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http://dx.doi.org/10.21796/jse.2018.42.2.106

The Effects of Learner Activity-centered Science Class on Elementary Students' Attitude towards Science, Academic Achievement, and Concept Sustainability  

Kim, HyungUk (Haju Elementary School)
Jeong, SoJean (Hayang Elementary School)
Lee, Hyonyong (Kyungpook National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Science Education / v.42, no.2, 2018 , pp. 106-119 More about this Journal
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to develop a learner activity-centered science class program, apply it to the fourth-grade elementary students, and analyze its effects on their attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability. To this end, the content of the fourth-grade elementary subject related to 'volcanoes and earthquakes' was reorganized through 12 periods, and the class was divided into two groups. Then, general science class was applied to the comparative group, and the learner activity-centered science class program including writing, making, and expressing was applied to the experimental group. In order to compare the two groups regarding attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability before and after the application, mind map data was collected and analyzed based on mind map grading criteria. As a result of the post-test, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in all the sub-factors of attitude towards science, that is, recognition, ability, value, and interest sustainability, especially in interest sustainability. As for academic achievement, as a result of the post-achievement test, the experimental group had higher average scores than the comparative group, and it also showed improved scores compared to the pre-achievement test results. In addition, as a result of the post-achievement test, both the two groups showed statistically significant results. In the concept sustainability test after the post-achievement test, the experimental group had higher average scores than the comparative group in the areas of center circle, branches, and expression, which were the evaluation criteria for the mind map analysis, and the two groups showed statistically significant differences in the areas of center circle and expression, except for branches. In conclusion, learner activity-centered science class turned out to be effective on students' attitude towards science, academic achievement, and concept sustainability. If the learner activity-centered science class program is actively introduced and used in actual educational sites, it is expected to contribute to improving related classes.
Keywords
learner activity-centered; attitude towards science; academic achievement; concept sustainability; mind map;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 4  (Citation Analysis)
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