The effects of problem solving method in teach of the "force and movement" unit in the 8th grade scince and technology course on student achievements

Individuals are expected to have different abilities to adapt to the rapidly growing and changing world. Amongst these abilities high-level of thinking comes first. For individuals to be able to reveal themselves in a healthy way they are required to gain skills to perform these abilities. In this context the basic aim of eduation in each country is to educate individuals as thinking individuals in there actions and statements.Thinking begins with a problem, problem solving becomes a goal for the individual and this aim directs the individual to think. Thinking that arises with a problem is a process and this process can be managed as a scientific method which can be applied to different areas. Even if the human brain is equiped with all the information unless there is a scientific method it can only store the information, nor produce it. The attidutes and skills regarding scientific thinking are gained by the scientific method process.In the educational programs applied the importance of thinking must be emphasized and students must gain scientific thinking skills. Starting from this point in this study the problem solving method was investigated in developing problem solving skills and gaining scientific thinking methods of students.For this reason the preliminary tests prepared by the reseacher were applied to 8th grade primary school students studying from the years 2009-2010 in the province of Manisa, district of Gördes, and the two schools which had the most nearest points were identified as working groups. Amongst these Beşeylül Elementary School 8th grade students formed the experimental group and Mehmet Akif Ersoy Primary School formed the kontrol group. In each class 22 students are found and the lesson plans were prepared by the researcher. While in the experimental group the subjects were taught by the problem solving method for five weeks by the reseacher, in the kontrol group the subjects were covered by the narrative method of a science teacher.For both groups the Science and Technology Achievement Tests, Problem Solving Skills Inventory, Science and Technology Approch Scale and Scientific Process Skills Test was administered. The data from these test was evaluated using SPSS 12 program for dependent and independent group test-t.According to the findings, success was significantly increased in the experimental group according to the control group. Similarly, in terms of problem solving skills while there was an increase in the experimental group, there was no change in the kontrol group. At the end of the five weeks, in terms of attitude and science process skills, there was a positive change in the experimental group.As a result, while problem solving skills improved students achievment, in terms of students attitudes towards science and problem solving and developing their scientific process skills there has been a positive contribution. Therefore, for the training of individuals who will contribute positively the use of this method by teachers, textbook preparers and cirriculum preperation experts should be considered.KEY WORDS: Academic Achievement, Science Process Skills, Scientific Method, Problem Solving, Attitude.