The learning unit “Microorganisms” developed
by Khalil 2003, for 9th grade students, based on the Science, Technology,
Environment, Peace and Society, (STEPS) approach is depicted and its impact on
students’ attitudes toward environment and peace was investigated in Arab
schools in Israel. It was hypothesized that learning the microorganisms topic,
by the methods of instruction and learning used in this study would enrich the
learning material of Arab middle schools, and enhance students’ interest in
science, technology and awareness toward environmental preservation and peace.
The approach of integration of science, technology and societal subjects can
determine the impact of this curriculum on the affective domain without
neglecting the scientific aspect, and may affect educational values, toward the
environment, and peaceful relations among neighbors. The learning unit contained
15 chapters (learning tasks), on microorganisms’ role in nature, science
research, food industry, health, and was taught in individual and cooperative
learning settings, using a variety of instruction/learning methods in the
classroom, laboratory and field trips. The results have shown significant
improvement on students’ attitudes toward environment and peace. The outcomes
indicate that the unit and the learning/instruction modes used, may serve as a
method to improve students’ attitudes on the affective domain.
STEPS Learning Unit Microorganisms Affective Attitudes Environment Peace1. Introduction to the study of microorganisms
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A garden of microorganisms
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3
Microorganisms and the production of food and drinks.
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Contests: “what tastes better?”
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Bacteria serving man
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A food processing plant story
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A visit to a food processing plant
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Factories, sewers and pollution
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9
Why do birth-givers die?
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An antibiotic test for hindering and killing bacteria
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Diseases caused by microorganisms
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The importance of microorganisms in elements cycles in nature
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Genetic engineering—“two sides of a coin”
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14
Microorganisms in databases
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15
Antibiotics or Probiotics
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point of view, which befits the STS approach.
The task of the teacher is to teach the students ways of reasoning, and the ability to weigh one’s value judgment according to principles and criteria in different domains: religion, morality, science content, and social and civic problems.
The fact is that texts are the didactical instruments for bringing about the various changes in relation to the values and methodology of the educational system in the peace process (Pappa, 1999).
Three examples of the learning tasks from the learning unit, (see sub-units 4, 5 and 6 in Table 1) illustrate a strong relation to the environment and peace topics. These examples illustrate the subunits learning tasks as were introduced in the Teacher Guide Book (Khalil, 2002b).
The main hypothesis in this study was that if students will learn about their environment, water supplies, the sewage systems, and how to prevent diseases, the relationships among schools’ students from two villages will improve, good relations among neighbors will be developed, and as a result students’ attitudes toward environment and peace will increase.
7. Research Design
Sample: The sample included 91 students: 73 (80.2%) attended 2 ninth grade regular classes: 1) village B, (N = 34, (37.4%: 53% boys and 47% girls), and 2) village A, (N = 39, (42.9%: 61% boys and 39% girls); and 18 gifted students class (19.8%; 39% boys and 61% girls). The subjects were junior high school students from Arab schools in the north part of Israel.
The two regular classes were randomly chosen from ninth grade classes of the schools, which agreed to take part in the study. The students’ classes from village B and A were homogeneous in terms of academic achievements. The gifted students, who took part in the study in accordance with their desire, attended the class at a regional teacher center based on their higher academic achievement in sciences and mathematics. According to schools’ principals request and the procedure used in the country, no names of schools or students involved in a study are mentioned.
Before the study began, the students learned the following biology subjects. At the 7th grade: Water and Life” by Agrest (1986). At the 8th grade: Reproduction in the Human Body, Animals and Plants, by Kahana and Marx, (1989). At 9th grade, Chapters in Genetics, by Sivan, et al. (1988) and Chapters on Nutrition in the Human Body, Animals and Plants by Sivan, et al. (1993). All the books were edited by The Ministry of Education and Culture, and are recommended in the national curriculum. None of the students learnt microorganisms in the past.
A special workshop was set up at the outset of project to train the teachers to acquire the skills in teaching and handling STEPS subjects.
8. Questionnaire for Assessing Students’ Attitudes toward the Environment (QASATE)
The questionnaire “Children’s Environmental Attitude and Knowledge Scale” was developed by Leeming, Dw- yer and Brachen (1995).
The original questionnaire included two sections: one examined the attitudes toward the quality of the environment and the readiness to preserve the environment and the second section assessed the knowledge on the quality of the environment.
In this study, the first section on attitudes, which included 36 items, was adopted. A science educator translated the questionnaire into Arab language and examined it for content validity. The translation was validated by the use of Reverse Translation Method by a teacher who was an expert in both languages (Hebrew and Arabic). Finally, two teachers from the Arab sector validated the questionnaire for its scientific and educational content for Arab students. The teachers hold MSc. degrees, one in Biology and one in science education in Biology.
(See Appendix 1 for QASATE).
9. Scoring Procedure
The weight of each item was scored on the LIKERT scale: from 1 to 5: entirely not correct = 1, not correct = 2; not sure = 3; correct = 4; very correct = 5. Since the items 12, 14 to 22 and 25 to 27, were formulated in a negative manner, they rated from 5 to 1. Students answered the questionnaire pre and post of the learning unit.
