The effects of web based training environment based upon problem solving and discovery learning theory on the success of the students

This research was conducted to define the effects of a Web-based training environment based on problem solving and discovery learning theory on the academic achievement of the students. The dimension of the study group was arranged as 73 students from 5th class of ltekin Primary School located in Ankara in the education year of 2006-2007. Experimental (38 students) and control (35 students) groups are chosen randomly. The Web Based Mathematics Lesson was developed to fulfill the experimental purpose. Each topic was taught 4 hours per week. The experimantal group was taught in computer room by using Mathematics home page and the control group was taught in their class by traditional method. The experimental study lasted 2 weeks. In the experimental study, achievement tests were applied to both groups as ex-ante test and ex-post test. Also, the ideas stated by students on the Internet and Web based application was obtained by using a likert type inquiry. Datum was evaluated by SPSS program, arithmetic mean and standard deviation were calculated. Independent-Samples t test was used to determine whether there is a significant difference between experimental and control groups? mean score or not. The results of the t test was evaluated .05 significance level. It was concluded that a Web based training environment based on problem solving and discovery learning theory do not have a significant difference on students? achievement. According to the inquiry results, it was understood that the students have positive opinion as listed below. They find Web application amazing, they find menu structure extremely user-friendly and easy to remember. In addition they belive that it takes less time for them to study on web pages and it is much more useful to study and less boring when compared with traditional method.