The Effect of Cooperative Learning and Letter- Writing Activities for Learning Purpose on Teacher Candidates’ Academic Achievement and Attitudes to the Force and Movement Topic

In the aim of this study is to explore the effect of cooparative teaching method and letter- writing activity for learning on academic achievement, and attitudes of math teacher candidates in the force and movement topic. The research is a semi-experimental research that it is pre-test-post-test method. The sample of the research is composed of 55 teacher candidates who are studying in primary mathematics teaching second class students of Ordu University Education Faculty in 2015-2016 education year. These teacher candidates were divided into two groups with a simple random sampling. As one of the groups was applied mutual inquiry technique that it is cooperative learning methods (n=24), the other was applied the letter writing activity for learning (n=31). As data collection tools, Force and Motion Concept Test (FMCT) and Physical Attitude Scale (PAS) were used in the study. Before FMCT and PAS were applied, pre-test was administered with all the students and after the application, the same tests were reapplied with the students. The resulting of the study showed that post- test mean scores of cooperative groups’and letter writing activity groups’ Force and Motion Concept Test (FMCT) were statistically significant when compared to their mean pre-test scores, and Physical Attitude Scale (PAS) were not statistically significant when compared to their mean pre-test scores. The end of the study was recommed that this study can researched different sample and different topic