The Effect of Simulation-Based and Traditional Teaching Methods on Student Achievement in 7th Grade Science Courses

Abstract

 The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the simulation method and the traditional teaching method, used in teaching the subject of electrical circuits in the 7th-grade Science course, on students’ academic achievement. In the study, a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design, one of the quantitative research methods, was employed. The study group consists of a total of 50 seventh-grade students studying at a private educational institution located in the Tepebaşı district of Eskişehir during the fall semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Based on existing class levels, students were assigned to experimental and control groups, with 25 students in each group. In the experimental group, lessons were conducted using a simulation-based teaching method, while in the control group, lessons were carried out using the traditional teaching method. The “Electrical Circuits Achievement Test” was used as the data collection tool in the study. A pretest was administered to both groups before the implementation, and a posttest was administered after the implementation. The obtained data were analyzed using statistical methods. When the findings of the study are examined, it is concluded that simulation-based teaching practices significantly increased students’ understanding of basic concepts, application and problem-solving skills, as well as their achievement scores. Furthermore, students who were taught using the simulation method achieved higher success compared to those who were taught using the traditional method.