The Effects of the Causal Thinking Activity of LTTS Program on Science Process Skills of Elementary School Students

LTTS 프로그램의 인과적 사고 활동이 초등학생의 과학탐구능력에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the causal thinking activity of Let's Think Through Science(LTTS) program on causal thinking and science process skills of elementary school students. Four classes of 4th graders (N=119) from a elementary school were divided into the control and the experimental groups. Causal thinking activity of LTTS program was used with the experimental group, while the normal curriculum was conducted with the control group. Both groups were given a pre-post test on causal thinking abilities and science process skills. And the experimental group was given 15- item questionnaires analyzing of perception on LTTS program. This study revealed that causal thinking activity of the LTTS program were effective on the development of students' causal thinking abilities and science process skills. ANCOVA results revealed that the scores of causal thinking abilities for the experimental group significantly higher than those of the control group. In the sub-tests of the causal thinking abilities all categories were effective. And ANCOVA results of the science process skills were also effective. Science process elements of observation, recognizing of a problem were significantly higher. And elementary students preferred to the causal thinking activity of LTTS program so that it was interesting, useful, helpful to each other in studying science.