January 2012 Volume 15 Number 1 - Educational Technology ...

male students have positive perceptions about science and technology classes. However, there are some other studies
indicating that female students perceive the biology learning environment more favorably than male students do
(Waxman & Huang; 1998; Dawson, 2000; Jones, Howe & Rua, 2000; Prokop, Tuncer & Chuda, 2007). Popham
(1994) suggests that even affective behaviors are acceptable to undergo far more sudden transformations than
cognitive behaviors. It is also possible that if students have a tendency to act positively toward a subject, for
example, science and technology, then students will have a greater interest in those subjects (Krathwohl, Bloom, &
Bertram, 1964).
The studies have often investigated associations between student outcomes and the nature of the classroom
environment and showed that the conditions of learning environment affect students’ beliefs and success in science
and technology classes (Hofstein, Scherz, & Yager, 1986; Talton & Simpson, 1987). Educational environments
enhance students’ learning and improve academic achievement (Massachusetts Department of Education, 2006). A
well-designed learning environment aimed at providing effective instruction enriches learning experiences as well.
Students should be aware of what they really need and what they should know. Just as “learning environment” refers
to the factors that can affect a person’s learning, “social environment,” which includes family members and friends
in a wider context, affects the learner and shapes his/her learning. Therefore, students should be provided a rich and
supportive learning environment. Effective teaching requires a combination of many factors, including aspects of the
teacher’s background, and ways of interacting with others, as well as specific teaching practices. Effective teachers
care about their students and demonstrate this care in such a way that their students are aware of it. This care creates
a warm and supportive classroom environment (Stronge, 2002). Teachers have a profound effect on student learning.
They can bring the real world to students through technology and can facilitate teaching (Schroder, Scott, Tolson,
Huang, & Lee, 2007).
One of the primary reasons students fail in science is because they often have learning styles significantly different
from those emphasized by most science courses (Felder, 1993). As individuals have different preferences in giving
meanings and acquiring information, the ways in taking and processing information may vary (Yılmaz-Soylu &
Akkoyunlu, 2009). While some prefer to work with concrete information, others are more comfortable with
abstractions. Some learn better by visual presentations such as diagrams, flowcharts, and schematics; others learn
more from verbal explanations (Felder & Spurlin, 2005). If students’ learning styles match the teaching style of the
teacher, students will keep information longer and apply it more effectively (Felder, 1993).
Cooperative learning is one of the teaching strategies used effectively in science and technology classes. In previous
studies, females rated cooperative school activities more positively than did males (Shwalb, Shwalb, & Nakazawa,
1995; Ferreira, 2003). Owens and Straton (1980) found that girls prefer cooperation, open-ended, and organized
activities, while boys prefer competition and individualism. By using cooperative learning practices, learning is
maximized and both positive and productive interactions are provided between students of different backgrounds
(Cabrera, Crissman, Bernal, Nora, & Pascarella, 2002). All these studies prove the importance of designing effective
learning environments and using teaching strategies that will enhance students’ improvement in science and
technology classes. Creating a student-centered, creative, and effective learning environment allows students to
express themselves better and gives them the opportunity to understand themselves in terms of strengths and
weaknesses when they study science and technology.
In brief, the educational contexts or curricular programs in which elementary school students enroll play an
important role in their perceptions of learning science and technology. With the current study, it was aimed to
determine how sixth-grade elementary school students perceived science and technology courses and whether there
were any differences between their perceptions based on gender. This study outlines a framework to describe the
variations of the perceptions of learning science and technology, consisting of the following features: the need to see
science and technology as necessary and important, the learning environment involved, and teaching strategies
employed. How to construct and conduct science and technology courses effectively and sufficiently at the
elementary school level was also discussed.
Method
Purpose of study
The present study was an attempt to explore sixth-grade elementary school students’ opinions about science and
technology courses implemented at 20 elementary schools in Elazig, Turkey. We aimed to see whether there were
117