The Effect of the Layered Curriculum on the 6th Grade Students’ Learning Styles in Science Lesson

Abstract

This study mainly aims to determine the effect of the layered curriculum on the 6th grade students’ learning styles in science lesson. The study group consists of students in the 6/A and 6/D at Fevzi Cakmak Secondary School in the city center of Siirt-Turkey in the academic year of 2015-2016. “Learning Styles Inventory” developed by Kolb and translated into Turkish by Askar and Akkoyunlu, diaries of students and semi-structured interview form developed by researchers and examination of the documents were used as data collection tools. As for data analysis, percent (%) and chi-square techniques were used to determine the learning styles of students, but in the analysis of students’ opinions the descriptive analysis was used. During the study, students were also asked to express their experiences and considerations about learning activities via a diary. The thoughts and feelings reflected in the diaries of students were directly quoted in findings. As a result of the analysis, in pre-test results of the students in the experimental group exposed to the layered curriculum, a significant difference was found in terms of gender; however, no significant difference was found in their post-test results.

Keywords

• Curriculum,the layered curriculum,styles,learning styles,Science

Kaynakça

1. Askar, P., & Akkoyunlu, B. (1993). Kolb learning style inventory. Education and Science, 17(87), 37-47.
2. Aydogus, R., & Ocak, G.(2011). Effect to academic achievement of using layered curriculum in primary schools’ 6th and 7th degree science lesson. The Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences (JTES), 9(2), 343-368.
3. Basbay, A. (2005). The Effects of Project Based Learning Approach Supported by Layered Curriculum on Learning Process. Ege Journal of Education, 1(6), 95–116.
4. Beckham, H. (2010). Student perceptions of the layered curriculum vs. traditional coursework on class grades for 11th-12th grade economics and government students. Culminating Experience Action Research Projects, 17, 5-15.
5. Bicer, S. (2011). Effects of the layered curriculum teaching method on student’s success, permanence and attitudes in science and technology course (Unpublished Master’s Thesis), Firat University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Elazig, Turkey.
6. Borman, W. C., Hanson, M. A., Oppler, S. H., Pulakos, E. D., & White, L. A. (1993). Role of early supervisory experience in supervisor performance. Diaries of Applied Psychology, 78(3), 443-449.
7. Can, S. (2011). Investigation of the relationships between the learning styles of preservice elementary teachers and some variables. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 41, 70-82.
8. Davis, N. H. (1998). A Comparative analysis of the learning style preferences of medical students and practicing physicians using kolb’s learning style inventory. Retrieved February 2, 2016 from http//www.lib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcilt/ 9914202.

