A case study on teaching values and skills in life sciences course supported by authentic learning approach

It is possible for individuals to adapt to the social contexts in which they live, to recognize their own culture, thanks to the values and skills that they can acquire by facing real-world situations. Not all root values and skills are inherently in the structure that can be acquired in a vacuum, but they can be acquired in real life contexts. For this reason, it is important to plan authentic activities targeting real-world situations for the acquisition of these skills in preschool and primary school periods, which are critical for value acquisition and skill development. In this respect, the social studi̇es courseprovides a suitable basis for planning authentic activities. In this research, the application of second grade life sciences course teaching supported by authentic learning activities; It is aimed to examine in depth, explore and explain all aspects of the values that constitute the focus of the research. In this research, which is planned as a case study from qualitative research patterns, the root values of responsibility, benevolence and self-control and communication skills are the situations that form the focus of the research. For the acquisition and development of these values and skills, plans have been made supported by authentic learning activities in the "healthy life" and "safe life" units of the second grade social studi̇es course. These plans have been prepared by blending both the situations that constitute the focus of the research, the objectives of the achievements, and the basic qualities and components of the authentic learning strategy. Data of the research; It was collected through pre-process observation, researcher and student reflective diary, individual and group self-evaluation forms, graduated scoring scale, and expert interview evaluation forms. The classroom in which the research was conducted is one of the 2nd grade branches of an official primary school affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş Province. Participants were selected with the typical case sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods. The researcher is also the teacher of the class in which the study was conducted. The application process, supported by authentic learning activities, involve thirteen learning outcomes and lasted eleven weeks. It is hes been benefited from tallies developed by researcher before activities planned about learning outcomes to determine whether the activities in the study one appropriate for authentic strategy or not. The tallies developed for authentic context and authentic events have been benefited from before activites planned for each acquisition. The data of the research were collected with the following tools; individual self-assessment form filled in by the students after each acquisition and self-assessment form for the group, reflective diary of student which filled in about each activity, observation notes and reflective diaryof researcher, experts who support the authentic learning process, the expert interview evaluation form filled by the students after the expert who support the authentic learning process finish their activities, the rubric developed by the researcher for the evaluation of authentic products (stories, slogans, pictures and interviews) created by student groups related to each acquisition, semi-structured interviews with students at the end of the process. The research data were analyzed and interpreted by means of content analysis. The data obtained from the self-assessment forms made sense by collecting under categories and codes every week.The rubrics were scored by two raters after completing the authentic products prepared for each event. The data obtained from the expert interview evaluation forms are collected under categories and codes and presented in summary tables. Researcher and student reflective diaries and researcher observation notes were analyzed in the context of the situations that formed the focus of the research. At the end of the process, audio recordings of semi-structured interviews with students were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. The validity and reliability of the research has been were provided by taking into account the basic recommendations accepted in the literature for qualitative research. The researcher has shown sensitivity in complying with the basic ethical principles throughout the process. Based on the findings obtained from the research, following conclusions were reached: It has been observed that all students have developed at certain levels in terms of responsibility, helpfulness and self-control value, and communication skills which are constituting the focus of the study. It has been determined that there were positive developments which made themselves more visible in the sub-dimensions and basic qualities of these skills and values, especially towards the end of the process. It has been observed that positive developments in one value have positive effects on the acquisition and development of other values. In terms of the authentic learning process; It was concluded that the students enjoyed the process, they felt useful, they liked to take part in various projects in cooperation and they wanted to participate in such activities in the future. In the last stage of the research, based on the findings obtained from the study, suggestions were made for similar studies to be done later and for practice. Keywords: Authentic learning, life knowledge, values, responsibility, helpfulness, self-control, communication skills, case study