Effects of the layered curriculum on student’s success, permanence and attitudes in Science and Technology Course

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effects of the layered curriculum on students’ achievement, permanence and attitudes towards Science and Technology course.  The research was conducted with two classes including an experimental and a control class at 6^th grade of Elazig İstiklal Primary School in 2009-2010 academic year. Mixed research model that utilize both quantitative and qualitative research methods together was preferred in this research. To that end, achievement test and attitude scale were used as the data collection tool and observations and interviews were performed. While the course was lectured using the layered curriculum for the experimental group, the traditional teaching method was used for the control group. While average difficulty of the test was found to be 0.55, KR-20 value was 0.86. While KMO value of the scale was measured as .837, Bartlett test result was calculated to be 1544.231. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was found to be α= 0.898. Spearman-Brown reliability coefficient was calculated to be .860, Gutmann Split-Half reliability coefficient was found to be .855 olarak bulunmuştur. For the analysis of the quantitative data, Levene’s test, independent groups t-test, paired groups t test and MWU test were used. The analysis of the qualitative data was interpreted using NVIVO. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the layered curriculum affected favorably students’ achievements and their attitudes towards the course. When the findings obtained from the results of the interviews and observations were evaluated, it was found that those findings were parallel with the findings obtained from the achievement test and attitude scale. To this end, some recommendations have been developed and presented.