The Effect of Student-Team Achievement Division Technique on Mental Ability of Elementary Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate effect of Student-Team Achievement Division (STAD) technique on 5th grade students’ mental ability. The subjects of this study were 201 students from six different classes enrolled to Science Course in two Elementary Schools in Kahramanmaras. Quasi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test control group was used. Three of the classes were randomly chosen as experimental group and the other three were chosen as control group. Word-Association Test (WAT) was administered to the both groups as pre- and post-tests to measure the students’ mental ability. The data collected from WAT was
converted into mind maps by using content analysis and cut off point methods. As a result of application, while “Recognition and Exchange of the Matter” subject was seen as more branching on the mind maps of the experimental group of students, mind maps of the control group students were seen to be composed of more simple.