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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 19, Issue 1, Article 15 (Jun., 2018) |
Conclusions and Recommendations
The present study, in turn, found that the students engaging in their own research activities as a group, followed by actually doing some work and developing projects regarding the concept of recycling is an effective means of furthering conceptual development. Ayan, (2012); Barak & Dori, (2004); Bayram & Seloni, (2014); Deniş Çeliker & Balım, (2012); Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx & Soloway, (1994), Pike et all, (2013) which also suggest that project-based learning environments have a positive impact on learning on part of the students, from the primary school to the university level.
The study reached the conclusion that projects developed with respect to the concept of recycling had a positive impact on the conceptual development of students. Further research may investigate the role the development of project-based learning environments regarding the concepts associated with environment education, with a view to raising "awareness about sustainable development" among the students, plays in terms of the conceptual development of students.
As the students had mostly been involved in programs to ensure the recycling of paper in their daily lives, they had mostly referred to such programs when trying to describe what recycling means. Against this background, projects regarding the recycling of a number of solid waste types can be implemented. For instance, projects regarding the recycling of waste such as glass, batteries, or plastics can be implemented at every school, enabling the students to take part in such programs. The students can develop an awareness of sustainable development only through involvement in projects regarding the recycling of different types of solid waste in their daily lives as part of applied education programs. The knowledge thus gained should not be confined to basic theoretical learning, but also be integrated into behaviors through applied education.
