Classroom versus outdoor biology education using a woody species identification digital dichotomous key

Jana Laganis (Author), Kristina Prosen (Author), Gregor Torkar (Author)

Abstract

The effectiveness of outdoor education in comparison to classroom (indoor) education and the acceptance of biology apps by students is still largely unknown. To bridge this gap, a quasi-experiment was performed with secondary school students within each of the schools. Students used a digital dichotomous key to identify woody species. One school performed outdoor identification and the other indoor identification. The students completed a pre-test and post-test on botanical knowledge, and they completed questionnaires about their attitudes toward the key and their attitudes toward biology and learning. The identification of plants with the app proved to be successful in promoting learning regardless of the learning scenario. The comparable results of the indoor and outdoor tasks indicate that the app itself is effective for learning about plants. There were no significant gender-related differences in knowledge results and opinions about the usefulness of biological keys. The key was very well accepted by students and it has proven to be an effective, interesting, and convenient learning tool for identifying organisms that allows experiential learning and learning about biology during the identification process.

Keywords

določevalni ključ;digitalni ključ;les;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2017
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL PEF - Faculty of Education
Publisher:	Madison, WI : American Society of Agronomy
UDC:	373.32.016:57
COBISS:	11493449
ISSN:	2168-8281
Views:	876
Downloads:	208
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	English
Secondary keywords:	science education;biology;classroom;open air activities;naravoslovna vzgoja in izobraževanje;biologija;učilnica;
File type:	application/pdf
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 1-9
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ46
Issue:	ǂissue ǂ1
Chronology:	2017
DOI:	10.4195/nse2016.11.0032
ID:	9594008