Learning science outside the classroom: development and validation of the out-of-school learning environments perception scale

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmet Ilhan Sen ◽  
Hulya Ertas-Kılıc ◽  
Ozlem Oktay ◽  
Serkan Ekinci ◽  
Zafer Kadırhan
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Learning Science ◽  
School Learning ◽  
Development And Validation ◽  
Out Of School

scholarly journals Non-formal science education: The relevance of science camps

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Halonen ◽  
Maija Aksela
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Relevance Theory ◽  
Societal Relevance ◽  
School Learning ◽  
Formal Science ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Out Of School

Non-formal science education means goal-oriented learning outside of school. The use of out of school learning environments (e.g. science camps) has been found to increase motivation and interest in natural sciences. In this study, the relevance of non-formal science education in science camps has been analyzed from the perspectives of children and families, which has not been studied before. The analysis of relevance has been based on the relevance theory developed by Stuckey, Hofstein, Mamlok-Naaman & Eilks in 2013. The study focuses on the 46 science camps organized by the University of Helsinki LUMA Centre in the years 2015 and 2016, involving more than 900 schoolchildren and some of their parents (N=124). The study examined also the impact of children’s gender and children’s earlier interest in science on the relevance of chemistry related science camps. Survey and theme interview were both used as research methods. The results of the survey show that non-formal science education in science camps is relevant according to both the children and the families, mainly at the level of individual relevance, with emphasis on present and intrinsic dimensions of relevance. The tasks related to the camp themes, for example in chemistry camps, experimental work in the laboratory, and friends made in the science camps are the most relevant for children. The chemistry science camps are individually most relevant to those children who didn’t have much earlier interest in chemistry. Boys are more confident about their own interests at the individual relevance level than girls. At the level of societal relevance, boys are more focused on present-day relevance than girls when girls also consider the future. The levels of societal and vocational relevance were only slightly visible in the answers of the survey. However, based on theme interviews, camps were considered as relevant for all relevance levels of the relevance theory. The results of this research can be utilized in the development of out of school learning environments, especially in the development of science camps and in further research.

scholarly journals The Experience of Assessing Out-of-School Learning Environments

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 1410-1424
Author(s):  
Halit Kiriktaş ◽  
Sinan Eslek
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
School Learning ◽  
Out Of School

scholarly journals Teachers views' on awareness of environmental acquiring in informal learning environments: The sample of Kocaeli Science Houses)

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragıp Çavuş ◽  
Ünsal Umdu Topsakal ◽  
Aysun Öztuna Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Informal Learning Environments ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Formal And Informal Learning ◽  
School Learning ◽  
Out Of School

The aim of this study is to determine the teachers' view about getting students be aware of awareness of environmental according to the activities in Science Houses. 15 Science and Technology teachers working in Kocaeli Science House participated to the search which has been carried out in 2011 - 2012.In this research fenomological approach has been applied. Purposeful sampling is used. Semi-structure interviews and open-ended question forms which were prepared by the researchers and checked by experts were applied as data collection tools. Content analysis method is used for data analyzing.Teachers who participated in this study emphasized the importance of out of school learning environments and also Science Houses' activities for awareness of environmental. Furthermore they added that formal and informal learning activities should be together and teachers should take students to the out of school learning environments.When the literature is examined it is seen that informal and formal leaning areas are both important for awareness of environmental. In this research views of teachers working in out of school learning environments about the activities and students' awareness of environmental are investigated according the literature. As a result of this study it is found that out of school learning environments are important for awareness of environmental and these areas and their activities should be increased. It is hoped that this research will help the investigators who want to study about out of school learning environments.

scholarly journals The Impact of Out-of-School Learning Environments on 6th Grade Secondary School Students Attitude Towards Science Course

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halil Ibrahim Yildirim
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Science Lesson ◽  
Experimental Process ◽  
School Learning ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Out Of School

This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the impacts of out-of-school learning environments on 6th-grade students’ attitudes towards science course. In the study, the quasi-experimental model and pretest-posttest control grouped experimental design was employed. The experimental process step of the study was carried out on 6th-grade students who receive education in a secondary school in Turkey in 2017 and maintained for 18 weeks. 60 students are included in the study group of the research (control group=30, experimental group=30). For the purpose of measuring the attitude scores towards science course, “The Scale of Attitude towards Science Lesson” was used. The experimental phase was performed by science lesson teacher both in the control and experimental groups. No experimental process was applied in the control group. The instruction was provided in accordance with the Science Course Curriculum. While the instruction was provided in line with the control group in the experimental group, out-of-school learning environments were also included in the teaching process. Out-of-school learning environments were specified by considering the learning outcomes in the 6th-grade science curricula. Experimental group students visited out-of-school learning environments with the guidance of the science teacher. Science museum, anatomy museum, planetarium, nature trip, science festivals, energy park and aqua park are among the out-of-school learning environments. As a result of the study, it was seen that the attitudes of the students in the experimental group were increased at a significant level, and no significant improvement was realized in control group students’ attitudes.

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