The effect of project based learning method on the academic achievement and critical thinking ability of biology teacher candidates

This research aims to search the effects of Project Based Learning method on the academic achievement and critical thinking ability of teacher candidates in Plant Physiology lesson. In this reserach, pre-testing with one group and post testing quasi experimental design has been used. The sample of the research includes the 3rd grade students studying the `?Plant Physiology?? lesson at the Gazi Educational Faculty of Gazi University. A total of 42 people created their final products by making 6 poster presentations after a 6-week project work period. In this research, Academic Achievement Test has been applied to one group that has been created to measure the achievement of the students and also California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory has been applied to the same group as pre-testing and post-testing to measure their critical thinking dispositions. When the testing scores of pre-testing before the application and the scores of the post-testing after the application are analyzed, conclusions show a significant increase in the success of the students; however not an important increase in the critical thinking dispositions of the students and that there is not a significant relation between the academic achievement and critical thinking disposition ability. Key Words: Project based learning, biology teaching, critical thinking, academic achievement, Plant Physiology.