Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 24, No. 1, 2012

The Effect of Connecting Science Content with Real Life in the Community of Students Learning in Their Understanding of Scientific Concepts and in Their Attitudes Toward Science / Intisar Zaki Al Sadi

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of connecting science content with real life in the community of studentslearning and in their understanding of scientific concepts and in their scientific attitudes.The sample for the study consisted of , 200,  Bight grade female students from Al- Muaither Preparatory school for Girls Independent Schoolin Qatar.They were distributed into eight sections, Four sections were selected randomly, two of the four sections were studying ScienceContent with Real Life by using learning authentic tasks, These sections considered the experimental group. The other two sections studyingscience Content with Abstract, and was the control group. Each section included , 25,  students.to measure the effectiveness of using learning authentic tasks, tow tests were applied pre and post the experiment : a test for science, whichinVol.ved thirty multiple choice items was prepared. The reliability of the test was established using KR 20 - and found , 0.78, .A test for attitudes was also used for measuring students scientific attitudes which inVol.ved twenty four multiple choice items was prepared.The reliability of the test was established using Cronbach alpha and found , 0.86, . Analysis of means, standard deviation, and t test wereused to analyze the data of the study. The results of study were:
There were statically significant differences in the community of students learning who were studying science content with real lifeby using authentic tasks compared with those who were studying science content with standard tasks.
There were statically significant differences , a #WS,  on students understanding of scientific concepts who were studying ScienceContent with real life by using authentic tasks compared with those who were studying science content with standard tasks.
There were statically significant differences , a =0,05,  on students attitudes toward science who were studying science content withreal life by using authentic tasks compared with those who were studying science content with standard tasks.