The Effects of the Cooperative Learning Using Games in Elementary School Science Classes

In this study, we investigated the effects of the cooperative learning using games on the 6th graders' achievement and their science learning motivation. Two classes (68 students) from an elementary school were respectively assigned to a control group and a treatment group. A science learning motivation test was administered as a pretest. Students were taught about "structure of our body" and "gases" units for 16 class periods. A researcher-made achievement test and the science learning motivation test were administered as posttests. ANCOVA result indicated that there was no statistically significant effect in the achievement test scores. However, there was a statistically significant effect in the scores of the "gases" subcategory of the achievement test. The scores of the treatment group were also significantly higher than those of the control group in the science learning motivation test.