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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 16, Issue 1, Article 1 (Jun., 2015) |
Statement of the problem
The study was conducted at the summer science camp where theoretical and practical knowledge intertwined; knowledge was reinforced with activities like conducted experiments, observations and games. As the study generally observed a process, the participants’ activities were observed and individual works were evaluated, a qualitative design was followed.
The study was conducted at the summer science camp where theoretical and practical knowledge intertwined; knowledge was reinforced with activities like conducted experiments, observations and games. As the study generally observed a process, the participants’ activities were observed and individual works were evaluated, a qualitative design was followed.
Participants
The primary school students participating in the summer science camp are composed of students from SSCPI and RPBS. SSCPI is a place for children who lack or are abandoned by their family. RPBS is a boarding school established for both the education and housing of children living in remote areas, who would otherwise be unable to attend school due to transportation issues. The study is conducted as a summer science camp whose target group - in the broad sense - is composed of 6th, 7th, and 8th (11-14 year olds) grade primary school students. A total of 36 students, 19 of whom were from RPBS and 17 of whom were from SSCPI attended the summer camp. The selection of students is on the based on the willingness of the students. The required authorizations were obtained from either their parents or the organizations.
Introduction to “The Lets Learn Astronomy Explore Space Summer Science Camp”
LLAESSC was held over the course of two five day terms. The SSCPI students participated in the first term and the RPBS students’ participated in the second term. The camp staff that helped carry out the activities were composed of one astronomer, one astronomy historian, one physicist, two scientists and one academician being master of elementary education. Additionally, six undergraduate science students interested in astronomy assisted the camp during the activities. The aim was for the participants to learn while having fun, being involved in activities such as forming questions (videos watched about astronomy), making space observations (observing space with a telescope), building and using astronomical equipment (building a telescope and creating experiments to understand the formation of seasons), collecting data during activities (i.e. drawing what they saw during space observation), commenting on produced works (commenting on drawings). After providing training about the Earth and Universe with some courses, demonstrations, observations and experiments, it was requested that the participant students draw and write about they learned. These drawings and writings were the tools reflecting the perceptions and interpretations of the participants. The students conducted their various activities such as writing compositions, drawing pictures and conducting experiments sitting four or five to a table. Moreover, we aimed to create a friendly atmosphere that included socialization during this process. Camp staff and participants spent time together outside of the activity schedules doing things such as having meals together, going on walks, playing games, etc.
Data was collected through various tools which are described in short below. In addition to these tools, tasks performed by the students (compositions and drawings) at the end of the camp were examined.
Earth and Universe Achievement Questions (EUAQ)
In order to measure the participants’ content knowledge level in astronomy and space subjects identified within the project, test questions for EUAQ were prepared. There were 40 questions about the subjects in science camp. This test measures students’ subject content knowledge. It was administered to 100 students for reliability and validity statistics. Instrument reliability was calculated through the ISTA package program and the KR-20 reliability coefficient was found to be .93. Some sample items from the EUAQ are provided in Table1.
Table 1. Sample Items from the EUAQ
3. Which of the following statements about the shape of the world is an example of the wrong thoughts in ancient times?
A) The world resemble a triangle
B) All layers of the world can be observed
C) The world has layers
D) The world is flat, and if it is turned over the ships at sea may fall from the edge
6. Which of the following statements is a result of rotation around the world's axis?
A) the formation of seasons
B) the formation of caves
C) the formation of day and night
D) to the formation of a year
Scientific Knowledge Scale (SKS)
The purpose of the Scientific Knowledge Scale is to determine primary school students’ views about scientific knowledge. The Scientific Knowledge Scale was administered before and after the camp in order to follow the development in students’ opinions for science and scientific studies (such as raising awareness among students toward scientific studies about astronomy, how scientific knowledge is constructed, under which circumstances it was formed, how scientists worked). The Scientific Knowledge Scale developed by Ünal Çoban & Ergin (2008) is composed of 16 items and 3 factors. It is a 5-point Likert-type scale and the highest and lowest score that can be achieved from the scale is 80 and 16 respectively. The scale is composed of 8 positive and 8 negative items. The structure of the instrument used in the science camp is composed of three factors; scientific knowledge is indisputable (8 items), scientific knowledge may change (3 items), and scientific knowledge is justified (5 items). Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for whole instrument was found .83.
Table 2. Sample Factors and Items from Scientific Knowledge Scale
Factors
Sample items
Scientific knowledge is indisputable?
Scientific knowledge is always true.
Scientific knowledge may change
Scientific ideas change over time.
Scientific knowledge is justified
Before beginning an experiment, it is good to have an idea about it.
Interview Questions about Earth and Universe (IQEU)
Interview questions were prepared parallel to the EUCQ and the misconceptions identified at the end of the reviewed literature about the subjects given in the camp. Prepared questions were given to three academicians and three teachers, expert in their fields, for their opinion. Moreover, pilot interviews were conducted with primary school students in order to ensure validity.
