The effect of teaching the force and energy unit with models on academic success, motivation, self-regulation skills

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of using model activities in teaching the "Force and Energy" in the seventh grade of a secondary school on students' academic achievement, self-regulation skills, and science learning motivation. A mixed method was used for the study, and it was conducted according to the experimental model of "pre-test-post-test-control group". In the study conducted with 40 students, quantitative data for academic achievement was obtained using the "Force and Energy Achievement Test, which consists of 30 questions covering the levels of knowledge, comprehension, and application. The motivational effect of the model teaching on the experimental group was determined using the 23-item "Motivational Scale for Science Learning" and the effect on self-regulation skills using the 16-item "Perceived Self-Regulation Scale." Data were collected using observation and semi-structured interview questions for qualitative data. During the application process, students in the control group were taught for five weeks using the methods prescribed in the Science Education Programme of the Ministry of National Education, while students in the experimental group were taught for five weeks using model-based science education. In teaching the lessons to the experimental group, scale models, pedagogical models, analogue models, symbolic-symbolic models, map-diagram-tables, concept-process models, etc. were used. The study shows that model-based instruction positively affected the academic achievement, motivation and self-regulation of students in the experimental group. It is hoped that the results of the study will contribute to the literature.