Ocean Literacy: Exploring students’ learning about and attitudes to the Ocean

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Abstract

The paper reports on survey-data from five pilot projects in three countries in the EU-project Ocean Connections, where universities, schools and aquaria cooperate to innovate science teaching targeting school students (pupils’) Ocean Literacy. First, the construct of Ocean Literacy is presented and discussed referring to both practitioner reports and empirical research from this rather new research field. It is suggested in a review to cooperate with external learning envi¬ronments like aquaria to provide access to organisms and phenomena creating personal connections for learners. The research questions focus on what students learn about Ocean Literacy and the impact from the ocean pilot projects on their attitudes to the Ocean and environmental responsibility. Around 180 students aged 9-15 years from UK, Denmark and Spain have answered the pre and post questionnaire. The findings illustrate a rather high level of perceived outcomes. Students highlight positively the work in the aquaria and reflect on learning e.g. about biodiversity in the Ocean. The Ocean Literacy items reveal differences across countries, one item about eating animals from the ocean, however, show positive learning gains in all groups, with a larger amount of students referring to the nuanced answer of some populations of ocean animals declining so people should choose carefully which to eat, in the post-questionnaire. Factual questions also document an increase in students’ knowledge about the diversity of life and ecosystems in the Ocean. Thematized open reflections about environmental issues illustrate the students’ concerns for the future with around 30% using survival terms like “we can die if we do not act” in the pre-questionnaire. In the the post-questionnaire there is a tendency for more focus on yourself being a part of the generation living on the earth in the future, and therefore having to act, and a little less focus on survival terms.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
Publikationsdato2021
Antal sider3
StatusUdgivet - 2021
BegivenhedTransforming Science & Technology Education to Cultivate Participatory Citizens: International Organization for Science & Technology Education, 19th symposium - Online, arranged by Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Sydkorea
Varighed: 1 feb. 20215 feb. 2021
http://www.ioste2020korea.kr

Konference

KonferenceTransforming Science & Technology Education to Cultivate Participatory Citizens
LokationOnline, arranged by Kyungpook National University
Land/OmrådeSydkorea
ByDaegu
Periode01/02/2105/02/21
Internetadresse

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