Easy biotechnology: Practical material designs within team activities in learning biotechnological concepts & processes

Abstract

In this research, 8'th grade primary students have studied in teams within newly designed materials and activities while learning biotechnological concepts ( DNA, RNA, replication, central dogma etc.) and processes ( cloning, transgenetic organisms, recombinant DNA technology etc.). Pre-test and post-test research design has been used in the experimental research. Data were collected by attitudes scale towards biotechnology, achievement tests and word association tests to investigate conceptual learning. Findings have shown that such designed simple, imaginative and practical hands on activities had a highly positive effect on student learning, improving academic achievement and permanence of knowledge. Student interest and curiosity had also positively influenced. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.