Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education

Teaching environment and sustainability: Experiences of a Vietnamese educator living in Canada

Thi Thuy Hang Tran — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This research aims to address the question of whether Environment and Sustainability Education (ESE) is sustainable or not, considering the author's experiences as a lecturer in environmental sustainability programs in Vietnam and as a researcher/educator in a teacher education program in Canada. This study employs an autobiographical narrative approach rooted in experience. This study delves into the three-dimensional narrative spaces of temporality, sociality, and place to understand personal experiences and envision future narratives for international environmental sustainability education. Through this research, it is found that integrating teaching and training programs, familial curriculum making, and the sustainability of multi-species flourishing are holistic and long-term approaches to teaching environmental sustainability. The findings of this research highlight the importance of engaging various stakeholders in a wide-ranging collaborative process to discuss, debate, and analyze past and current pedagogical practices, as well as structural, programmatic, and economic challenges faced in environmental and sustainability education. Additionally, this research emphasizes the need to broaden perspectives by including the voices of Vietnamese educators teaching and conducting research in Canadian education.

Disaster mitigation education: Efforts to improve school community disaster preparedness

Indriyani Rachman, Murae Fumitoshi, Kodama Yayoi — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Indonesia is one of the countries frequently affected by natural disasters, including land, air, and sea disasters. Government efforts to socialize disaster mitigation education have been extensive across various sectors of society. However, the results have not yet met the expected targets. In Japan, a country frequently hit by numerous disasters, disaster mitigation education is integrated into the curriculum. At least twice a year, students undergo disaster preparedness drills. This aims to make students responsive when disasters strike suddenly. A trial of disaster mitigation education was conducted, focusing on understanding the surrounding environment by identifying hazardous and safe areas and interviewing residents to gather information about past disasters in their area. Subsequently, students were taught to prepare emergency kits, create eating utensils, and develop learning materials like story cards, similar to practices in Japanese elementary schools. Data was collected from 500 questionnaires distributed to elementary school teachers in Mataram. The trial materials were tested in each class, and teachers were interviewed afterward. The results showed that some teachers taught disaster mitigation to students, resulting in increased understanding among students about what to do when facing disasters. Classroom teachers stated that disaster preparedness drills were meaningful activities for students because they needed to be trained not to panic during disasters.

Problem-based learning (PBL) as an effective solution to enhance understanding of physics concepts: A systematic literature review

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding physics concepts remains a focal point of education, continually researched and sought for appropriate solutions, especially in teaching strategies. The teaching strategies employed vary greatly in influencing students' understanding of concepts. The aim of this research is to identify effective solutions in enhancing students' understanding of physics concepts, based on data obtained from various relevant journals from 2010 to 2022. This study was conducted using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, utilizing databases such as ERIC, Journal of Education Research, British Education Journal, and other journals indexed by SINTA to identify, review, evaluate, and interpret available research. The results indicate that an effective teaching strategy to enhance students' understanding of concepts is Problem-Based Learning (PBL).

Walkmeter as an alternative method to enhance elementary school students ability in solving velocity and acceleration problems

Norfaridatul Akmar — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding physics relies heavily on mastering mathematical formulas, essential for problem-solving, critical thinking, reasoning, and communication. Yet, students struggle due to uninspiring explanations, leading to lost focus during learning. One such topic that involves mathematical formulas in physics is velocity and acceleration. This study aims to assist physics students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Presint 16(1), Malaysia who have difficulties in solving velocity and acceleration drill questions by using the Walkmeter application for learning. This approach also aims to improve and enhance the teaching practices of the teacher and increase students' interest and achievement in solving velocity and acceleration questions. Initial observations during the teaching and learning process showed that there were students who were unclear and took a long time to master the velocity and acceleration drill exercises. Initial surveys through observations, document analysis, and questionnaires indicated that students easily lose focus. The difficulty in remembering formulas and the conventional methods that are not suitable caused students to take a long time to solve drill questions. An action plan was devised by developing the WalkMeter application outside the classroom. Information gathered from observations and questionnaires showed an improvement in students' interest, attitudes, and achievements after using the WalkMeter application. Overall, this study has successfully enhanced the quality of teaching by teachers and the learning experiences of students in solving velocity and acceleration drill questions more easily and effectively. This has made the out-of-classroom teaching and learning process more meaningful.

An introduction about synchrotron light for high school teachers

Vitor Acioly, Antonio Santos — Sat, 25 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article is motivated by the Sirius School for High School Teachers (ESPEM) and the lack of texts on synchrotron light and its application in basic education. It is aimed at high school teachers of Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) and aims to present an introduction to the concept of synchrotron radiation, in the largest scientific enterprise in Latin America, the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), where the newest Brazilian synchrotron light source is located, in a particle accelerator called Sirius. After introducing the reader to the development of Brazilian science, the present work's methodology is to address the conceptual definition and history of synchrotron light, for its understanding in a qualitative way and to generate results that are in dialogue with the application of modern and contemporary physics in basic education, and concluding with the presentation of ideas that dialogue with the content present in school curricula on how to approach these concepts in basic education, which dialogues with the application of Modern and Contemporary Physics in High School.

Assessing the efficacy of two modes of digital learning object package on students’ achievement and interest in rocket and satellite in post covid’19 era

Oluwatomisin Marvellous Ogundeji — Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper examines the efficacy of two modes of digital learning object package on students’ achievement and interest in rocket and satellite in post covid’19 Era. The study adopted Quasi-Experimental research design. A sample of 132 SS3 physics students selected using purposive sampling technique. The instruments used for data collection were Rocket and Satellite Achievement Test (RSAT) and Students Interest Questionnaire (SIQ) developed by the researchers. The reliability coefficient indices of 0.88 and 0.83 for RSAT and SIQ were obtained using Kuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20) formula and Cronbach Alpha. The data obtained were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to test the Null hypotheses. Findings revealed that DLO with tutor-led instructional model significantly promotes students’ achievement and interest in rocket and satellite compared to DLO self-paced instructional model. Gender had some influence on physics students’ achievement and interest in Rocket and Satellite but not statistically significant. Based on the findings it was recommended amongst others that: Physics teachers should adopt the use of DLO with Online teaching packages (especially using, tutor-led instructional model) to enhance students’ achievement and interest in the Rocket and Satellite.

Problem-solving ability of high school students: Preliminary study analysis using rasch modeling

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One of the problems in learning physics is the weak ability of students to solve problems. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a preliminary study to recommend appropriate learning models. The type of research used is survey research. As many as 23 students were involved as primary data sources to determine the need for problem-solving skills. Respondents came from class XI of one of the state high schools in Yogyakarta. Problem-solving ability data was collected using 16 survey items formatted in the Google Form. Data analysis was performed using Rasch modeling. The analysis results show that there are limitations in students' problem-solving skills or abilities. Based on the survey results, it is recommended that the Problem base learning or guided inquiry model can be an alternative to optimizing students' problem-solving abilities.