Rosanne W. Fortner

Model of affective learning for nonformal science education facilities

Objective setting and evaluation for learning in the affective domain are often neglected in educational programs, largely because affective learning is a poorly understood phenomenon. This is particularly problematic in nonformal science education facilities, which are uniquely suited to facilitate affective learning. To address this problem, a heuristic model of affective learning in nonformal educational facilities was developed. The model, referred to as the Meredith Model, displays a sequence of events occurring in the affective responses of learners in nonformal educational experiences and identifies factors which may influence individual events within this sequence. The model is proposed as a conceptual framework for gaining an increased understanding of affective learning and for making recommendations for practice of nonformal science education and for further research. J Res Sci Teach 34: 805–818, 1997.

The Environmental Action Internal Control Index

Abstract The purpose of this research was to develop a reliable and valid instrument that could be used to assess the relationship between locus of control of reinforcement and environmentally responsible behavior in undergraduate students. The criterion variable comprised scores on an inventory of self-reported performance of environmental actions carefully selected from the literature on environmentally responsible behavior and assessed by a panel of judges for their appropriateness to six categories of environmental action taking. Using seven phases of development and employing a variety of statistical techniques, the authors created the Environmental Action Internal Control Index (EAICI) to serve as the predictor variable. Scores on the EAICI and the self-report inventory of environmentally responsible behavior were analyzed by a Pearson product-moment correlation and by discriminant analysis techniques. The goal was to determine what correlation existed between scores on the EAICI and the measure of ...

Effects of a Cousteau Television Special on Viewer Knowledge and Attitudes.

Abstract Is television an effective medium for communicating environmental information to the general public? This study made use of a “two-way television” cable system to evaluate knowledge and attitude changes among viewers of a new Cousteau documentary. The experiment consisted of a televised pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest among randomly selected viewers and nonviewers of the documentary. Viewer knowledge increased significantly and remained high for two weeks. Viewer attitudes shifted toward the attitude goals of the producers, but within two weeks returned to pretreatment levels. No significant changes occurred among the control group.

Knowledge about the Great Lakes Environment: A Comparison of Publics

Abstract Baseline information about public knowledge of the Great Lakes was collected from two groups in an urban lakeshore area. Survey questionnaires were completed by 570 shoppers in two Cleveland, Ohio, shopping malls during April, 1989. This “general public” study revealed that knowledge levels about the Great Lakes are low. In January, 1990, the survey was repeated at a regional boat show in Cleveland, with 425 respondents. Respondents who cited newspapers or lake experiences as their primary source of Great Lakes information were most knowledgeable. Boat show respondents (“recreational users”) outscored the general public on both knowledge and vocabulary related to Great Lakes issues. A review of the substance of the survey responses indicates areas of need for public information programs.

Relative Effectiveness of Four Modes of Dissemination of Curriculum Materials

ABSTRACT:An evaluation of four different dissemination modes distributing activities developed through a teaching materials development program was performed. The activities, developed for use in middle schools, focused on Great Lakes topics in science, history, and social studies. It was found that short intensive workshops were more effective than longer workshops both in participant use of materials and in transmission of the materials to other potential users. The difference in usage seems to be related to differences in the professional orientation of teachers attracted into the two different types of workshops. Simply giving activities to prospective users resulted in no usage. Those individuals who took the trouble to mail order the materials used them but at a somewhat lower frequency than those who participated in a workshop. It is concluded that short intensive workshops are the most cost-effective way of ensuring usage of the type of curriculum materials disseminated in this program.

The Role of Planet Earth in the New Science Curriculum

Earth science is very poorly represented in the nations science curriculum. The two major science curriculum restructuring projects inadequately present planet Earth in their major understandings. The earth sciences, in turn, have undergone radical changes in the past 20 years resulting in a conceptual shift to what is being called the Earth System. Earth System concepts must be infused throughout the nations science curriculum. The Earth System, in fact, could very well serve as the conceptual framework upon which to base the entire K-12 science curriculum as the new integrated science curricula evolve. For this to happen, there must be a more accurate understanding of the nature of science among the nations science-curriculum builders, a better understanding of the naive theories about the Earth System that children bring to the classroom, and adequate resources allocated to the study of science in the nations schools. Hanging in the balance is a science, political and business leadership, that is e...

