ERIC Number: EJ1341628
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Aug
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4308
EISSN: N/A
Transformative Experience in an Informal Science Learning Program about Climate Change
Littrell, Megan K.; Gold, Anne U.; Koskey, Kristin L. K.; May, Toni A.; Leckey, Erin; Okochi, Christine
Journal of Research in Science Teaching, v59 n6 p1010-1034 Aug 2022
The Transformative Experience Questionnaire (TEQ) has previously been used only in formal science learning environments to examine how students' learning experiences extend beyond the classroom into their daily lives. In the present study, an example of how this tool can be useful to assess transformative experiences in an informal learning program is provided. The Lens On Climate Change (LOCC) program combined a place-based approach to learning with creative expression through storytelling, as middle and high school participants created short films about the impacts of climate change in their communities. Our findings suggest the LOCC participants had a transformative experience with regards to their learning about climate change as illustrated in greater post-program TEQ scores over a comparison group of research participants who did not engage in the LOCC program. The program was also transformative for both middle and high school students. Results are discussed within theoretical frameworks for designing informal transformative science learning experiences.
Descriptors: Transformative Learning, Scores, Science Instruction, Learning Experience, Informal Education, Climate, Place Based Education, Story Telling, Comparative Analysis, Middle School Students, High School Students, Films, Student Attitudes, Science Programs, Creative Activities
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (DOC); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: NA17OAR4320101; DRL1513320