Effect of Hands-On Science Activities on Students’ Academic Achievement and Scientific Attitude

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to investigate whether the science course taught by using simple tools has an effect on academic achievement and attitude towards science. For this purpose, a quasi-experimental model with pretest-posttest control group was used. The study group of this research consists of a total of 40 students, 21 (52.5%) girls and 19 (47.5%) boys, studying in a secondary school in the southeast of Turkey in the 2021-2022 academic year. The “Force and Energy achievement test” was used to determine the effect of science activities with simple tools on the academic achievement of students. the “Attitude towards Science Scale” was used in order to determine students’ attitudes towards science. The data obtained from the data collection tools used in the study were analyzed with the SPSS program. As a result of the research, it was determined that the activities performed with simple tools were effective in student success. This shows that the activities made with simple equipment are more effective on the academic success of the student than the traditional method. In the study, a significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group when the scientific attitude scale results of the control group taught with the traditional approach and the science activities performed with simple tools and the experimental group were compared. In conclusion, it was determined that science activities made with simple tools from student diaries create positive attitudes.