The Impact of using Bybee Model on the Achievement of the Sixth Grade Students in Science and their Attitudes Towards that in Governmental Schools Tulkarm

This study aimed to explore the impact of using Bybee Model on the achievement of students of the Sixth Grade in science subject matter and their attitudes towards it in public schools in Tulkarm Directorate during the first semester 2012/ 2013. This was done by answering these two questions: 1. What is the impact of using Bybee Model on the achievement of the students of the sixth grade in science subject matter? And does this impact vary according to gender and the interaction between the teaching method and gender? 2. What is the impact of using Bybee Model on the attitudes of the students of the sixth grade towards science subject matter? And does this impact vary according to gender and the interaction between the teaching method and gender? In order to answer the research questions and test their assumptions, the study was carried out on a sample of (112) male and female students of the sixth grade. Two schools were intentionally chosen to achieve the goals of the study: A female school and a male school – two sections in each school. The two sections were distributed randomly in each school. One of them was experimental consisting of a male section and a female section whose members rose to (56) female and male students and the other was controlled consisting of a male section and a female section whose members rose to (56) female and male students. The two sections of experimental group studied the unit (Force and Motion) in science subject matter using an educational program based on "Bybee Model" prepared by the researcher. The validity and reliability of the program were examined. However, the two sections of the controlled group studied the same unit in the traditional method. The researcher carried out a pre-test which consisted of (20) test items of multiple-choice question type. The reliability of the test was checked by arbitrators. Its validity factor was calculated by using the method of Spilt-Half, whose value rose to 0.81, and The researcher used a measurement for the attitudes towards science prepared and developed by him. It consisted of (25) statements: (17) statements were positive and (8) statements were negative. The reliability of the measurement was checked by arbitrators. Its validity factor was calculated by using Cronbach's Alpha formula, whose value rose to 0.91. The researcher also used an achievement post-test in order to measure students' achievement after carrying out the experiment. The post-test consisted of (30) test items of multiple-choice question type. The reliability of the test was checked by arbitrators. Its validity factor was calculated by using the method of Spilt-Half, whose value rose to 0.85. The data were analyzed by using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA); the statistical analysis showed these results on the significance level (α = 0.05): 1. There is a difference which has a statistical significance between the averages of students' achievement of the experimental group and the controlled group which is due to the teaching method, and for Bybee model. 2. There is no difference which has a statistical significance between the averages of students' achievement which is due to gender. 3. There are no differences which have a statistical significance between the averages of students' achievement which are due to the interaction between the teaching method and gender. 4. There is a difference which has a statistical significance between the averages of students' attitudes towards science of the experimental group and the controlled group which is due to the teaching method, and for Bybee model. 5. There is no difference which has a statistical significance t between the averages of students' attitudes towards science which is due to gender. 6. There are a differences which have a statistical significance between the averages of students' attitudes towards science which are due to the interaction between the teaching method and gender. The result was for male students who studied by using Bybee model. ccording to the findings the researcher has come to, he recommended these points: • Teachers should use Bybee Model in teaching science, especially for teaching students at the high basic stage. In addition, they should adopt the ideas of the Constructivist theory and the strategies based on it in teaching science. • The Directorate General of Qualifying and Educational Supervision in the Palestinian Ministry of Education should design a training material based on using Bybee Model in teaching science and train teachers of science in using them. • The Directorate General of the Curricula in the Palestinian Ministry of Education should include sequential steps according to the five stages of Bybee Model while designing the science curricula, teaching material and the teacher guides.