THE EFFECTS OF NOTE TAKING IN SCIENCE EDUCATION THROUGH THE MIND MAPPING TECHNIQUE ON STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CONCEPT LEARNING

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of note taking during their science courses through the technique of mind mapping by primary education students, on their attitudes, academic achievement and concept learning. In the study, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. In the quantitative research area, the pre-test and post-test assessment model with experiment and control groups was used. In the qualitative research area, document analyses were made. The research was performed on 81 randomly chosen 6th (ages 11 and 12) grade students from public schools in the district of Fatih, Istanbul during the scholastic year 2004-2005. The application period took 21 course hours in total. The reliability coefficient of the academic achievement test, which was one the three measurement instruments, was calculated as KR20=0, 73. The Cronbach of the scale for the attitudes towards science courses, developed by Akinoglu (2001). is α= 0, 89. The open-ended questions used in the research were qualitatively encoded by means of open-codification method. On the basis of the data obtained in the research, it was determined that there was a significant positive difference in students' concept learning, overcoming misconceptions, academic achievement and attitudes towards science courses by taking notes through the mind-mapping method.