Because of the gap between the cognitive levels of the students and the curricular materials for the students to understand, the secondary school students feel science difficult and they get to avoid science as they go up to the higher grade. So it is...
Because of the gap between the cognitive levels of the students and the curricular materials for the students to understand, the secondary school students feel science difficult and they get to avoid science as they go up to the higher grade. So it is absolutely needed to take the active measures to improve the cognitive development of the students through some special programs stimulating their cognitive process. This study investigated the effects of thinking science activity program devised for cognitive acceleration of the students. After implementing thinking science program to 181 7th grade students, the effectiveness of this program was examined through the analysis of covariance of both experimental and control groups. The result of the study showed that the cognitive level of the students in experiment group dealt with thinking science program was more accelerated than that of the students in control group who were just taught regular science curriculum. Especially, the effect was clear to the students in stages 1 and 2B. It was also found that the percentage of the students who promoted from concrete operational stage to formal operational stage was higher in experimental group than in control group. The results of the study implied that cognitive acceleration of the students might be possible through the specially designed materials such as thinking science program.