The teaching of global environmental problems according to the constructivist approach
No Thumbnail Available
Date
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In this study, with selecting the focusing point of the problem as the availability of cartoons, the teaching of global environmental problems according to the constructivist theory is investigated on the 7th graders in rural areas. This study is restricted with the global warming (G), ozone depletion (O) and the acid rain (A) problems. In the study, a pre-test post-test control group design was used. There are 40 students whose ages range from 13 to 14 years. While experimental group was taught by means of problem based learning (PBL), traditional teaching methods were applied to the control group. Data were collected with the pre-test, post-test, and the interviews after the study. The validity of the experimental method is analysed with a t-test. Data collected by the methods of interviews were evaluated by content analysis. According to the results of statistical analysis, it can be seen that the experimental method is much more effective than the traditional method for teaching global environment problems. As a result of the content analysis, the experimental group Students (70 %) and the control group students (15 %) evaluate(] that global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain (GOA) were accepted as global problems. Students in the experimental group emphasized that GOA, global warming-ozone depletion (GO) and G affected their living areas; on the other hand, students in the control group determined that they were affected by only G. Students in the experimental group pointed out that a person should do something to solve the global environmental problems. Both experimental group (89.4%) and control group (10.6%) suggested that technology has a vital role to solve global environment problems. Finally, the students in the experimental (85%) group think that method is amusing. From these results, it is seen that students' knowledge and consciousness about global environmental problems increase with the using of this experimental method, and at the same time it is seen that with this study they can realize their share of improving environment easier than before.