Designing a Context-Based Education Model for the Elementary School Science Course with an Emphasis on Environmental Conservation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student, Department of Educational Sciences, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

Abstract

This research aims to provide a context-based teaching model in the elementary school science course with an emphasis on environmental conservation, which has been qualitatively implemented using a grounded theory approach. To collect information, a semi-structured interview was used, and Strauss and Corbin's method and paradigm model were applied for data analysis. Sampling was conducted using a theoretical method, based on 25 interviews with elementary school teachers in the Central Province. The results of the data obtained from the interviews during the process of open, axial, and selective coding led to the creation of grounded theory in the field of context-based education in the elementary school science course. To determine validity, subject experts and experts in the field of science education were consulted, and to assess reliability, retesting and intra-subject agreement were used, with a reliability value of 0.84. The proposed model in this research includes dimensions and effective components, obstacles and strategies, causal, contextual, and mediating conditions, as well as constituent elements that demonstrate the central phenomenon, consequences, and strategies. Based on the research, context-based education in science with an emphasis on the environment is multi-dimensional, influenced by a set of hardware and software factors. Therefore, if today’s context-based education in the elementary school science course is not equipped with these skills, environmental protection will not be achieved. The integration of these factors in the elementary science course can help in maintaining, increasing, and expanding students' environmental literacy.

Keywords


Ahmadi, G. A. (2006). Extent of correspondence between the Intended, implemented, and acquired curricula in the new Primary schools Science program. Quarterly Journal of Education, 22(2), 51-92. ‎[In Persian]‎
Aikens, K., McKenzie, M., & Vaughter, P. (2016). Environmental and sustainability education policy research: A systematic review of methodological and thematic trends. Environmental Education Research, 22(3), 333-359.
Alavi, M. (2013). Analyzing the content of the fourth and fifth grade science textbooks in the academic year 90-91 in relation to environmental education and its protection and providing suitable solutions for curriculum planners in this field. The First National Conference on Environment, Energy and Biodefense Tehran. [In Persian]
Alvarez Suarez,Pedro & VegaMarcote,Pedro. (2010).Developing Sustainable environmental behavior in secondary education students(12-16) Analysis of a didactic strategy.procedica-social and Behavioral Sciences 2 3568-3574
Amran A, Perkasa, M, Satriawan, M, Jasin, I, Irwansyah, M. (2019). Assessing students 21st century attitude and environmental awareness: promoting education for sustainable development through science education. Journal of Physics: Conf. Series (1157) 1-6.
Asadpour, S., Assareh, A., Ahmadi, G. A., Emamjome, S.M.R. (2022). A Comparative Study of Context-based Curriculum of Experimental Sciences in Junior Secondary School in Iran and Selected Countries. Iranian Journal of Comparative Education, 5(3), 2028-2044. [In Persian]
Babazadeh, A., Ghahremanie, M., Akbari, M ‎. (2018). The Learning Organizations, Context for Environmental Education. Environmental Education and Sustainable Development,1(2), 69-78. [In Persian]
Bahrami, M. (2011). Examining and explaining indicators of environmental literacy in school science curricula. (Master's degree), Payam Noor University, Tehran Province, Ray Branch. [In Persian]
Bayat, T., Ahmadi, P., Parsa, A. (2012). The Status of Environmental Ethics in the Contents of Primary School Textbooks of Iran. Research in Curriculum Planning,10‎‏)‏‎36‎‏(‏‎,51-62‎. ‎[In Persian]‎
Behnam Jam V, & Shah Hosseini, N. (2012). Improving the professional qualifications of teachers; It is necessary to participate in school-based curriculum planning. The first national conference of fundamental transformation in the curriculum system of Iran. ‎[In Persian]‎
Brahuimoghadam, N., & Kahrazehi, M. (2020). A comparative study of teaching methods used for teaching science in the elementary schools in Iran and the United Kingdom. Journal of Teacher Professional Development, 5(2), 41-58, 20.1001.1.24765600.1399.5.2.3.1
Bukova-Güzel, E., Kula, S., Uğurel, I., & Özgür, Z. (2010). Sufficiency of undergraduate education in developing mathematical pedagogical content knowledge: Student teachers’ views. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 2222-2226.
