Examining the effects of collaborative learning technique jigsaw-II and creative drama activities on students' achievement

In this research, the effects of cooperative learning technique jigsaw-II and creative drama activities on students' academic achievement were examined. In the experiment-1 group of the research, which used a pre-post test experimental design with control group, the cooperative learning technique "Jigsaw-II" was used, while "Creative Drama" was used in the experiment-2 group and activities based on "Textbook and Teacher Lecture" were preferred in the control group. In the study conducted in the learning area of "Production, Distribution and Consumption" in the 4th grade Social Studies curriculum, the experimental and control groups were randomly selected. Before and after the study, the achievement test was used as a pre-post test, the teaching-learning process in the experimental groups was observed and the students along with the teacher conducting the drama activities were interviewed. It was determined that the groups started the studies with similar characteristics in terms of Social Studies, Turkish, end-of-semester report card grades and achievement test scores. Since the scores obtained from the achievement test did not show normal distribution and their variances were not equal, nonparametric statistics were used in the comparisons. The related (dependent) Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to compare the groups within themselves, the Kruskal Wallis H test was used to compare the groups with each other, and the Unrelated (Independent) Mann Whitney U test was used to determine the significant difference that emerged at the end of this test. Qualitative data obtained from interviews and observations were analyzed first manually and then with Maxqda software. At the end of the study, it was determined that the cooperative learning technique jigsaw-II and creative drama activities significantly increased the achievement of the students, while the activities based on the textbook and teacher lecture applied in the control group did not create a significant improvement. As a result of the comparison of the progress scores of the experimental and control groups, it was revealed that both jigsaw-II and creative drama activities significantly increased students' achievement compared to the activities applied in the control group. The analysis of the qualitative data obtained as a result of the interviews and observations concluded that the activities implemented in the experimental groups positively affected students' emotions, expectations, values, cooperation characteristics, goal-based and implicit learning.