The effect of implementing "the seven principles for good practice" using with cooperative learning and models on understanding of science

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of implementing "seven principles for good practice" with cooperative learning and models at centrum and rural area on sixth grade primary students' achievement and conceptual understandings on the science. Quasi-experimental method of quantitative approach was used this research. The sample of this research was comprised of totally 154 sixth grade students from four class of centrum (N=72) and four class of rural area (N=82) of Erzurum. Before the research, it was done a conversation with science teachers who implement this study related to research aim, activities and research process. According to these conversations, it was selected four sixth grade class from centrum and rural area and it was determined three of them as experimental groups and one of them as control group. The classes chosen from the schools were randomly determined as experimental and control groups. Totally 72 students of CSCLMG (Seven Principles with Cooperative Learning and Models Group in Centrum), [N=18], CSCLG (Seven Principles with Cooperative Learning Group in Centrum), [N=21], CCLG (Cooperative Learning Group in Centrum) [N=19] and CCG (Control Group in Centrum) [N=14] participated from centrum and 82 students of RSCLMG (Seven Principles with Cooperative Learning and Models Group in Rural Area), [N=21], RSCLG (Seven Principles with Cooperative Learning Group in Rural Area), [N=19], RCLG (Cooperative Learning Group in Rural area), [N=22] and RCG (Control Group in Rural Area), [N=20] participated from rural area to this research. While experimental groups who participated the research from centrum and rural area were thought with teaching/learning activities based on own methods, no intervention was made in the control groups. Control groups studied with science programme prepared by the Turkish Ministry of Education. A Pre-Knowledge Test (PKT), an Academic Achievement Test (AAT), a Concept Test (CT), Modul Tests, a Personality Knowledge Form (PKF), a Method Opinion Scale of Cooperative Learning (MOS), a Scale of Seven Principles for Good Practice (SSP) and Semi-Structured Interview Form (SSIF) were used as data collection tools. It was done validity and reliabilty analysis of data collecting tools. Before the research PKT, CT, PKF and SSP were implemented. In the research process modul tests were implemented. After the research AAT, CT, SSP, MOS and SSIF were implemented. For validity of tests and scales, it was taken expert opinions. Reliability coefficient (KR-20) for PKT was 0.89, for AAT was 0.93, for CT was 0.94 and Cronbach Alpha (α) for SSP was 0.78. For analyses data it was used descriptive statistics; percentage, frequency and predictive statistics; one way ANOVA, covariance analyses ANCOVA, paired sample t- test and also it was determined the effect size (η2) of these tests. According to research problems, findings showed four section. For the first sub-problem of research SSP and PKF results were analysed. According to the ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses of SSP, seven principles were implemented as successfully at science lessons in centrum and rural area (p<0.05). According to PKF students who participated the research from centrum were high socioeconomic statu than students from rural area. It was determined that this situation affected students achievement. For the second sub-problem of research it was investigated findings of PKT, AAT and MOS. According to ANOVA results of PKT, there was a significant difference between groups in centrum (p<0.05) and there was no a significant difference between groups in rural area (p>0.05). Also, for ANOVA results there was a significant difference between groups in totally (p<0.05). According to ANCOVA results of AAT, there was a significant difference between groups in centrum (p<0.05) and according to ANOVA results of AAT there was no a significant difference between groups in rural area (p>0.05). Also, for ANCOVA results there was a significant difference between groups in totally (p<0.05). For MOS, students from experimental groups both centrum and rural area expressed enjoying the process of cooperative learning model and they told that the process was instructive. For the third sub-problem of research modul tests results were analysed. According to ANOVA analyses of all modul tests, it was determined that model groups from centrum and rural area (CSCOMG and RSCOMG) were more successfull than the other experimental groups (CSCOG, CCOG, RSCOG and RCOG) (p<0.05). Additionally, according to paired sample t-test of model groups from centrum and rural area (CSCOMG and RSCOMG), it was seen that students from these experimental groups were increased conceptual understanding related to the topics (p<0.05). For the fourth sub-problem of research CT and SSIF results were analysed. According to pre-test of CT's ANOVA results, there was a significant difference between groups in centrum (p<0.05) and there was no a significant difference between groups in rural area (p>0.05). Also, for ANOVA results there was a significant difference between groups in totally (p<0.05). According to pos-test of CT's ANCOVA results, there was a significant difference between groups in centrum (p<0.05) and pos-test of CT's ANOVA results there was a significant difference between groups in centrum (p<0.05). Also, for ANCOVA results there was a significant difference between groups in totally (p<0.05). For conceptual analyses of CT and SSIF, there were too much misconceptions related to the particulate nature of matter especially control groups. In experimental groups also some misconceptions were determined. These misconceptions decreased at the end of study but it was seen that some of them continued. In conclusion, "seven principles for good practice" was implemented from theory to practice in centrum and rural area; students have positive views related to seven principles and cooperative learning model; implementing seven principles with cooperative learning and model increased students' academic achievement; using models increased conceptual understandings related to topic and implementing all methods in this research increased conceptual understanding and decreased students' misconceptions related to the particulate nature of matter. Key Words: Seven principles for good practice, particulate nature of matter,cooperative learning, models, academic achievement, conceptual understanding