Steffen Schaal

Urban Park Visitors and Their Knowledge of Animal Species

ABSTRACT Informal or incidental learning in recreational parks has been rarely assessed, although most city-dwellers enjoy and appreciate wildlife in their day-to-day lives. Incidental or informal learning is non-intentional and grows out of spontaneous situations and is mostly self-directed. Here, we focus on the informal setting of a small urban park in Ludwigsburg (Germany) as a source of incidental learning. Two hundred and forty-eight visitors were interviewed at the park using a questionnaire, and 102 other people (non-visitors) acted as a control group. Park visitors scored significantly better in their knowledge of animal species compared with our control group. Species knowledge increased with age, with number of park visits, and with educational level. Using the number of species visitors had previously seen at the park, we found a significant influence of educational level, park visiting frequency, and of park use. Ninety-seven percent of participants responded with positive attitudes towards animals, and most animals were detected by their movement, rather than by their sound or coloration.

Human visual perception - learning at workstations

This study compares two methods of instruction in practical school biology. The content remains the same but two teaching methods are used, one based on workstations (Group 1) and the other a conventional approach (Group 2). The content was a regular 9th grade syllabus issue: visual perception. Method 1 included a phenomenological introduction, collaborative and learner-centred phases as well as hands-on science activities. The study was conducted with 9th graders (n=125) of medium and highest ability streams at secondary schools. We assessed acquired knowledge in terms of anatomical and physical ideas and the understanding of visual perception. The comparison covered cognitive learning (measured on three different occasions: pre-test, post-test and retention-test) and emotional states. Both teaching methods led to a significant increase in conceptual knowledge, but produced different emotional effects. The pupils in Group 1 related the specific subject matter better to their personal future life than those in the conventional instruction group. However, participating pupils reported higher ‘well-being’ scores in Group 1 and more boredom in the (conventional) Group 2: apparently pupils need to adjust to a new learning environment. Conclusions for practical work are discussed.

Digital Geogames to foster local biodiversity

Abstract The valuing of biodiversity is considered to be a first step towards its conservation. Therefore, the aim of the BioDiv2Go project is to combine sensuous experiences discovering biodiversity with mobile technology and a game-based learning approach. Following the competence model for environmental education (Roczen et al, 2014), Geogames (location based games on smartphones) for experiential outdoor learning activities are developed. The Finde Vielfalt Simulation (FVS) Geogame focuses on adolescent visitors of German youth hostels. The FVS-players are involved in a narrative keeping the traditions of their ancestors’ heritage as decisions are needed to balance biodiversity and economic success. They discover the natural environment and they solve location-based tasks at several places. If the players manipulate a simulation successfully they stand the test of the ancestors. The initial theoretical framework consists of the components biodiversity-related attitudes, behaviour and knowledge, general environmental behaviour and attitude towards nature. According to the Uses and Gratification Theory, the game-related enjoyment is added. For the assessment different scales were developed or adapted and tested for secondary-school children. The framework evolved stepwise through systematic expert hearings, interviews with the target group, participant observation as well as through an online survey. In a first step the situational interest was considered to be important for the valuing of biodiversity. The final version of the framework was used and validated within a pilot study with 180 secondary school students. The framework development was a highly transformative process engaging different actors, using complementary methodological approaches and integrating different disciplinary perspectives.

Developing an online health literacy curriculum for two German universities: a key stakeholder approach.

Health literacy is a significant resource for daily life in society. Global evidence reveals that there are less than ideal levels of health literacy in populations. One potential straproviding them with the skills and tools that will improve their knowledge and practice as our future workforce. The purpose of this study was to articulate the need to develop an online health literacy introductory course for university students in Germany. A total of 16 students from two German universities participated in focus group interviews to collect data on the extent of student health literacy awareness and related health and education needs. Nine international stakeholders participated in an online self-guided review of a comprehensive draft course to obtain detailed feedback from experts in the education and health literacy fields. Results revealed that both focus group and international stakeholders are in support of developing an online health literacy curriculum. To build the draft curriculum, an existing Canadian health literacy online course was adapted as a blueprint for the German context. The proposed course was customized based on the findings from the focus groups and international stakeholder feedback, which is intended to help inform and determine contents, design, and delivery of such a course applicable for universities in Germany and beyond.

On the use of audio in the educational location based game platform MILE

An easy-to-use tool is presented that supports educators to create geogames for smartphones with media. The research questions are addressed whether educators use audios to support learning, and if they do, how do they use them? First results of the actual usage indicate that the potential of audio has not been fully exploited in all cases.