Great Lakes Educational Needs Assessment: Teachers’ Priorities for Topics, Materials, and Training

Abstract Teachers have an opportunity to create awareness of the importance of the Great Lakes by incorporating lake examples of major science/social concepts into their curricula. A survey of 300 middle school science teachers in watershed counties of Great Lakes states and Ontario revealed topics that were highest priority and that teachers wanted to know more about: water quality, environmental responsibility, water uses and conservation, and toxic chemicals. Topics of lowest priority were those dealing with shipping, water diversion, human history, careers and hobbies, and aesthetics (art, music, and literature of the lakes). Reasons for not including low priority topics were primarily based on their not being a part of the assigned curriculum for the responding science teachers. Responses regarding topic priorities and knowledge did not differ significantly by state/province, gender, grade level taught, early vs. late response, or whether the teachers had participated in a Great Lakes education workshop, with the primary exception that teachers who had been in a workshop generally rated exotic species as more important and were teaching more about it. Teachers claim to get most of their Great Lakes information from workshops and classes, with newspapers as the primary mass media source. They prefer to receive instructional materials in the form of classroom-ready activities and units, and when they seek additional education they prefer one-day or summer workshops for college credit. Providers of Great Lakes education resources should consider teacher preferences in designing materials and experiences, and consider infusion as a means of introducing non-science topics into science classes.

An international study of the propensity of students to limit their use of private transport in light of their understanding of the causes of global warming

Previous studies have shown that there is what has been called a ‘gap’ between environmental knowledge and a willingness to act in a pro-environmental manner. For the individual, this gap is probably the result of the huge complexity of factors that affect behaviour. The way in which this ‘gap’ is sometimes identified in the literature, however, is also partly a function of the fact that much of the research in this area has compared environmental attitudes in general with a willingness to take actions that are specific. In the present study, we have circumvented this latter issue by exploring links between a declared willingness to undertake specific actions and the level of belief in the efficacy of those particular actions in reducing global warming. Here we report findings on actions concerning personal transport. Because the questionnaire was designed to provide quantitative measures, novel indices could be constructed that indicate, for example, the extent to which persuading people that an action is effective might increase their willingness to undertake it. Responses were obtained from students in 11 countries with different cultural mores. This enabled us to explore possible associations between a readiness to undertake specific actions and previously published socio-cultural indices. The implications for education about these issues are explored.

Using Cooperative Learning as a Structure for Earth Systems Education Workshops

“Teachers teach as they were taught” is a maxim containing a great deal of truth. Current thinking about effective ways for children to learn science suggests that cooperative or collaborative situations are optimum. It therefore follows that teacher-enhancement programs should also use cooperative or collaborative learning. Educators involved in the Program for Leadership in Earth Systems Education, funded in 1990 by the Teacher Enhancement Division of the National Science Foundation, created a workshop format that effectively uses such a learning structure in which teachers learn modern science concepts, identify appropriate instructional materials for use with their students, and learn to conduct workshops for other teachers.

A Case History of Science and Science Education Policies

In this chapter we examine the apparent link between the history of national science priorities and the nature of the science curriculum in one country, the United States of America. We suspect that equivalent links can be found in most other countries, especially those that have aspired to some form of international leadership in politics and commerce. We document here how national priorities in the United States and the resulting political structure of the science establishment over the past century have resulted in a representation of the nature of science in school science curriculum that is inconsistent with the challenges facing the science establishment in the post Cold War world. Especially influential has been the need to develop a source of science and engineering man power and the technology essential for maintaining a strong national defense and an economically competitive business community. Science curricula are heavily influenced by the nature of the physical sciences since they have been successful in providing the scientific foundation for establishing and maintaining a powerful military and industrial/commercial capability.