Relationship between ecology fieldwork and student attitudes toward environmental protection

Abstract

This article is a summary of research carried out on Spanish secondary school students 14 -16 years of age, with the intention of finding out what contributions fieldwork makes toward the understanding of concepts and principles of ecology, and also to ascertain the effects of fieldwork on the defense of the studied ecosystem. Before further research was conducted, an exploratory study was carried out consisting of an initial diagnosis of the pupils' ideas; fieldwork materials were prepared and an ecology unit for the study of a freshwater ecosystem was designed, along with evaluation instruments. The experimental design was given shape thanks to work done with two groups of students on whom a more exhaustive study was performed. The independent variable consisted of a field trip; the dependent variable was the learning of ecological concepts and their application to the assessment of an environmental problem. The study combined qualitative and quantitative research methods. A result of the research work was the conclusion that fieldwork helps clarify ecological concepts and intervenes directly in the development of more favorable attitudes toward the defense of the ecosystem. Both components are seen when making valid judgments for the resolution of problems which negatively affect the ecosystem and for showing the way toward the type of actions and solutions which should be adopted.

Early understandings of simple food chains: A learning progression for the preschool years

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EcoMOBILE: Integrating augmented reality and probeware with environmental education field trips

“…The ability to understand ecosystems is richly enhanced by experiences in real environments. Field trips, both real and virtual, support gains in science knowledge (Bitgood, 1989;Garner & Gallo, 2005;Gottfried, 1980;Knapp & Barrie, 2001); and outdoor experiences can affect student attitudes about nature (Ballantyne & Packer, 2002;Manzanal, Rodriguez Barreiro, & Casal Jimenez, 1999;Bogner, 1998). Yet, the real world can be a challenging learning environment; students may be distracted by the novelty of the social and physical context of the experience and find it difficult to focus on relevant learning tasks (Falk, 1983;Orion & Hofstein, 1994).…”

Sociocultural influences on science education: Innovation for contemporary times

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