9. Demirel, O., Sahan, H. H., Ekinci, N., Ozbay, A., & Begimgil, A. M. (2006). The evaluation of layered curriculum in terms of process and outcome. National Journal of Education, 172, 72–90.
10. Dincoz, T. (2007). Learning styles and physics learning styles of Anatolian high school students (Unpublished master’s thesis), Marmara University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey.
11. Ergur, D. O. (1998). A Comparison of the Learning Styles of Undergraduate Students and Their Instructors at Hacettepe University (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Hacettepe University, Institute of Social Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
12. Felder, R. M. (1996). Matters of style. ASEE prism, 6(4), 18-23.
13. Fox, L., Richard, S., & Ronkowski, A. (1997). Learning styles of political science students. Political Science, 30(4), 732-738.
14. Gomleksiz, M. N., & Bicer, S. (2012). Effects of the layered curriculum on student’s success, permanence and attitudes in science and technology course. International Diaries of Human Sciences, 2(9), 1657-1683.
15. Gun, E. S. (2013). The reflections of the layered curriculum to learning-teaching process in social studies course. International Journal of Instruction, 6(2), 87-98.
16. Guven. M., Kurum. D. 2007. Teacher candidates' learning styles and critical thinking dispositions. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 6(21), 60-90.
17. Hasirci, O. K. (2006). Learning styles of prospective primary school teachers. Cukurova University case, Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 2(1), 15-25.
18. Johnson, K. J. (2007). The layered curriculum for the construction trades: a mathematics curriculum to teach trade students basic math skills to be successful apprentices. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University.
19. Karamustafaoglu, O., Yurtyapan, E., Coskun, O., Divarci, O. F., & Derin, M. (2015). Investigation of the relationship between some variables and the learning styles of secondary school students. Gazi University Journal of Education, 1(1), 29-44.
20. Kaya, F. (2007). Elementary school students' learning style based science lecture teaching level (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Osmangazi University, Institute of Science, Eskisehir, Turkey.
21. Kilic, E., & Karadeniz, S. (2004). The Effects of gender and learning style on navigation strategy and achievement. Gazi University Journal of Education, 24(3), 129-146.
22. Koc, S. (2009). Identifying learning styles of students attending the 5th and 6th grade of elementary education and its relation with academic success (example of Malatya and Elazig provinces) (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Firat University, Institute of Social Sciences, Elazig, Turkey.
23. Koc, S. (2013). The effect of the application of layered curriculum on the problem solving skill and metacognition awareness of students in the 6th class science and technology lesson (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Inonu University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Malatya, Turkey.
24. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
25. Kolb, D. A. (1985). Learning style inventory (Revised Edition). Boston, MA: McBer & Company
26. Kolb, A.D. (1999). The Kolb learning style inventory. New Jersey: Hay Resources Direct.
27. Kurbanoglu, S., & Akkoyunlu, B. (2008). Learning styles of the students of the department of information management. The Journal of Turkish Librarianship, 22(3), 296-307.
28. LaSovage, A. J. (2006). Effect of using a layered curriculum format of instruction in a high school environmental science energy Unit (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Michigan State University, Michigan, USA.
29. Leech, N. L., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2009). A typology of mixed methods research designs. Quality & quantity, 43(2), 265-275.
30. Loo, R. (1997). Evaluating change and stability in learning style scores. Educational psychology, 17(2), 95-100.
31. Maurer, L. A. (2009). Evaluating the use of layered curriculum and technology to increase comprehension and motivation in a middle school classroom. Michigan State University, Michigan, USA.
32. Moran, A. (1991). What can learning styles research learn from cognitive Psychology?. Educational Psychology, 11(3-4), 239-245.
33. Nunley, K.F. (2004). The layered curriculum. Amherst: Brain.org Publication.
34. Nunley, K.F. (2011). Enhancing your layered curriculum classroom: Tips, tune-ups and technology. Amherst: Brain.org Publication.
35. Oner, U. (2012). The effect of layered curriculum supported by multiple intelligences theory of social studies on students? academic achievement, attitude’s and permanence (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Ataturk University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Eskisehir, Turkey.
36. Payne, E. (1999). Teaching styles of faculty and learning styles of their students: congruent versus incongruent teaching styles with regards to academic disciplines and gender (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Kent State University, OH, USA.
37. Riding, R. and Rayner, S. (1998). Cognitive styles and learning strategies. London: David Fulton Publishers.
38. Riding, R., & Rayner, S. (2013). Cognitive styles and learning strategies: Understanding style differences in learning and behavior. London: Routledge.
39. Sirin, A. & Guzel, A. (2006). The relationship between learning styles and problem solving skills among college students. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 6(1), 233-237.
40. Tuna, S. (2008). The learning styles of art education students. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 7(25):252-261.
41. Westman, A. S. (1993). Learning Styles are Content Specific and Probably Influenced by Content Areas Studied. Psychological Reports, 73(2), 512-514.
42. Veznedaroglu, R. L., & Ozgur, A. O. (2005). Learning Styles: definitions, models and functions. Elementary Education Online, 4(2):1-16.
43. Yilmaz, F. (2010). Applications of layered curriculum in science and technology course (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Anadolu University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Eskisehir, Turkey.
44. Yoon, H. S. (2000). Using learning style and goal accomplishment style to predict academic achievement in middle school geography students in Korea (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Pittsburgh, USA.