heterogeneity test, moderator variable and publication bias analyzes were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA 4.0) program. Findings handled according to random effects model Cohen, et al. (2007) and the effectiveness of values education practices in primary school was found at the level of "strong effect size" (Hedges'g= 1.575). In addition, the effect sizes of these studies were calculated according to the moderator variables such as publication type, publication year, method, sample size and implementation period. According to these variables; While the experimental studies conducted in the publication type of the master's thesis have a strong average effect size, the average effect size of the studies conducted in the publication type of the doctoral thesis is at a medium level, the publication years are divided into eight groups, and the effectiveness of the studies conducted in 2017 is at the strongest level, while the effectiveness of the studies conducted in 2010 is at a weak level, Experimental studies conducted with quantitative method have a strong average effect size, while the average effect size of studies conducted with mixed method is medium, and the sample size is divided into three groups according to the moderator variable, and the experimental studies in these three groups are positive and It has been concluded that the effectiveness of the studies done in the 12-week application period is at the highest and strong level, among the groups divided into six according to the moderator variable, the effectiveness of the studies conducted in the 14-week application period is at a weak level. In addition, in line with these results, suggestions were made regarding the effectiveness of values education practices in primary school.