Effectiveness of brain-based learning for grade eight students' direct and postponed retention in science

The aim of the current study is to examine the effectiveness of brain-based learning for student direct and postponed retention in science. There were three groups in the study-one control group and two experimental groups. Brain-based learning was used in the first experimental group (mental group). In addition, technology was used in the second group as a platform to deliver brain-based learning. The control group used conventional teaching methods. There were 197 participants from grade eight. We administered a science achievement test to the three groups as a pre-test (before the beginning of the study), as a post-test (at the end of the study), and as a postponed test (six weeks after the study ended). The post-test results indicated that the technology experimental group outperformed the control group. However, the postponed test results also showed that there was no significant difference between the control group and the technology group. On the other hand, the mental experimental group performed significantly better than the other two groups on the postponed test. We suggest that the novelty effect might play a role in wavering the impact of the use of technology, however further research is needed.