A Comparison of Experiential Insturctional Strategies Upon the Science Process Skills of Urban Elementary Students

Mabie, Rachel; Baker, Matt

doi:10.5032/jae.1996.02001

Cited by 57 publications

(57 citation statements)

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“…Also, as mentioned above, Section 9.2.4 discusses findings on students' attitudes toward science that appear to indicate greater caution or uncertainty for potential benefits and dangers of the use of science and technology. All of these findings appear to align with literature on scientific literacy that advocates some of the pedagogical approaches used in this inquiry such as promoting relevance (Bell et al, 1995;Holbrook & Rannikmae, 2009;Keller, 1983;Korpan, 2009;Matthews) and engaging students in science (Harty, Kloosterman & Matkin, 1989;Mabie & Baker, 1996;Meichtry, 1992;Roth & Roychoudhury, 1993).…”

Section: Recognizing and Appreciating Ecological Possibilitiessupporting

confidence: 50%

“…Engaging students in science and/or the environment through experiential learning opportunities is well documented in the literature of ecological literacy (Goleman et al, 2012;Orr, 1992;, EEfS (Bolstad, 2003;Chapman & Eames, 2007;Daudi & Heimlich, 2002;Tilbury, 1995) and scientific literacy (Harty, Kloosterman & Matkin, 1989;Mabie & Baker, 1996;Meichtry, 1992;Roth & Roychoudhury, 1993). Findings appear to indicate that students felt engaged in learning during the field trips but less so while doing bookwork in class.…”

Section: Engagementmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Together, these are reflected in what Aikenhead (2010) identifies as relevant content, processes and contexts. The literature provides many advocates for employing experiential instructional strategies to promote scientific literacy (Harty, Kloosterman & Matkin, 1989;Mabie & Baker, 1996;Meichtry, 1992). For instance, Roth and Roychoudhury (1993) found that experiential learning opportunities improved science process skills among secondary students.…”

Section: Scientific Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the reasons for each student's success or failure are numerous and not addressed extensively in this thesis, many authors argue that when pedagogies are experiential, relevant and student-centered, the learning process can become more enjoyable and more effective (Blumstein & Saylan, 2007;Mabie & Baker, 1996;Matthew, 2004;Ramsden, 1998;). More enjoyment in learning a topic may lead to greater effort and to a higher level of academic success.…”

Section: Students' Attitudes Toward Learning Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Lebo¹,

Eames²,

Coll³

et al. 2013

Aust. J. environ. educ.