Cabbar, B. G., & Senel, H. (2020). Content Analysis of Biology Education Research That Used Context-Based Approaches: The Case of Turkey. Journal of Educational Issues, 6(1), 203-218. https://doi.org/10.5296/jei.v6i1.16920
Çepni, S., Özmen, H., & Ayvacı, H. Ş. (2015). Yaşam (bağlam) temelli, beyin temelli öğrenme kuramları, 21. Yüzyıl becerileri ve FETEMM yaklaşımı ve fen bilimleri öğretimindeki uygulamaları [Life (context)-based, brain-based learning theories, 21st century skills and STEM approach and its applications in science teaching]. S. Çepni (Ed.), Kuramdan uygulamaya fen ve teknoloji öğretimi içinde, Ankara: Pegem Akademi
Cigdemoglu, C. (2020). Flipping the use of science-technology and society issues as triggering students' motivation and chemical literacy, Science Education International, 31(1), 74-83. https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v31.i1.8
Cigdemoglu, C.; Gebanb, O. (2015). Improving students’ chemical literacy level on Thermochemical and thermodynamics concepts through context-based approach. Chem. Educ. Res. Pract, 16, 302–317.
Cobos, T. L., Castilla, R. L., & López, Á. B. (2017). Procesos de oxidación: UN acercamiento a su estudio en la ESO [Oxidation processes: An approach to its study at ESO]. Boletín ENCIC: Revista del Grupo de Investigación HUM,974, 1(1), 7-8.
Corbin, J & Strauss, A. (2008). Basic of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grouded theory (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428108324514
De Putter-Smits, L. G. A. (2012). Science teachers designing context-based curriculum materials: developing context-based teaching competence. PhD Dissertation, Eindhoven: Eindhoven University of Technology.
De Putter-Smits, L. G., Nieveen, N. M., Taconis, R., & Jochems, W. (2020). A one-year teacher professional development programme towards context-based science education using a concerns-based approach. Professional development in education,33(2) 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1712616
Demir, İ. (2019). Yaşam temelli öğretimin ortaokul 7.sınıf öğrencilerinin ağız ve diş hijyeni konusunda kavram öğrenmelerine, fen bilimlerine karşı tutumlarına ve motivasyonlarına etkisi [The effect of life-based teaching on secondary school 7th grade students' learning concepts about oral and dental hygiene, their attitudes and motivations towards science.] [Yayınlanmamış Yüksek lisans tezi]. Marmara Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
Dori, Y. J., Avargil, S., Kohen, Z., & Saar, L. (2018). Context-based learning and metacognitive prompts for enhancing scientific text comprehension. International Journal of Science Education, 40(10), 1198-1220.
Efird, R. (2012). Learning the land beneath our feet: NGO ‘Local Learning Materials’ and environmental education in Yunnan Province. Journal of Contemporary China, 21(76), 569–583.
Erdogan, M. (2015). The Effect of Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) on Elementary School Students' Environmental Literacy. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 10(2), 165-181.
Fazeli, F & Mahdavi Ikdelu. F. (2019). Studying the status of the existing environmental content of sciences textbooks in the general education course. Journal of Environmental science and technology, 21(1); 228-243. [In Persian] 10.22034/JEST.2018.13792
Fazeli, Z, Jalilian, M, Rahimi, Z (2022). Investigating the level of realization of the context-oriented approach in the sixth-grade science course: from the perpective of content and implementation. Research in curriculum planning; 19(47); p 131-144. https://doi.org/10.30486/jsre.2023.1977185.2282
Ferdowsi, S., Mortazavi, Sh., Rizvani,N. (2007). The relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental protection behaviors. Journal of Literature and Humanities, 53, 253-266. ‎[In Persian]‎
Fu, H., & Liu, X. (2017). A study on the impact of environmental education on individuals’ behaviors concerning recycled water reuse. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education, 13(10), 6715-6724. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/78192
Hojati Sayah M., Khodabakhshi koolaee A. (2016). Effectiveness of environmental education group on environmental attitude and increasing environmental awareness among the female students in Tehran. Iranian Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 2 (3),1-8. ‎[In Persian]‎
Ilhan, N., Yildirim, A., & Yilmaz, S. S. (2016). The effect of context-based chemical equilibrium on grade 11 students' learning, motivation and constructivist learning environment. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 11(9), 3117-3137.
