Effect of 7E instruction on primary students’ non-ionizing radiation knowledge and protective behaviors
Elif Ö. TokgözBACKGROUND:
This study examined the effect of a 7E learning model–based instructional process on primary school students’ knowledge, perceptions, and protective behavior awareness regarding nonionizing radiation.
MATERıALS AND METHODS:
A mixed-methods design was used, including a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest–control group and qualitative interviews. The study involved 48 fourth-grade students from a public primary school in Türkiye. Two classes were selected by drawing lots and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Quantitative data were collected using the rubric-based Radiation Information Form; Mann–Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied, and effect sizes were calculated. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive thematic content analysis.
RESULTS:
Both groups showed significant posttest improvement, but the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater gains with a very large observed effect size. Qualitative findings suggested more coherent conceptual understanding and increased awareness of protective behaviors among experimental group students.
CONCLUSION:
The 7E learning model appears to support the development of children’s understanding and awareness regarding nonionizing radiation. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the single-school sample, short intervention duration, and reliance on students’ self-reported data.