A DEVELOPMENTAL STUDY IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE EDUCATION WITH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: THE STUDY OF A LOCAL STREAM AND SCIENCE RELATED COMMUNITY PROBLEMS

This study described how classroom, laboratory, and field study activities were planned and developed for use in an instructional unit on the study of a local stream and science related community problems. It also described how these activities were used in a classroom try-out to determine their relative effectiveness, compared to conventional methods of instruction.; The research problem was stated as follows: When science instruction for ninth grade students is organized in the framework of a generalized approach to problem study, using teacher developed materials to study a local stream and science related community problems, how does the instruction affect: (1) students' views toward science as a school subject; (2) students' views toward science and the world; (3) students' acquisition of science knowledge; (4) students' application of science knowledge?; Research procedures employed in the study were based on an overall plan, devised by Professor Willard Jacobson of Teachers College, Columbia University, for conducting developmental studies in science education. Major elements of the procedure included: Exploration of the problem area in the community for ideas and suitable information; preliminary planning for the development and classroom testing of learning materials; development and pilot testing of the materials; classroom try-out of materials developed; and the analysis of experience involved in the development and use of the new materials. One experimental and one control group were used in the classroom try-out.; Effectiveness of the learning materials was judged on the basis of statistical analysis of mean scores from pre and post testing and from students' responses to questions during taped-structured interviews.; Results indicated that students who received science instruction in the form of a generalized approach to problem study, using teacher developed materials, became more positive in their views toward school science and exhibited a greater tendency to apply knowledge of science to societal issues without sacrifice in the acquisition of basic knowledge of science. It was concluded that instructional strategies employed in this study provided for students several learning advantages over conventional methods of science teaching.