The Effect Of Jigsaw Technique In Science And Technology Course And Students’ Opinions About The Technique

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cooperative learning method compared to the traditional teaching method on grade-7 students’ achieve- ment in the topic of electricity in our life and their opinions on the use of jigsaw technique. This research was conducted by the participation of 72 students from two different classes of 7th grade at a primary school in the city centre of Istanbul during the fall semester of the 2008-2009 academic years. In this study, pre-post test con- trol group design was used. One of the classes, in which theory of cooperative learn- ing (jigsaw technique) was used, was determined as the “experimental group” and, the other class, in which the traditional teacher-centered instruction was dominant, as the “control group”. Both the lessons of two groups were carried out by the re- searcher. Prior Knowledge Test (PKT) for identifying their pre-knowledge, The electricity in our life Unit Achievement Test (UAT) for determining conceptual understanding and prepositional knowledge in the topic of electricity in our life for learning their reflection to science. Also, Jigsaw Opinion Scale (JOS) was given to the students at the end of the study to learn their opinions on the use of jigsaw tech- nique. In the last of the study, UAT applied again probably the posttest and same test, applied again as permanent test after eleven week. Also the achievement test and perception questionnaire were respectively applied to identify the effect of two different methods (the traditional teaching method and cooperative learning) on the students’ achievement science. The results of statistical analysis indicated that the teaching activities based on the Jigsaw technique meaningfully contributed on the students’ achievement in topic of electricity in our life.