tc balıkesir üniversitesi fen bilimleri enstitüsü biyoloji eğitimi ...

ABSTRACT
DETERMINATION OF THE TOPICS PERCEIVED AS DIFFICULT BY THE
STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY LESSONS AND PUTTING FORTH THEIR
COGNITIVE STRUCTURES ABOUT EXCRETION SYSTEM FOR
CONSIDERATION BY NEW TECHNIQUES
Nuriye Sibel Özatlı
Balıkesir University, Science Institute
High school mathematics and science teaching department.
Ph.D thesis/ advisor: Associate Prof. Dr. Mehmet BAHAR
Balıkesir, 2006
In this study, i) the topics that were perceived as difficult by students in the
high school biology program were determined, ii) excretion system, one of the topics
that students perceived as difficult, was selected and the students’ cognitive
structures in this topic were put forth for consideration by concept maps, word
association tests, structural communication grids, Vee-diagrams and, iii) the effect of
their motivational styles as well as their attitudes towards biology lessons on their
cognitive structure were examined.
The sample of the study at university level was 832 first class students from
Balikesir University Necatibey Education Faculty and Science and Arts Faculty who
enrolled in 2002-2003 academic year. After biology topics difficulty index was
carried out to this group, interviews were carried out to 20 students who expressed
excretion system unit as difficult and why they perceive this topic as difficult was
determined.
110 students from 11 th grade students from in a high school in Balikesir, in
2003-2004 education year formed the first sample in high school level and the
second sample was 80 students from 10 th grade students. A test related to excretion
system was carried out to the first sample. Data were analized by SPSS and an
“excretion system achievement test” (ESAT) was developed. The second sample was
divided into two groups as control (40 students) and experimental (40 students).
While concept maps and Vee-diagrams were applied to the experimental group in
teaching of excretion system unit, only lecture method was used in the control group.
Word association tests, ESAT, biology attitude scale were performed to both groups
before and after teaching. Besides, motivation style test was performed after
teaching. Experimental group students’ opinions related to the new techniques were
asked. Results from pre- and post- tests were compared for both groups.
The results of the study showed that, i) the biology topics that were perceived
as difficult by the students were mostly related to genetics ii) the students in the
experimental group who were taught by using concept maps and V-diagrams were
more successful than the students in the control group who were taught by lecture
method, iii) the misconceptions and incomplete knowledge that were determined in
the control group students were not determined in the experimental group students.
In addition, by using concept map, meaningful changes in the cognitive structure of
iii