Research of efficacy of web supported science and technology material developed with respect to constructivist approach

Abstract

As is well known, technologic developments have been going on by increasing its speed. This trend is affects science teaching as in other areas of education. However, science learning will be affected by new and qualified technological products in future, concerning the improvements in the quality of software and hardware. The purpose of this study was to research the efficacy of a web supported science and technology material on students' success and attitude towards science lessons, which was designed for a matter and heat unit with respect to constructivist learning theory. The research sample consisted of total 56 primary school students, attending 24 females and 32 males at city center of Samsun. Designed with experimental research approach, two groups were randomly chosen as control group and experiment group from the research sample. Web supported science and technology material developed by the researchers were used in the experiment group during the study. Also, lessons in control group were treated with traditional approach. In order to collect data, concept achievement test and science lesson attitude scale were applied to the two groups as pre-test and post test. The data obtained from these data collecting tools were analyzed by using SPSS statistic package program, including independent t test. In terms of the findings obtained from the research, students' success increased by 15 % in favor of experiment group at (p<.05). Students' attitudes towards science lessons increased in favor of experiment group after the study at (p<.05). From these results, it can be said that the web-supported science teaching was more effective according to traditional teaching approaches on students' science success and attitudes towards science lessons. In addition, it was not any difference towards science lessons concerning gender.