The effect of animation on academic achievement of the greenhouse gas effect, acid rain and depletion of ozone layer topics in secondoray education

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of content design based on classical instructional principles and theories, content design based on causal-mechanistic reasoning model and hand drawn animation development based on causal-mechanistic reasoning model related to the greenhouse gases, acid rain and ozone depletion issues. In addition students opinions about the textual-contents and instructional software is investigatedThe study group is consisting of tenth grade students attending to the Seyhan Anadolu High school. There are 25 students in the first experimental group, 29 students in the second experimental group and 27 students in the third control group. The first experimental group learned the subject via animation designed based on causal-mechanic reasoning model; the second experimental group learned the subject via text designed based on causal-mechanic reasoning model and the third group learned the subject via text designed based on classical instructional design principles. An achievement test and a survey about the student opinion are used to gather data. Data is analyzed using ANOVA and ANCOVA statistical techniques with SPSS 17 software.The study result showed that there is a significant difference between achievement score of cued, hand drawn animation and the other groups. Also a significant difference is detected between achievement scores of causal-mechanic and the achievement score of control group. More positive opinions belong to the students in the animation group compared to the other groups.Keywords: Greenhouse effect, acid rain, ozone depletion, content design, mechanic thinking, causal thinking, animation.