Bilim Şenliği Deneyiminin Dördüncü Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Sosyobilimsel Konulara Yönelik Tutumlarına Etkisi

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, bilim şenliği deneyiminin dördüncü sınıf öğrencilerinin sosyobilimsel konulara yönelik tutumları üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Araştırmada ön test–son test kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu, Marmara Bölgesi’nde bir il merkezinin merkez ilçesinde bulunan iki ilkokulda öğrenim gören toplam 303 dördüncü sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Deney grubunda bilim şenliğine katılan öğrenciler, kontrol grubunda ise mevcut öğretim programına devam eden öğrenciler yer almıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Sosyobilimsel Konulara Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Uygulama süreci, 2025 yılı TÜBİTAK 4007 Bilim Şenlikleri Destekleme Programı kapsamında yürütülen ve sağlık, çevre, enerji, geri dönüşüm, iklim değişikliği ve sürdürülebilir yaşam gibi sosyobilimsel konularla ilişkili içerikleri kapsayan üç günlük bilim şenliğinden oluşmaktadır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistikler, t-testi ve MANOVA kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, bilim şenliğine katılan öğrencilerin sosyobilimsel konulara yönelik toplam tutum puanlarında anlamlı bir artış olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca olumlu duygular, endişe, ortak yeterlik ve başkalarına bağımlılık alt boyutlarında anlamlı değişim belirlenirken, kişisel ilgi ve okul ilgi düzeyi boyutlarında anlamlı bir farklılık saptanmamıştır. Sonuç olarak bilim şenliği deneyimi, öğrencilerin sosyobilimsel konulara yönelik tutumlarını destekleyen etkili bir informal öğrenme ortamı olarak değerlendirilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sosyobilimsel konular
• Bilim şenliği
• Tutum
• İlkokul öğrencileri

The Effect of the Science Festivals Experience on Fourth-Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Socio-Scientific Issues

Öz

This study aims to examine the impact of scientific festivals on fourth-year students’ attitudes towards socio-scientific issues. A pre-test–post-test controlled quasi-experimental design was used. The sample included 303 fourth-year students from two primary schools in the central district of a provincial capital in the Marmara Region. The experimental group consisted of students who participated in the science fair, while the control group comprised students following the regular curriculum. The Attitude Scale towards Socioscientific Issues was employed for data collection. The process involved a three-day science festival organised under the 2025 TÜBİTAK 4007 Science Festival Support Programme, covering topics such as health, the environment, energy, recycling, climate change, and sustainable living. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-Tests, and MANOVA. Results showed a significant increase in overall attitude scores towards socio-scientific issues among students involved in the science festival. Significant improvements were also seen in sub-dimensions such as positive emotions, anxiety, shared competence, and reliance on others, while no notable differences were observed in personal interest and school interest levels. Therefore, the science fair experience is regarded as an effective informal learning environment that enhances students’ attitudes towards socio-scientific topics.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Socio-scientific topics
• Science festivals
• Attitude
• Primary school students

Kaynakça

1. Alkış Küçükaydın, M., Gökbulut, Y., & Şahinpınar, D. (2021). Validity and reliability study of the attitude scale toward socioscientific issues for children. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 18(Education Sciences Special Issue), 4935–4956. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.932976
2. Avan, Ç., Gülgün, C., Yılmaz, A., & Doğanay, K. (2019). Out-of-school learning environment in STEM education: Kastamonu Science Camp. Journal of STEAM Education, 2(1), 39-51. https://doi.org/10.14527/9786052419700.03
3. Başar, M., Doğan, C., Şener, N., & Doğan, Z. G. (2018). Examining science festival activities according to the views of students, parents, and teachers. Uşak University Journal of Social Sciences, 11(2), 132–147. https://doi.org/10.29217/uujss.243
4. Başkan Takaoğlu, Z. (2023). A systematic analysis of graduate theses on socioscientific issues. Millî Eğitim, 52(237), 547–576. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.1075185
5. Beniermann, A., Mecklenburg, L., & Upmeier zu Belzen, A. (2021). Reasoning on controversial science issues in science education and science communication. Education Sciences, 11(9), Article 522. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090522
6. Bevan, B., Dierking, L. D., Staus, N., Benne, M., & Storksdieck, M. (2021). Measuring the long-term effects of informal science education experiences: Challenges and potential solutions. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 3(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-021-0003
7. Bozkurt, B., & Şensoy, Ö. (2025). The effect of science festivals organized for lower secondary schools on students' attitudes towards science festivals. Journal of Eurasian Education and Culture, 10(29), 67-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.35826/ijoecc.2862
8. Canovan, C. (2019). “Going to these events truly opens your eyes”. Perceptions of science and science careers following a family visit to a science festival. Journal of Science Communication, 18(02), A01. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18020201

9. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
10. Çepni, Z., & Geçit, Y. (2020). Preservice social studies teachers’ attitudes and opinions toward socioscientific issues. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education, 42, 133–154. https://doi.org/10.32003/igge.732782
11. Dauer, J. M., Sorensen, A. E., & Wilson, J. (2021). Students’ civic engagement self-efficacy varies across socioscientific issues contexts. Frontiers in Education, 6, Article 628784. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.628784
12. Durmaz, H., Oğuzhan Dinçer, E., & Osmanoğlu, A. (2017). The effect of a science festival on preservice teachers’ science teaching and students’ attitudes toward science. Trakya Journal of Education, 7(2), 364–378. https://doi.org/10.24315/trkefd.296520
13. Erkol, M., & Gül, Ş. (2020). Preservice science teachers’ attitudes toward socioscientific issues. PESA Uluslararası Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 6(1), 9–21. https://doi.org/10.25272/j.2149-8385.2020.6.1.02
14. Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
15. Gao, S., Jahani, S., Long, H., & Besley, N. (2026). What science fairs reveal about STEM learning. Education Sciences, 16(3), 482. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16030482
16. Gülgün, C., Yılmaz, A., Avan, Ç., Akyol, B. E., & Doğanay, K. (2019). Determining the views of primary and middle school students and workshop leaders regarding TÜBİTAK-supported science festivals (4007). Journal of STEAM Education, 2(1), 52–67.
17. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2014). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
18. Hughes, G. (2000). Marginalization of socioscientific material in science-technology-society science curricula: Some implications for gender inclusivity and curriculum reform. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(5), 426–440. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1098-2736(200005)37:5<426::aid-tea3>3.0.co;2-u
19. Jekel Könnel, E., Geuer, L., Schlindwein, A., Perret, S., & Ulber, R. (2025). The effects of an outdoor learning program,‘gewässercampus’, in the context of environmental education. Education Sciences, 15(5), 550. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15050550
20. Klaver, L. T., & Walma van der Molen, J. H. (2021). Measuring pupils’ attitudes towards socioscientific issues: Development and validation of a questionnaire. Science & Education, 30, 317–344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00174-y
21. Klaver, L. T., Guérin, L. J. F., Sins, P. H. M., & Walma van der Molen, J. H. (2024). Effects of socioscientific issues-based teaching on attitudes: Students’ resources as moderator. The Journal of Educational Research, 117(4), 169-184. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2024.2362159
22. Küçük, A. (2021). Investigation of the change towards scientific attitudes of students with out-of-school learning experience. OPUS–International Journal of Society Studies, 18(44), 7552–7580. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.933305
23. Lakens, D. (2013). Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science: A practical primer for t-tests and ANOVAs. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 863. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863
24. Lin, P. Y., & Schunn, C. D. (2016). The dimensions and impact of informal science learning experiences on middle schoolers’ attitudes and abilities in science. International Journal of Science Education, 38(17), 2551–2572. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1251631
25. Macalalag, A. Z., Johnson, J., & Lai, M. (2020). How do we do this: Learning how to teach socioscientific issues. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 15, 389–413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-019-09944-9
26. Ministry of National Education. (2018). Science course curriculum (Primary and middle school grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/201812312311937-FEN%20B%C4%B0L%C4%B0MLER%C4%B0%20%C3%96%C4%9ERET%C4%B0M%20PROGRAMI2018.pdf
27. National Research Council. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12190
28. Osborne, J., & Dillon, J. (2008). Science education in Europe: Critical reflections. The Nuffield Foundation. https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/about/publications/science-education-in-europe-critical-reflections
29. Özcan, C., & Gücüm, B. (2021). An ethical examination of decision-making skills regarding socioscientific issues: Electronic waste. Mustafa Kemal University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 5(7), 224–239. https://izlik.org/JA49WM38RK
30. Özcan, C., & Kaptan, F. (2020). Investigation of the studies on socioscientific issues between 2008–2017. Journal of Muallim Rıfat Faculty of Education, 2(1), 16–36. https://izlik.org/JA69RB47BF
31. Peterman, K., Verbeke, M., & Nielsen, K. (2020). Looking back to think ahead: Reflections on science festival evaluation and research. Visitor Studies, 23(2), 205-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2020.1773709
32. Ramsey, J. R., & Boyette, T. (2021). “Science Festival” may not mean what we think it means: an analysis of how researchers and practitioners use this term. Journal of Science Communication, 20(7), A01. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.20070201
33. Sadler, T. D. (2004). Informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues: A critical review of research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(5), 513–536. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20009
34. Salmi, H., & Thuneberg, H. (2019). The role of self-determination in informal and formal science learning contexts. Learning Environments Research, 22(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-018-9266-0
35. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2019). Using multivariate statistics (7th ed.). Pearson.
36. Yıldırım, H. İ. (2020). The effect of using out-of-school learning environments in science teaching on motivation for learning science. Participatory Educational Research, 7(1), 143–161. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.20.9.7.1
37. Yılmaz İnce, E., Kabul, A., & Diler, İ. (2022). The effect of science festival on participants’ attitudes towards science. Journal of STEAM Education, 5(1), 88–99. https://izlik.org/JA49PU98KG
38. Yurtbakan, E., & Batmaz, O. (2024). Primary school 4th-grade students’ attitudes toward socioscientific issues and question asking: Philosophy for children. Science Education International, 35(3), 219–228. https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v35.i3.5
39. Zeidler, D. L., & Nichols, B. H. (2009). Socioscientific issues: Theory and practice. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 21(2), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173684
40. Zeidler, D. L., Sadler, T. D., Simmons, M. L., & Howes, E. V. (2005). Beyond STS: A research-based framework for socioscientific issues education. Science Education, 89(3), 357–377. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20048