THE EFFECT TECHNIQUES OF DIFFERENCIATED INSTRUCTION ON STUDENTS' ACHIEVIEMENTS, LEARNING APPROACHES AND LEARNING RETAINMENT

FARKLILAŞTIRILMIŞ ÖĞRETİM YÖNTEMLERİNİN ÖĞRENCİLERİN AKADEMİK BAŞARI PUANLARINA, ÖĞRENME YAKLAŞIMLARINA VE ÖĞRENMENİN KALICILIĞINA ETKİSİ

Abstract

In thıs study detectıng the effect of tıered ınstructıon and statıon technıques of dıfferencıted ınstructıon on students’ achıevements, learnıng approaches and learnıng retaınment ıs aımed. The experıment group ıs at the grade of 5. for thıs group mıxed searchıng method that ıs consısted of empırıcal method ıs used. for both the experıment group and control group, pre-post test and qualıtatıve data was used. Both the experiment and the control group composed of 66 students. The test was applied before, after and four weeks later than the instruction. Differentiated instructions were prepared for the course model titled "Let's Learn the World of the Living" of Science and Technology course. The academic achievement test which was prepared by the researcher and other professionals, was tested in terms of validity and reliability. To determine the students' approaches, Learning Approaches Inventory prepared by Çoban and Ergin (2008) was applied. As a result of the research, in terms of academic achievement post-test, significant difference is detected in favor of the group on which Station and Tiered techniques are applied. Qualitative data were examined via descriptive analysis. The result of the study shows that tıered ınstructıon and statıon technıques of dıfferencıated ınstructıon were more effectıve. ınstructıon with tradıtıonal method and dıfferencıated ınstructıon was found to be supported by student opınıons were not effectıve In recent years using appropriate teaching methods to maintain effective learning environment and to organize activities that helps learning differences gained importance. Teaching methods supporting the ways of reaching all the students having different abilities and characteristics is the basis of this research as these methods are suitable for constructivist approach and related to personal differences among kids. This study aims to determine the effect of tiered instruction and station techniques of differenciated instruction on students' achiviements, learning approaches and learning retainment which are important in terms of learning-teaching process. Learning aproaches which was one of the variables of the reasearch is categorised as surface and deep according to information processing preferences of students. So the effect of the differenciated instruction on students' preferences was determined to be the aim of the study The experıment and the control group of the students study at beşiktaş cumhuriyet elemantary school and kağıthane cumhuriyet elemantary school. pre-test, post-test and delayed test models were used on the groups. there are 66 students ın both groups for the course model dıfferentıated ınstructıons were prepared. titled of he model ıs “let’s learn the world of lıvıng” of scıence and technology course. An academic achievement test which was prepared by the researcher and other professionals, was tested in terms of validity and reliability. The test was applied before, after and four weeks later than the instruction. To determine the students' approaches, Learning Approaches Inventory prepared by Çoban and Ergin (2008) was applied. In terms of achievement pre-test, significant difference is detected in favor of deep learner group. According to these findings, hypothesis is proven. In terms of achievement delayed-test, significant difference is detected in favor of deep leaner group. According to these findings, hypothesis is proven. It is believed that since differentiated learning methods enable students to make connections between the obtained information, skills and other lessons and daily life easily and to transfer these information and skills into life; the learnt things become persistent. This idea is parallel with the view of Sondergeld and Schultz (2008) that “students can get attached to curriculum in a more detailed and deep way since they can carry what they learnt to out of classroom" and research findings of Gault (2009), Keck and Kinney (2005), McCartney et al. (1997), Suarez (2007). The important factor observed was the use of student centred techniques to have positive contributions of the students’ success, motivation, effective participation to take their interest to the lesson. In this study process, as presented in daily plans of the study, the strengths of the methods are brainstorming, discussion, Internet researching, drama, individual and group works and flexible group works. Moreover, these activities made lessons more interesting and enjoyable and it was observed that since students were always active due to their duties and responsibility within classroom, their interests towards lesson increased as well. The result of the research shows that for the learning approaches of students differentiated teaching method is an important factor. restructuring the information rather than reconstituting them is the main factor for the structure of differentiated teaching method. the method is based on learning centred and prioritizes interaction and questioning; the content, process and yield are oriented at self-readiness of the students. It can be believed that the mentioned factors steer students towards deep learning approach which is based on questioning and researching, internalizing the information, being able to establish cause-effect relationship. In this sense, as pointed out in the literature, the result of this study can be evaluated as a finding which supports the idea that learner-centered models steer students towards using deep-learning approach. This idea is parallel with the findings of Geisler et al. (2009), Gregory&Chapman (2002), Nunley (2004), Theisen (2002) Tomlinson (1999), Sondergeld and Schultz (2008).Differentiated teaching methods should be focused more as a practice sample in curricula and lesson plans based on differentiated teaching method should be offered to practitioners. In addition, teacher guidelines should include activity samples which use differentiated teaching methods and techniqu

Özet

Bu çalışmada farklılaştırılmış öğretim yöntemlerinden Katlı Öğretim ve İstasyon yöntemlerinin uygulanmasının öğrencilerin akademik başarı puanları, öğrenme yaklaşımları ve öğrenmenin kalıcılığı üzerindeki etkisinin belirlenmesi hedeflemiştir. Kontrol gruplu öntestsontest-tekrartest modeli ile nitel veri birleşiminden oluşan karma araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırma 5.sınıf öğrencileri üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Deney ve kontrol grupları 66'şar öğrenciden oluşmaktadır. Veriler akademik başarı testi, öğrenme yaklaşımları envanteri ve yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmıştır. Çalışmada, araştırmacı ve uzmanlar tarafından hazırlanarak, geçerlik ve güvenilirlik çalışmaları yapılmış akademik başarı testi, uygulamadan önce, uygulamadan hemen sonra ve öğrenmenin kalıcılığını belirlemek amacıyla bir ay sonra olmak üzere üç kez uygulanmıştır. Öğrencilerin öğrenme yaklaşımlarını belirlemek üzere Çoban ve Ergin (2008) tarafından geliştirilen Öğrenme Yaklaşımları Envanteri kullanılmıştır. Nitel veriler ise betimsel analiz ile incelenmiştir. Çalışmadan elde edilen bulgular sonucunda farklılaştırılmış öğretim yöntemlerinden katlı öğretim ve istasyon yöntemleri öğrencilerin akademik başarılarına, öğrenme yaklaşımlarına ve öğrenmenin kalıcılığına geleneksel yöntemle yapılan öğretimden daha etkili olduğu ve öğretime yönelik öğrenci görüşlerinin farklılaştırılmış öğretim yöntemlerini destekler nitelikte olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır