Thesis
Exploring scientific perceptions and knowledge through agriculture with location-based middle school students
University of Iowa
Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
Spring 2020
DOI: 10.17077/etd.005395
Abstract
A sense of place provides one the ability to identify phenomena and apply concepts learned within the classroom to the real world. However, there is little research that observes the transfer of knowledge from the classroom to student’s location. This mixed methods study utilized student and teacher artifacts from a rural middle school science classroom where agriculture phenomena and an environmental issues lens were used to teach physical science concepts of electrical charge within particles. To gather information on student ability to connect science content to place the researcher asked three questions: (1) How do students express their sense of place through the use of photo journals? (2) Are students able to connect content learned in class to their location? And, if so, (3) Does the location of where students live affect their ability to connect content learned in the classroom to their surroundings? Qualitative data analysis through issue coding revealed that students were able to express their sense of place through discussion of environmental issues. To observe the relationships between students’ content knowledge and location, a scoring matrix utilizing teacher lesson plans and national standards was developed. The use of chi square analysis of matrix theme scores revealed that, though there were no differences between where students lived, there was a significant (p<0.05) relationship between student scores and the theme they discussed. Furthermore, students scored significantly (p<0.05) more zeros on the matrix theme of Physical Science than all other themes indicating a disconnect between teacher goals and student outcomes. However, when comparing student photo journals to science journals, there was a disconnect between student capability to identify physical science concepts in their location, but also indicated they could still demonstrate the science concepts in class. In conclusion, future research comparing urban and rural districts is needed to observe student ability to relate content learned in the classroom to their location, and to better identify the effects of agriculture phenomena on science learning.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Exploring scientific perceptions and knowledge through agriculture with location-based middle school students
- Creators
- Cathryn Louise Carney
- Contributors
- Brian Hand (Advisor)Ted Neal (Committee Member)Margaret Carrel (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Science Education
- Date degree season
- Spring 2020
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.005395
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- ix, 59 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2020 Cathryn Louise Carney
- Language
- English
- Description illustrations
- color illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-55).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and knowledge transfer of rural middle school science students to their location. This study utilized student and teacher artifacts during a unit that focused on agriculture and environmental issues as a venue to teach the physical science concepts of electrical charge within soil. There were three questions asked: (1) How do students express their sense of place through the use of photo journals? (2) Are students able to connect content learned in class to their location? And, if so, (3) Does the location of where students live affect their ability to connect content learned in the classroom to their surroundings? Results indicated that students were able to express their sense of place through discussion of environmental issues, and that there was a disconnect between student learning outcomes of physical science content and teacher goals. However, comparison of student photo journal to science journal indicated a disconnect between student ability to identify physical science concepts in their location, but indicated they could still demonstrate the science concepts in class. In conclusion, future research comparing urban and rural districts is needed to observe student ability to relate content learned in the classroom to their location, and to better identify the effects of agriculture phenomena on science learning.
- Academic Unit
- Teaching and Learning
- Record Identifier
- 9983968396902771
Metrics
34 File views/ downloads
58 Record Views