Examining secondary students’ mental models of a local environment after an experiential learning field trip

This study is grounded in experiential learning theory that states secondary students will construct a new model of the environment using prior experiences combined with new information gained during an environmental education field trip. It is hypothesized that the outdoor field trip will be a useful tool for presenting new knowledge due to the active engagement of students. This mixed methods research study utilized a quantitative draw-and-explain assessment (Draw a Local Environment Test; DALET) to measure change in students’ mental models and teacher interviews regarding the classroom environment before and after the field trip. The secondary students had an existing mental model of the delta as a wildlife preserve that would host dense concentrations of local animals and that the environment would include both abiotic and biotic factors. In contrast student post-test drawings exhibited a lack of wildlife, replica drawings of the field trip workspace, and the delta as an enclosed water body. It is clear from the increase in extent scores that the NDP education program is succeeding in raising familiarity with geography and species. Recommendations are made for building the DALET into classroom curriculum to drive experiential learning. Suggestions for formal collaboration are also given to informal science educators in order to increase message transmission to field trip students.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

Texas Tech University

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Jose, Sara

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Patrick, Patricia

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Moseley, Christine

• Experiential Learning
• Informal Science Education
• Field Trips
• Environmental Education

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/2346/63638

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/63638