The Effect of Student-Centered Teaching Methods and Techniques on Academic Achievement in Life Sciences Teaching: A Meta-Analysis Study

In this study, it was aimed to determine the general effect of student-centered teaching on students' academic achievement in life science teaching. For this purpose, 25 theses scanned in YÖK Thesis Center, having open access permission and methodologically meeting the criteria for inclusion in meta-analysis constituted the data of this study. From 25 thesis studies, 26 effect values were calculated by meta-analysis method. Cohen's g value was used to determine the effect values. The studies included in the meta-analysis were first tested for publication bias using the Rosenthal method and funnel plot. In addition, Z value, significance of Z value, Q value and chi-square distribution values at 25 degrees of freedom were used to decide the meta-analysis model. It was found that the studies included in the meta-analysis did not show publication bias and were heterogeneously distributed. Accordingly, meta-analysis was conducted according to the random effects model. According to the findings obtained in the study, it was seen that each study included in the analysis independently positively affected students' academic achievement. It was determined that the overall effect size of the studies integrated according to the random effects model was 1.028. From this point of view, it was concluded that student-centered teaching methods and techniques in life science teaching have a large positive effect on students' academic achievement.