THE EFFECTS OF THE COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTION ON THE ACHIEVEMENT AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS OF THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS

This study aims to investigate the effects of the computer-based instruction on the achievements and problem solving skills of the science and technology students. This is a study based on the pre-test/post-test control group design. The participants of the study consist of 52 students; 26 in the experimental group, 26 in the control group. The achievements test on “the world, the sun and the moon” and the Problem Solving Inventory for children were used to collect data. The experimental group received the computer-based science and technology instruction three hours a week during three weeks. In the analyses of data, the independent groups t-test was used at the outset of the study to find out the whether the levels of the two groups were equivalent in terms of their achievements and problem solving skills and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov single sample test to find out whether the data follow a normal distribution and finally, the covariance analysis (ANCOVA) to evaluate the efficacy of the experimental process. The result of the study reveals that there is a statistically significant increase in the achievements and problem solving skills of the students in the experimental group that received the computer-based science and technology instruction.