Becoming a Health-Promoting School: Effects of a 3-Year Intervention on School Development and Pupils

This study describes a health promotion and school development intervention following the GUT DRAUF programme of the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) in secondary schools. The programme focuses on pre-service teacher training, on the development and implementation of health modules for science curricula and on systemic process consulting for school development considering the health-promoting school approach. Five lower secondary schools participated and were randomly assigned to intervention/control conditions in the study. The intervention schools were supported in planning and sustaining the schools development as for the implementation of health-related teaching modules. Longitudinal and cross-sectional effects are compared at the levels of pupils and of general school development indices. Qualitative and multivariate analyses indicate a successful school development and positive health-related outcomes for the pupils. The implications for school development especially under a science education perspective are discussed.

Game-related enjoyment or personal pre-requisites – which is the crucial factor when using geogames to encourage adolescents to value local biodiversity

ABSTRACT Geogames are mobile, location-based and location dependent games for devices like smartphones and tablets. As geogames are played outdoors they offer various possibilities for environmental education. The geogame entitled FindeVielfalt Simulation is a location dependent game, developed in the BioDiv2Go project, which provides sensory experiences, discovering local biodiversity and increasing biodiversity-related knowledge and attitudes toward nature. The aim of this study is to examine the predictive potential of game-related enjoyment and of personal prerequisites (such as general ecological behaviour) on outcomes measuring acquisition of knowledge and attitude. Hierarchical regressions are used to investigate the dependencies of the constructs. The results demonstrate that an increase in biodiversity-related knowledge is neither predicted by previous attitudes nor by game-related enjoyment. Every player within the game was able to learn irrespective of personal prerequisites or game-enjoyment. However, the results also demonstrate that an increase in attitude toward nature is significantly influenced by game-related enjoyment and general ecological behaviour, with game-related enjoyment being the stronger predictor.

Move, Interact, Learn, Eat – A Toolbox for Educational Location-Based Games

Educational location-based games provide a link between content and its real-life relevance in a physical environment. Location-based activities for authentic learning provide multiple opportunities, but educators still perceive technological and organisational barriers. There is a need for easy-to-use tools to facilitate the design of playful location-based mobile learning activities that can be integrated into larger curriculums. In this project a transdisciplinary team (educational experts in outdoor education, in nutrition and consumer education, computer scientists) co-created an online authoring system for location-based games, the MILE.designer. This authoring system provides several formats of tasks that can easily be adapted and located intuitively using a simple map interface. Several tasks can be combined into an educational geogame to be provided for a native smartphone app, the MILE.explorer. The theoretical background and the transdisciplinary development process are described, formative and summative evaluation results based on participatory observation and on focus group discussions are presented and further implications discussed.

Mobiles, ortsbezogenes Lernen in der Ernährungs- und Verbraucherbildung

Zusammenfassung Im MILE-Projekt werden digitale Technologien fur mobile, ortsbezogene Lernangebote in der Ernahrungs- und Verbraucherbildung (EVB) genutzt. Ziel ist es, mit sog. MILEGeogames Jugendliche fur Themen der EVB zu sensibilisieren. Die im Projekt entwickelte MILE.Toolbox unterstutzt Multiplikatoren bei der Erstellung von MILE-Geogames. Der Beitrag diskutiert das Potential des Ansatzes fur die Ernahrungs- und Verbraucherbildung. Schlusselworter: Mobiles, ortsbezogenes Lernen, Geogames, Ernahrungs- und Verbraucherbildung ----- Bibliographie: Muller, Heike/Bartsch, Silke/Eisenhardt, Manuela/Oppermann, Leif/Schaal, Steffen: Mobiles, ortsbezogenes Lernen in der Ernahrungs- und Verbraucherbildung, HiBiFo, 2-2017, S. 78-90. https://doi.org/10.3224/hibifo.v6i2.07

Location-based smartphone games in the context of environmental education and education for sustainable development: fostering connectedness to nature with Geogames

Abstract Geogames are complex location-based games for smartphones and they are part of a critical discussion within the community of environmental education. The aim of the study is to asses if smartphone games are suitable to foster connectedness to nature and if there are differences between a complex Geogame and a less-demanding treasure hunt. For this purpose, two established scales are used in a pre-post-test-design: the inclusion of nature in self (INS) and the disposition to connect to nature (DCN). Furthermore, the game-related enjoyment was controlled. The results reveal a significant increase of the INS for both game formats, with the strongest effect for the former more nature distant subjects. The DCN-scale shows a similar tendency but not a significant gain. Between the game formats, no significant difference is detectable. So, the main effect seems to be the location-based activity in nature guided by smartphones, not the complexity of a Geogame.