The Meaning and Characteristics of Context and Students’ Context Preferences in Science Education

Abstract

This study aims to define the "context" used in designing science lessons for the context-based education approach and determining the attributes related to the use of this concept. This study is an extensive literature review. Articles associated with context-based education have been scanned from databases, and synthesis has been made over related ones. The word context is described in different ways in many fields. This study aims to eliminate this confusion in terms of science education. Studies state that the importance of context has not been emphasized enough. Also, it is intended to identify the attributes related to the use of context and to facilitate the explanation of context for the studies prepared using the context-based education approach. Besides, the criteria that affect the context preferences of the students were determined. The affective factors were more effective than cognitive factors in students" context preferences. IntroductionWhile knowledge in ancient times is one of the factors that make people wiser, it is now more critical to eliminate information and choose the correct one among the piles that we can now easily access. There are even researchers who call the current situation a data tsunami (Bukhari et al., 2018). At this point, choosing reliable information has become Bağlamın Anlamı ve Nitelikleri The Meaning and Characteristics of Context JOTCSC, Cilt 5, Sayı 1, 2020. Sayfa 53-70one of the necessary skills. It is essential to determine the context correctly and to understand the concepts related to the context precisely because the context has become a vital criterion for reaching this correct information. Context also plays a role in ensuring the retrieval of information, supports establishing meaningful relationships between existing and newly acquired knowledge and creates the effect that learning takes place for a specific purpose (Rodrigues, 2006). The Definition and Attributes of ContextThe word context is used in many different fields. Some researchers argue that it is difficult to define the context word because of this diverse usage. The meaning of context is polysemic (Van Oers, 1998; Cole, 1996). Clark and Carlson (1981 -p. 313) argue that the definition of context has turned into a conceptual garbage can from this diverse usage (Cited from Akman, 2000). This situation is not only for context concept, but different concepts such as performance, consciousness, intelligence, fear, etc. have the same situation. For this reason, they are called suitcase concepts (Minsky, 1998; Cambria et al., 2012).In the field of linguistics, Duranti and Goodwin (1992, p.34), proposed the definition as "focus event embedded in its cultural environment." Rodrigues (2001) defined the context as a socio-cultural artifact and stated that it is merely a theme created by ordinary objects and environments. Besides, Rodrigues (2001) discussed that the context can be three types and named them system contexts, socio-cultural contexts, and internalized contexts. Gilbert (2006) adapted this to c...

Systems Thinking Approach in Science Education

“…Another difference between the STEM education approach and the systems thinking approach is the use of multiple contexts (Elmas, 2020). What is meant by the use of multiple contexts is to present the information about science to the student in a learning environment designed using multiple contexts to understand the whole system.…”

“…It is clear that contexts will be used in the systems thinking approach. Still, unlike the routine applications of the context-based approach, systems thinking requires the use of multiple contexts, as it deals with integrating an event (Elmas, 2020;Orgill et al, 2019;Gilissen et al, 2020). As a current example of this, the study in which system thinking and context-based approach are used together can be given as an example (Armstrong & Poë, 2020).…”

“…Sistemsel düşünme yaklaşımının STEM eğitimi yaklaşımından bir diğer farkı ise çoklu bağlam kullanımıdır (Elmas, 2020). Burada çoklu bağlam kullanımından kasıt, verilecek olan fen ile ilgili kavramların sistemin bütününün anlaşılması için birden çok bağlam kullanılarak tasarlanan bir öğrenme ortamında öğrenciye sunulmasıdır.…”

“…Sistemsel düşünme yaklaşımında bağlamın kullanılacağı açıktır ama bağlam temelli yaklaşımın rutin uygulamalarından farklı olarak sistemsel düşünme bir olayı bütünlemesine ele aldığı için yukarıda açıklandığı gibi çoklu bağlam kullanımına ihtiyaç duymaktadır (Elmas, 2020;Orgill vd., 2019;Gilissen vd., 2020). Bu konuya güncel bir örnek olarak sistem düşüncesi ve bağlam temelli yaklaşımın birlikte kullanıldığı insan sağlığı ve refahı konusunun ele alındığı çalışma verilebilir (Armstrong & Poë, 2020).…”

STEM Eğitim Yaklaşımının 2018 Fen Bilimleri Öğretim Programı Kapsamında Uygulanabilirliğinin İncelenmesi

“…Bu disiplinlerin entegrasyonunun sağlanabilmesinin temeli ise mühendislik tasarım süreci basamaklarından geçmektedir (Daugherty, 2012;Roth, 2001;Wendell vd., 2010). Bu entegrasyon mühendislik tasarım sürecini dikkate alarak sağlanırken, uygun bir bağlamın seçilmesi de büyük öneme sahiptir (Elmas, 2020). Roberts (2012)'a göre STEM "bütünleşik bir yaklaşımdır".…”