Comparing Teaching Methods in an Environmental Education Field Trip Program

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of instructional methods based on a one-day informal science field experience comparing a teacher-centered methodology versus a student-centered (inquiry-based) methodology. The 5E learning cycle was selected as the framework for implementing the inquiry-based learning for the treatment groups as it provides the structure of the constructivist learning cycle (Duran & Duran, 2004). The research design followed a quasi-experimental design with a total of three control and three treatment groups representing two individual schools. Each school included at least one treatment and one control group. The study included 117 third grade students. Both groups were given a pre and post assessment measuring the impact of the instructional method of inquiry presented in the 5E format. An independent-measures t-test was used to analyze the results of the means for the post-test assessments (treatment and control) and the means of the retention assessments. Pre-tests indicated variations of prior knowledge between the control and treatment groups. Post-tests indicated similar results of knowledge gains. However, the retention tests for the treatment groups revealed students increased their knowledge from the time of their post-test. The control groups’ retention results were similar to their post-test results indicating knowledge was maintained.

Field Trip Learning Method to Improve the Ability of Writing Descriptive Paragraph in Elementary School Students

“…This is in accordance with the learning carried out by the teacher, namely deepening the lesson by looking at reality, in this study the teacher invites students to make direct observations of objects so that what they write is really based on the reality they see. The effectiveness of the one-day outdoor education field trip program to complement student learning in context-based nature classes and experiential learning activities (Pearce & Lee, 2021). To determine whether these programs have a positive impact on students' understanding of content, it is necessary to pay attention to the delivery of instructions.…”