Jafari, H. R., Mirshah, J. S., & Liaghatdar, M. J. (2009). A Comparative Study of Evolutionary Transformation of the Curriculum in Educational Sciences. Journal of New Thoughts on Education, 5(2), 145-193
Jurin.R,Roush Donald Eugene,Danter, K. Jeffrey. (2010).Environmental Communication: Skills and Principles for Natural Resource.2th edn,London: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg,45-50
Kabiri, M; Ghazi Tabatabai, M. & Bazargan, A. (2016). Determining the basic competencies expected from students of Grade 8 in experimental sciences and comparing them with emphases of the Iran science curriculum. Quarterly Journal of Iranian Curriculum Studies, 11 (44), 109-140. ‎[In Persian]‎
Karimi, A; Kabiri, M.(2013). Comparison of the performance of the top and weaker countries of the 2007 TIMSS in terms of the use of teaching methods in science classes. Curriculum Studies Quarterly, 106, 31-91
Karimi, B., Kian,M., Aliasgari, M.(2017) Designing the environmental education curriculum for elementary schools in Iran.Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 5, (4), 9-23
Karslı-Baydere, F. & Kurtoğlu, S. (2020). 5. Sınıf öğrencilerinin biyolojik çeşitlilik konusundaki kavramsal anlamalarına REACT stratejisinin etkisi [The effect of REACT strategy on 5th grade students' conceptual understanding of biodiversity]. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 17(1), 1015-1041. https://doi.org/10.33711/yyuefd.800921
Khozarai Sholayfar, L. (2016) Analyzing the position of environmental education in the secondary school chemistry curriculum and providing solutions to improve environmental literacy. Master's thesis, faculty of humanities Payam Noor University, South Tehran. [In Persian]
King, D., & Henderson, S. (2018). Context-based learning in the middle years: achieving resonance between the real-world field and environmental science concepts. International Journal of Science Education, 40(10), 1221-1238. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1470352
Kobiah, L. K., Barchok, H. K. & Wanja Njagi, M. (2015). Teacher’s participation in curriculum conceptualization and effective implementation of secondary school curriculum in Kenya. International Journal of Education and Research, 3(7), 283-294
Kortland, J. (2005). Physics in personal, social and scientific contexts. A retrospective view on the Dutch Physics Curriculum Development Project PLON. In P. Nentwig, & D. Waddington (Eds.), Making it relevant: Context-based learning of science (pp. 67-89). Munchen, Germany: Waxmann.
Kutu, H. & Sözbilir, M. (2011). Yaşam temelli ARCS öğretim modeliyle 9. sınıf kimya dersi" Hayatımızda Kimya" ünitesinin öğretimi. Ondokuz Mayis University Journal of Education, 30(1), 29-62
Lagerstrom, M. L., Piqueras, J., & Palm, O. (2021). Should we be afraid of Ebola?: A study of students' learning progressions in context-based science teaching. Nordic Studies in Science Education, 17(1), 64-78. https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.7658
Littledyke, Michael. (2008). Science education for environmental awareness: approaches to integrating cognitive and affective domains. Environmental Education Research, 14(1), 1-17.
Mehr Ara, A., Madanlo Joibari, S., Zare Zaidi A.(2018). Examining the role of environmental protection in sustainable development. Bimonthly Journal of Applied Studies in Management and Development Sciences, 3(2),105-115. [In Persian]
Micangeli A. V, Naso, Matrisciano A. (2014). Attitudes toward sustainability and green economy issues related to some students learning their characteristics: a preliminary study. Sustainability, (6)121-140.
Mohammadi, Mehr M& Fathi Vajargah, K.(2010). Presenting a model of interdisciplinary integration in curriculum design. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Sciences, 2 (4),1-17. ‎[In Persian]‎
Moharram Nejad, N. Heydari, O. (2006).Developing a management model for the sustainable development of environmental education ‎for the country's young generation.Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 8 (1), 68-77
Mokua, B. (2010). An evaluation of the curriculum development role of teachers as key agents in curriculum change. M. Ed Thesis. South Africa., North-West University.
Nazarenko, Alexander V., & Kolesnik, Anna I. (2018). Raising Environmental Awareness of Future Teachers. International Journal of Instruction: 11(3), 63-76. https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2018.1135a
Niroo, M., & Haji Hossein Nejhad, G. (2013). The effect of Gardner theory of multiple intelligences (MI) in the education, based on understanding and improving students' attitude. Journal of Environmental Edu cation & Sustainable Development,1(2), 1- 12. [In Persian]
Offorma, G. C. (2016). Integrating Components of Culture in Curriculum Planning. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 8(1), 1-8
Oliva, Peter, F. (2010). Developing curriculum, Pearson Education, Inc.
