Influence of Concept Cartoons in the academic performance and motivation of Primary School students: The Planet Earth. A Study Case in Albacete (South-eastern Spain).

La enseñanza de las ciencias debe ser abordada con estrategias variadas para conseguir acercarla a más niños y obtener un aprendizaje más profundo. Entre estas estrategias encontramos los Concept Cartoons, escasamente usado en escuelas españolas. Esta investigación comprueba su influencia en la motivación y en los conocimientos conceptuales de niños de tercer curso de Educación Primaria de un colegio público de Albacete, comparada con el método tradicional basado en el libro de texto. Los niños (43), han sido divididos en dos grupos (experimental y control), y han rellenado dos cuestionarios (motivación y conocimientos) antes y después de la experiencia. Los resultados muestran que no hay diferencias en la motivación de ninguno de los grupos, sin embargo, y aunque ambos grupos puntúan mejor en el cuestionario de conocimientos tras las clases, hay diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las puntuaciones obtenidas, en favor de los que aprendieron mediante Concept Cartoons.Science teaching should be approached using a variety of strategies to get closer to more children and achieve deeper learning. Among these strategies are Concept Cartoons, which are sparsely used in Spanish schools. This research evaluates its influence on motivation and conceptual learning of children in the third year of primary education, in a public school in Albacete (South-Eastern Spain), compared with the traditional method based on the textbook. Children (43) have been divided into two groups (experimental and control). Both filled in two questionnaires (motivation and knowledge) before and after the experience. Results show that motivation records are not modified by the teaching style in this study case. Nevertheless, although both groups improved performance after lessons, there are statistically significant differences in scores, in favor of those learning with Concept Cartoons

Influencia de Concept Cartoons en la motivación y resultados académicos de los estudiantes

Science teaching should be approached using a variety of strategies to get closer to more children and achieve deeper learning. Among these strategies are Concept Cartoons, which are sparsely used in Spanish schools. This research evaluates its influence on motivation and conceptual learning of children in the third year of primary education, in a public school in Albacete (South-Eastern Spain), compared with the traditional method based on the textbook. Children (43) have been divided into two groups (experimental and control). Both filled in two questionnaires (motivation and knowledge) before and after the experience. Results show that motivation records are not modified by the teaching style in this study case. Nevertheless, although both groups improved performance after lessons, there are statistically significant differences in scores, in favor of those learning with Concept CartoonsLa enseñanza de las ciencias debe ser abordada con estrategias variadas para conseguir acercarla a más niños y obtener un aprendizaje más profundo. Entre estas estrategias encontramos los Concept Cartoons, escasamente usado en escuelas españolas. Esta investigación comprueba su influencia en la motivación y en los conocimientos conceptuales de niños de tercer curso de Educación Primaria de un colegio público de Albacete, comparada con el método tradicional basado en el libro de texto. Los niños (43), han sido divididos en dos grupos (experimental y control), y han rellenado dos cuestionarios (motivación y conocimientos) antes y después de la experiencia. Los resultados muestran que no hay diferencias en la motivación de ninguno de los grupos, sin embargo, y aunque ambos grupos puntúan mejor en el cuestionario de conocimientos tras las clases, hay diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las puntuaciones obtenidas, en favor de los que aprendieron mediante Concept Cartoons.Palabras claves: Concept Cartoons; motivación; conocimientos conceptuales; Educación Primaria; el Planeta Tierra.Influence of Concept Cartoons in the academic performance and motivation of Primary School students: The Planet Earth. A Study Case in Albacete (South-eastern Spain).Science teaching should be approached using a variety of strategies to get closer to more children and achieve deeper learning. Among these strategies are Concept Cartoons, which are sparsely used in Spanish schools. This research evaluates its influence on motivation and conceptual learning of children in the third year of primary education, in a public school in Albacete (South-Eastern Spain), compared with the traditional method based on the textbook. Children (43) have been divided into two groups (experimental and control). Both filled in two questionnaires (motivation and knowledge) before and after the experience. Results show that motivation records are not modified by the teaching style in this study case. Nevertheless, although both groups improved performance after lessons, there are statistically significant differences in scores, in favor of those learning with Concept Cartoons.Keywords: Concept Cartoons; motivation; conceptual learning; Primary Education; Planet Earth