The Effect of Constructivist Learning Principles Based Learning Materials to Students' Attitudes, Success and Retention in Social Studies

Hidir, K & Mehmet, G. (2007). The Effect of Constructivist Learning Principles Based Learning Materials to Students' Attitudes, Success and Retention in Social Studies . Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 6, 3.

This study investigates whether technological learning materials, based on constructivist learning principles, have an effect on fifth grade social studies students' attitudes, academic success, and retention. The study participants were fifth grade students at Sehit Ali Gaffar Okkan Elementary School in Eskisehir, Turkey. Students were divided in half into a control group and an experimental group. The students were given a questionnaire for demographic information, and pre- and post tests containing open-ended essay type questions to measure their academic success and retention. The Social Studies Attitude Scale, developed by Deveci and Guven (2002), was used to determine students' attitudes. Research findings indicate that constructivist learning principles based learning materials increase students' academic success and retention in Social Studies but don't increase attitudes.

I'm lucky I had an idea what constructivist learning principles were, because this paper failed to go into detail, though that was the basis of their theory. They also did not mention what exactly the difference between the experimental and control group was... which I'm pretty sure is one of the main parts of a research paper. But besides that, it seems their results reflect the results of the other seven articles I have read. Technology is important, regardless of grade level or subject area.