Palmer, Joey (2003). Environmental Education in the 21st Century Ali Mohammad Khorshid Dost, Tehran: Position
Perkins, G. (2011). Impact of STS: Context-based type of teaching in comparison with a textbook approach on attitudes and achievement in community college chemistry classrooms. AZ: Arizona State University.
Pinar, W.F., Reynolds, W. M., Siattery, P. & Taubman, P. M. (1996). Understanding curriculum, Peter Lang Publishing, Inc. New York
Pinar, William, F.& Zhang, Hua (2015).Without experience is teacher development possible? Utobiography and teacher development in China: Subjectivity and Culture in Curriculum Reform.Palgrave Macmillan US.
Prihantoro, C. R. (2015). The perspective of curriculum in Indonesia on environmental education. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 4(1), 77-83.
Qazawi, M., Liaqhat Dar, M.J., Abedi, A.(2009). Analysis of the content of experimental science books of elementary school in terms of attention to environmental problems. Journal of Education and Training, 2 (98),127-152. [In Persian]
Rahanpour, SH, Ramezani, ME (2019). Investigating the role of environmental education of local communities on environmental performance of citizens of district 5 of Tabriz municipality. Quarterly Journal of sociology studies; 11 (41), p 151- 169.
Ramezani Qavamabadi, M.H (2013). Strategic Review of Environmental Protection Education in Iran: Necessities Bottlenecks. Strategy, 21(4), 65,‎234-257.[In Persian]
Redman E. (2013). Advancing educational pedagogy for sustainability: developing and implementing programs to transform behaviors. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education,1(8)23- 37
Rezaei, M. (2018). Professional competencies of teachers: past, present, future. Education Quarterly, 138(1), 129-150. ‎[In Persian]‎ http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.10174133.1398.35.2.6.5
Richardson, C & Mishra, P, (2018). Learning environments that support student creativity: Developing the SCALE. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 27, 45-54 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.11.004
Sevian, H., Dori Y. J. & Parchmann, I. (2018). How does STEM context-based learning work: what we know and what we still do not know. International Journal of Science Education, 40, 10,1095-1107.
Seyf, A.A.(2017). Modern educational psychology: psychology of learning and education. Tehran: Duran Publications
Shawer, S. F. (2017). Teacher-driven curriculum development at the classroom level: Implications for curriculum, pedagogy and teacher training. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 296-313
Shorette, K., Henderson, K., Sommer, J. M., & Longhofer, W. (2017). World society and the natural environment: Sociology Compass.2.
Swirski, H., Baram-Tsabari, A., & Yarden, A. (2018). Does interest have an expiration date: An analysis of students’ questions as resources for context-based learning. International Journal of Science Education, 40(10), 1136-1153 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1470348
Textbooks Authoring & Planning Office, (2015). Teacher's book, Experimental sciences, seventh grade, first year of high school, Tehran: General Office of Textbook Printing and Distribution
Van Dijk, E. M., & Kattmann, U. (2007). A research model for the study of science teachers’ PCK and improving teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(6), 885-897
Veisi, H., Zarandian, A., Liaghati, H. (2012). Planning to improve students' environmental literacy: educational needs and needs assessment methods. The second environmental planning and management conference. Tehran.
Walan, S., Mc Ewen, B., & Gericke, N. (2016). Enhancing primary science: An exploration of teachers’ own ideas of solutions to challenges in inquiry-and context-based teaching. Education, 44(1), 81-92.
Walker, Decker F. (2003). Fundamentals of curriculum: Passion and professionalism, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2nd ed.
Wiyarsi, A., Pratomo, H., & Priyambodo, E. (2020). Vocational high school students’ chemical literacy on context-based learning: a case of petroleum topic. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 17(1), 147-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.36681/tused.2020.18
Yıldırım, H. İ. & Dağıstanlı, F. (2020). Yaşam temelli öğrenme yaklaşımı ile destekli çevre eğitiminin ortaokul 7. sınıf öğrencilerinin çevreye yönelik tutum, davranış ve başarı düzeylerine etkisi [The effect of environmental education supported by life-based learning approach on the attitudes, behaviors and achievement levels of secondary school 7th grade students.]. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, (54), 106-132. https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.620466