Student knowledge levels about the energy-related socio-scientific subjects in social studies course program

In this research, the data were collected in order to reveal student knowledge levels about solar energy, hydroelectric energy, Thermal energy, wind energy, nuclear energy and geothermal energy from the sources taught underthe heading of energy in Primary Education (4th-8th grade) Social Studies Course Program. These data were collected during the education year of 2015-2016. As forth esample in the survey, 1350 eighth grade students studying at 28 state schools in Kırşehir city center and districts were selected bylayered sampling method from random sampling methods. In there search, screening model wasused as a quantitative research method. "Energy-Related Achievement Test" and "Personal Information Form" developed by the researcher were applied to reveal student know ledge levels. Data collected from the achievement test and Personal in formation form were analyz edvia the SPSS program. It was observed that female students were more success ful than male students in the point sobtained from the achievement test in the research. It was seen that students achieved at least 2, at most 31 points on this achievement test. As the number of individuals in students' families in creases, the score sthey obtained from the achievement test fell. In the variable of maternal education status, the students whose mothers have a high school and bachelor's degree achieved high erachievement scores than theother students. The lowest achievement scores were found in groups of students whose mothers wereil literateor had a doctorate degree. When the paternal educational status was checked, the students whose fathers have a high school, associateor bachelor's degree had higher achievements cores than theother students. The students whose fathers were illiterate or had a doctorate degree were found to have the lowest achievement scores. The students with highin come according to the family in come situation were more successful on the test than the ones with lowin come. Among the Factors influencing the formation of students' ideas about energyre sources, the media was preferred the most and the students whose ideas were in fluencedby media were more successful on the test. Those who were insensitive to then vironment, according to Their sensitivity to environ mental problems, had negative results from the success test. In terms of the perception of risk regarding solar energy, windenergy, geothermal energy and hydroelectric plants, a level of significance was found be tweent hosewhosaid there is no risk, those who wereunsure, and thosewhosaid there is risk, in favour of thosewhosaid there is no risk, where as a level of significance was detected in favour of those who said there is risk in nuclear energy. No statistically significant difference was found between the risk Perception sregarding thermal power plants. When student opinions on the installation of power plants were considered, it was seenthat the students mostly said nuclear power plants should not be established, followed by thermal power plants, hydroelectric power plants, geothermal power plants, wind power plants and solar power plants.