The effect of using models on achievement and continuance in teaching the matter and heat unit in science and technology course 6th grade middle-school

In this study, it has been investigated the effects of using models on students' achievement and continuance comparing with Science and Technology curriculum in 2005 in teaching "Matter and Heat" unit in Science and Technology Teaching for 6th grade students. For this research, two classes were randomly selected from 6th grade students as one of them was control group while the other one was the experimental group at 23 Ağustos Secondary School in Kastamonu Province. As a means of collecting data, an achievement test, which consisted of thirty questions about "Matter and Heat" unit, was used. During four weeks, "Matter and Heat" unit was taught to the students in the control group according to the Science and Technology curriculum in 2005 while the same unit was taught to the students in the experimental group with models. The achievement test prepared to measure the equivalence of the groups in terms of knowledge was administered as a pre-test. After the application finished, the same test was administered as a post-test to measure the success of both groups. After four weeks the application finished, the same test was administered as a continuance achievement test to measure what students recall. The data obtained from this application was analyzed with SPSS 17 statistical package programme and t-test was used for evaluating of the data. After the results of the analysis of the quantitative data obtained from this study, it has been found out that in favor of the experimental group, there is a significant difference between the success of the experimental group which has been taught the lessons with models and the success of the control group which has been taught the lessons according to the Science and Technology curriculum in 2005. Furthermore, according to the outcome of the continuance test which was administered after four weeks the application finished, the rate of recalling what students learned in the experimental group is more than the students' in the control group. In the light of the data obtained from this study, it has been found out that using models in teaching "Matter and Heat" unit in Science Teaching for 6th grades increases the students' achievement and provides remaining what students learned in their memory for a long time.