The effects of instruction based on conceptual understanding through cooperative learning on the students? understanding of environmental concepts and environmental awareness: The sample of 7th grade unit of ?human and environment?

The Effects of Instruction Based on Conceptual Understanding Through Cooperative Learning on The Students? Understanding of Environmental Concepts and Environmental Awareness: The Sample of 7th Grade Unit of ?Human and Environment?The aim of this study is to search the effects of instruction based on conceptual understanding through cooperative learning on the students? conceptual understanding, environmental awareness and also its retention on the students? attitudes towards environment and conceptual understanding.The study was conducted with 29 students of 7/B as experimental group and 20 students of 7/C as control group in Mehmet Emin Yurdakul Primary School of Buca, Izmir during the spring term of 2008-2009. The experimental group received the science and technology course based on conceptual understanding through cooperative learning while the control group received the science and technology course based on the current curriculum for approximately 4 weeks. The data were collected through conceptual understanding test, environmental attitude scale and interview forms of environmental awareness and instruction based conceptual understanding through cooperative learningThe conceptual understanding test and the interview forms of environmental awareness and instruction based conceptual understanding through cooperative learning were developed by the researcher. Conceptual understanding test and environmental attitude scale were applied to both groups before and after the instruction. 5 students from each group before and after the instruction were interviewed about environmental awareness by using the interview form of environmental awareness. Furthermore, 5 students from the experimental group were interviewed about the instruction given to experimental group by using instruction based conceptual understanding through cooperative learning interview form at the end of the instruction. Conceptual understanding test and environmental attitude scale were given to both groups after 4 and half months after the instruction for the retention.The results showed that there are significant differences between the experimental and control groups in favor of experimental group in terms of their conceptual understanding. Moreover, it is also seen that, there are significant quantitative differences in favor of experimental group where at the same time various qualitative developments have been also observed in terms of environmental awareness. It is also found that, instruction based on conceptual understanding through cooperative learning was more effective in ensuring the retention of conceptual understanding and the attitude towards the environment than the current science and technology curriculum. Moreover, it was seen that experimental group students had positive opinions about the instruction based on conceptual understanding through cooperative learning.Keywords: Cooperative learning, conceptual understanding, science education, environmental awareness, attitude towards environment, retention