The LLAESSCs were comprised of various enjoyable activities related to astronomy and space. First, all the staff and participants attended an introduction activity for adapting the LLAESSC participants to the camp. “Expressing a request”, “Being creative”, “Learning to trust” activities were conducted to increase participants’ socialization and adaptation skills. In addition, “Does the sky move?” “Making up a story” games were played during this session. Participants and staff played sports and swam as spare time activities. In this manner, it was ensured that participants and staff interacted and were able to communicate more easily.
After the introduction session, the students partook in an activity to understand movements of the Earth “Reason for seasons and day/night cycles” and watched an animation about the subject. In order to attract participants’ interest in the sky, a “Let’s make our own galileoscope” activity was carried out. The “Let’s observe star clusters” activity was aimed to observe the night sky via telescope every night, and consequently raise awareness about how the Earth moves, and reinforce that objects in the sky do not always settle in the same . The participants were given a reading text about the development of sky observation in history and asked to read it in another activity. Then, participants were asked to form groups and create plays about “Galileo’s life”. Participants watched a film about how rockets were sent to space and they had an ex periment to understand how rockets travel in space. After that participants built a rocket in their study groups and tried to launch it. In addition to these activities, the participants had an activity about how the first sundial was made. At the end of the camp, the participants were asked to write a composition and draw a picture to express what they learned during the camp. Small competitions were held to increase motivation among participants and make the activities more enjoyable. The participants who wrote the best composition and drew the best picture were given a small telescope. By doing so it was aimed to preserve the interest of participants in both summer science camps and astronomy.
Data Analysis
Analysis of quantitative data
The 17 RPBS and 19 SSCPI students answered EUAQ and SKS pretests and posttests. Their test results were analyzed.
Before deciding on the test that would be used for data analysis, a normality test was administered to identify whether the scores gathered from both groups were appropriate to normal distribution. As the numbers of both groups were less than 50, the Shapiro-Wilks test was used as the normality test (Büyüköztürk, 2009). If the p value obtained from this test is greater than .05 it is understood that the scores are appropriate to normal distribution (Büyüköztürk, 2009:42). The results of the normality test administered to the RPBS students is given in Table 3.
Table 3. Normality Test Results for RPBS students’ scores
Shapiro-Wilk
Statistics
sd
p
SKS –pretest
.974
16
.892
EUAQ – pretest
.963
16
.720
SKS –posttest
.951
16
.512
EUAQ – posttest
.944
16
.395
*p<.05
As it is seen in Table 3, p values gathered for both pretest and posttest scores are higher than .05. As a result it can be said that in significance level scores are appropriate to normal distribution (Büyüköztürk, 2009:42). Gathered results for SSCPI students from conducted normality tests are given in Table 4.
Table 4. Normality Test Results for SSCPI students’ scores
Shapiro-Wilk
Statistics
sd
p
SKS –pretest
.913
19
.085
EUAQ – pretest
.952
19
.430
SKS –posttest
.963
19
.633
EUAQ – posttest
.942
19
.285
*p<.05
As seen in Table 4, p values obtained for both pretest and posttest scores are higher than .05. According to these results, it can be said that SSCPI students’ scores are appropriate for normal distribution. Therefore, as scores from both groups are appropriate to normal distribution, the t-test was used. In order to see changes in the groups themselves “paired samples” t-test was used. In this study, the opinions of scientific knowledge as a whole are aimed to evaluate. Therefore there has not been a separate analysis of the scale sub factors.
Analysis of qualitative data gathered in the study
In this study students were expected to write compositions and draw pictures about what was learnt from the conducted activities. Picture drawing and composition writing activities were organized as contests among the students at different times. Each of the three best compositions and drawings were chosen and rewarded with a telescope as a gift for each student. These drawings and compositions were the most reflective ones in the contest. Therefore, we selected three best drawings and compositions for analysis in the study.
At the same time, by interviewing students within the scope of activities throughout the camp we aimed to learn about both their opinions and knowledge. Each interview was conducted with students in person, as well as through pictures and writings. The results were then classified into main themes identified by the researchers; Earth, astronomy, Universe, scientists interested in astronomy, historical development of astronomy, equipment used in astronomy-and the main themes’ considered were coded into sub-words and sub-topics. Meanwhile, the designs in the pictures, the words, ideas, which were not in the identified themes but related to astronomy and in the scope of related activities were also identified and used in the analysis. With the help of these analyses, students’ ideas and knowledge was identified. For this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted. All participants were individually interviewed before and after the summer camp. While representing the research results, some student quotes which were characteristic samples for the definitions at these categories were given. Qualitative data analysis is to organize understood and express the data, description of the participants about the studied situation and obtained patterns, themes, categories, and layouts in order to note down (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2009).
At the end of data analysis, three main themes were identified as knowledge and comments about the Earth, Moon, stars and planets, knowledge and comments about what astronomy is and its development, and scientists interested in astronomy. In accordance with these themes correlations in pictures and writings were analyzed.