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Environmental, economic, and social trends suggest the need for more sustainable ways of thinking and patterns of behaviour. Such a shift would require humanity to function at high levels of ecological literacy, which relies on a certain amount of scientific literacy. However, troubling evidence indicates an international pattern of student disengagement with science at the secondary level. Evidence also suggests that it is difficult to integrate environmental or sustainability education at this level, both within New Zealand and elsewhere. This research was aimed at examining the use of a novel approach, using permaculture, in junior secondary science (Years 9 and 10) to enhance students’ ecological and scientific literacy, as well as their attitudes toward studying science in school.Permaculture is an ecological design system based on science and ethics. A permaculture approach to science education involves eco-design thinking, as well as the use of local permaculture properties and practitioners, and the science behind common permaculture practices. The approach is also meant to be relevant and engaging, and to promote systems thinking. This study involved the design and delivery of an intervention based on permaculture principles to one Year 10 science class in New Zealand.Research took the form of a naturalistic, interpretive, mixed methods case study, which included the use of questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Data collection focused on the impacts of a permaculture approach on the teaching and learning of science, on students’ ecological literacy, and on students’ attitudes toward learning science in school. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires probed students’ opinions on the environment, science, and learning science in school, and tested their sustainable thinking and systems thinking with concept mapping and SOLO Taxonomy exercises. Classroom observations took place over the course of 12 weeks, on average 3 days per week, totalling 31 days. Before and after some classroom visits, I had informal conversations with the teacher, along with three formal interviews before, during and after the intervention. Three focus groups of students were interviewed immediately following the intervention.Findings show that a permaculture approach to junior secondary science can impact positively on students’ understanding of science and sustainability, and may impact on their attitudes toward studying science in school. It also appeared to impact positively on the science teacher'sattitude toward including sustainability in his teaching practice, and on his own sustainability learning. Regarding both students and teachers, a permaculture approach appears to have been effective to cultivate attitudes and trellis learning.The teacher and the students responded favourably to many aspects of the intervention, including the overall focus on the environment, the field trips, and some classroom learning activities. The teacher reported appreciating the way the intervention contextualised science with real world examples. Most students reported appreciating the experiential aspects of the intervention, as well as the relevance that a permaculture approach to science education provided. Findings indicate that advances in ecological and scientific literacy varied among students. Some students appeared to: improve their use of science and sustainability vocabulary; become more aware of select socio-scientific issues; better recognise scientific and ecological limits and possibilities. Some students also showed advances in sustainable thinking and systems thinking. Although many students expressed concern about issues such as pollution, wildlife, and genetic engineering — and prioritised protecting the environment over making money — there appeared to be a disconnect between these feelings and a sense of personal responsibility to act. Most students reported enjoying learning science with a focus on the environment, with one cohort indicating much greater enjoyment of the permaculture approach than their usual level of enjoyment of learning science in school.Trends in environmental degradation, population growth, energy inflation, and economic stagnation — especially pronounced since the beginning of this inquiry in 2008 — indicate that the world of the future will require ecologically literate citizens who can design and create truly sustainable systems for all human endeavors. Cultivating such citizens, and trellising their science and sustainability learning has implications for science education. This thesis identifies an innovative approach for junior secondary science in New Zealand that provides a way towards a more sustainable future.

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Section: Recognizing and Appreciating Ecological Possibilitiessupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Engagementmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Scientific Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Students' Attitudes Toward Learning Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Lebo¹,

Eames²,

Coll³

et al. 2013

Aust. J. environ. educ.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A number of researchers (Balschweid & Thompson, 2002;Balschweid, Thompson & Cole, 2000;Conroy & Walker, 2000;Enderlin & Osborne, 1992;Mabie & Baker, 1996;Roegge & Russell, 1990) believe agricultural education, with its natural ties to the biological, chemical, and physical sciences is well-positioned to offer a rigorous and meaningful learning context for applied scientific principles. Hull (1995) purports that contextual learning theory suggests learning occurs only when students process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense in their frame of reference.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating Science in the Agriculture Curriculum: Agriculture Teacher Perceptions of the Opportunities, Barriers, and Impact on Student Enrollment

Myers¹,

Washburn²

2008

JAE

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Emergent learning opportunities in an inner‐city youth gardening program

Rahm

2002

J Res Sci Teach

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An emphasis on doing science calls for rich descriptions of the kind of science that gets done in such informal educational contexts as science museums and science-focused after-school and summer programs. Described in this article is a study of an inner-city youth gardening program and of the kinds of learning opportunities that it supported and that emerged from youth-initiated actions and talk. In particular, there is an examination of the ways in which the garden environment and the experiential nature of the program gave support to the emergence of learning opportunities, while also making connections possible among science, community, and work. The description emphasizes the value of a science that emerges from participants' engagement in activities they deem valuable, meaningful, and authentic. In essence, the results of the study show that informal educational programs that do not have science as their primary goal may provide important insights into the development of learning communities in the classroom. The study highlights the educational value of a school science practice that is driven by its consumers, rather than being imposed on them, and that provides opportunities for the integration of science, work, and community. ß

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A Comparison of Experiential Insturctional Strategies Upon the Science Process Skills of Urban Elementary Students

Cited by 57 publications

References 0 publications

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Integrating Science in the Agriculture Curriculum: Agriculture Teacher Perceptions of the Opportunities, Barriers, and Impact on Student Enrollment

Emergent learning opportunities in an inner‐city youth gardening program

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