The effect of close-ended experiments on the subject of mixture separation techniques on 7th grade students

One needs to be educated on science in order to discern nature and natural events. It is necessary to provide individuals with a sense of an environment that can be thought as a science laboratory to instil the love of science in them and to show them that the events going on about them are all parts of science. They need to be provided the education necessary to display a positive approach to science classes, laboratory and experiments. Based on these notions, the role that experiments and laboratories have in science education is of utmost importance. This study is conducted to examine the benefits of experiments in science classes on primary education level. In this study, case study based on quantitative research patterns is used. Semi-structured interview with each student, students diaries and video records are benefited from in the process of data collection. As a data collection tool, eight semi-structured open-ended questions were used, videos were recorded while conducting research study, it was asked from students that they keep a diary for each day of the events. In prepering the questions, opinions from experts in the field of science were taken, and thus the valiolity of assesment instrument was ensured. In research study, three different data collection tools were used and further valiolity of the study conducted is guaranteed. Interviews with the students were voice recorded to provide the analysis of the answers given by the students. In the stage of collected data analysis, descriptive analysis was employed and the data was interpreted. The study was conducted in 2017- 2018 school year spring term with 14 seventh grade students studying at Bozatalan Secondary School. The sample group consists of 5 male and 9 female students. The said school is a village school and and thus the studends are generally from low-income families. Almost all the parents of the students are primary school graduates. At the beginning of the study, it was observed that the students were inept at experimenting and using experiment materials, not being very familiar with the materials used. However, as days went by, it was seen that the subject was internalized, the students became practical at using the materials and that they genuinely enjoyed the learning process. In the study that was conducted, as a result of the observations, it was seen that students were very excited, they participated in the class very willingly, and that there was a great activity going on in the classroom during the study. Right from the moment that the study was started it was observed that the student participation in class increased and even the students with very low academic success enjoyed the class. In the light of the data driven from semi-structured interview questions and students diaries, findings such as students' increased interests and participation in class, their excited arrival at the class, sense of classes going by quickly, their looking forward to next science class are reached. When experimenting about mixture separation techniques, that the students feel themselves as scientists is a striking finding that was obtained. In this process, it was observed that the children displayed not only affective but also cognitive and in psychomotor development. Because they learned through and experiences in this process, the students learnt easily, did not forget what they experienced, their knowledge stuck in their minds and misconceptions were much more quickly corrected with experiments are the data that was reached. In additon to that, after this process, the students expressed that because they now know the materials, their names and how to use them, it was much easier to conduct experiments. That the students with low academic success experienced some fears and that any damage that could happen to the materials could lower the students' motivation are the significant findings that were obtained. All in all, it was seen that conducting experiments in science classes have a great deal of affective, cognitive and psychomotor benefits on students. That is why experiments should be included in science classes more and it should be ensured that students love the class. Because even basic experiments conducted during class will facilitate learning and attribute meaning to knowledge, experiments should be conducted frequently. Teachers should provide students with an experiment environment that they can feel at ease in, rather than being an obligation, experiments should be an enjoyable tool that facilitates learning. While conducting experiments, necessary safety measures should be taken, affects on student motivation by any damage that could happen to materials should be prevented.