The effect of quantum learning model on science 5th grade secondary school students 'academic success and scientific process skills

The purpose of this study is to develop lesson plans and materials within the scope of the Quantum Learning Model for the 5th grade "Change of Matter" unit of secondary school, and to investigate the effectiveness of these lesson plans and materials in scientific process skills and academic skills. The study is a quasi-experimental design method. The universe of the study consists of 5th grade students attending secondary schools in Çorum city center in the first semester of 2014-2015 academic year. The sample is composed of 5th grade students attending a secondary school in the center of Çorum in the first semester of 2014-2015 academic year. The subjects within the scope of the "Change of Matter, unit were designed according to the quantum learning model and the lesson plan, materials and activities were developed. The study was carried out within a period of 20 hours, four hours per week. The research data were collected using the Scientific Process Skills Test (SPST) and the Change of Matter Academic Achievement Test (CMAAT) developed by Enger and Yager (1988). CMAAT, developed by the researcher, was completed with 36 questions after validity and reliability studies. CMAAT and SPST were applied to the experimental and control groups as pre-test and post-test before and after experimental procedure. The data were analyzed using SPSS 18 program. Independent t-test was used in the analysis. There was no significant difference between the CMAAT pre-test results of the groups but there was a significant difference between the average of CMAAT post-test scores in favor of the experimental group. There was no significant difference between the SPST pretest results of the experimental and control groups. SPST pre-test results were similar in terms of basic process skills and integrated process skills sub-factors. There was a significant difference between the groups' SPST post-test results in favor of the experimental group. There was no significant difference between the post-test results of the SPST basic process skills sub-factor whereas a significant difference was found between the integrated process skills sub-factor post-test results. As a result of the research, it was seen that quantum learning model contributed positively to the academic success and scientific process skills of the students. Quantum Learning Model is suggested to apply other grades to acquire integrated process skills which are expected to be developed in secondary school students.