The Alpha Cronbach reliabilities values obtained for the questionnaire in this study were: Pre-test, .79 (N = 71). Post-Test, .73 (N = 68).
10. The Questionnaire for Assessing Students’ Attitudes toward Peace (QASATP)
The questionnaire developed by Pasternack and Tzedkiyahu (1994) to investigate students’ attitudes toward peace was used in this study. The items referred to the degree of belief in peace, the price willing to be paid for peace, education towards peace in school, and the role that school can play in educating toward peace. The questionnaire includes 15 questions.
In this study, the questionnaire was validated and adjusted for ninth grade classes in Arab schools. Only items relevant for the Arab students were chosen. For example, an item which enquired “as to whether education toward peace may prejudice the willingness of adolescents to join the army” was not selected. Items that were considered suitable for the Arab students were adapted in consultation with the original developers: (for example: item 7 “Is it possible that education towards peace might affect one’s Jewish identity?” was changed to: “Is it possible that education toward peace might affect Palestinian identity?”
As a result, 9 of the 15 items were selected. Students’ answers were scored using the LIKERT scale: full agreement = 5 to complete disagreement = 1, on the positive items, and the items 1 to 5, 9 and 10 which were negatively phrased were scaled: full agreement = 1 to complete disagreement = 5.
The Alpha Cronbach reliabilities values obtained for the questionnaire were: Pre-test, .62 (N = 85). Post- Test, .72 (N = 82).
(See Appendix 2 for QASATP).
11. Results
Attitudes toward the environment preservation.
The mean scores of the students on attitudes toward the environment were analyzed by t-test and two way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The mean scores, standard deviations, t-test, and two way ANOVA values are displayed on Table 4.
The results show that the students in village “B” showed positive and significant increase in their attitudes toward the preservation of the environment after studying the learning unit. The mean scores of students’ attitudes in village “A” and in the class of gifted students have increased, but the differences were not significant.
12. Attitudes toward Peace
The mean scores on the attitudes of the students toward peace were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA procedure. The mean scores, standard deviations, t-test and two way ANOVA values are displayed on Table 5.
The results (Figure 1) show a significant improvement on the attitudes of the students toward peace among the students in village “A” only. No improvement was found on attitudes toward peace in class in village “B”. However, the students in the gifted class were significantly positive on their attitudes toward peace.
It seems that studying the learning unit in the STEPS mode, affected the students’ attitudes toward peace. Students agreed that the educational system can affect their attitudes both in their comprehension of ideas, and the stereotypes that they held, although the differences were not significant always.
13. Discussion
The results of the research have shown an increase on students’ interest, which have been expressed in their enjoyment, dedication of time to the studies and the will to continue with their studies in this subject.
Summing up, this research shows positive, desirable and successful impact on the students with regard to the issues of society, environment and peace, combined with scientific and technological subjects on the STS approach.
The improvement on students’ attitudes toward societal issues, examined in this research, environmental preservation and peace related to the fact that the characteristics of the “Microorganism” study unit based on the STEPS approach included diverse and alternative ways of teaching, evaluated by means of portfolios and the in- tegration of societal issues side by side with scientific and technological subjects.
Thus science can be learned not only for academic achievement, but for development of students’ attitudes on
Table 1
. Mean scores, standard deviations, t-tests and two-way ANOVA on attitudes towards environment by study groups
Pre
Post
Study Group
X
(SD)
X
(SD)
t
Regular Class “B”
3.76
(54.)
4.02
(43.)
3.26-
**
Regular Class “A”
3.98
(80.)
4.15
(55.)
1.41-
Gifted Class
4.10
(51.)
4.34
(20.)
1.88-
F
1.73
2.91
F = 1.77
Note: **p < .01.
Table 2
. Means scores, standard deviations, t-tests and two-way ANOVA on attitudes towards peace by study groups
Pre
Post
Study Group
X
(SD)
X
(SD)
t
Regular Class “B”
3.76
(57.)
3.67
(66.)
17.
Regular Class “A”
3.83
(62.)
4.13
(54.)
3.02-
**
Gifted Class
4.20
(21.)
4.28
(26.)
1.16-
F
*4.10
***9.15
**F = 5.30
Scheffe
“B”-Gifted
“B”-“A”, Gifted
Note: *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.
Students’ attitudes toward peace
the affective domain too.
Knowledge rather than prejudices can affect attitudes, which are conditions to behavioral changes.
14. Conclusions
The learning unit helped students to develop laboratory skills, to promote their scientific thinking, and to enhance their problem-solving skills.
In the affective domain, students were engaged in teamwork, thus nurturing their sense of cooperation, appre- ciation of others’ work, efforts, achievements, self-confidence, tolerance, competition and patience. It was inten- ded that students would form independent attitudes, and make proper evaluations relying on knowledge and reflection regarding the environment and peace issues, rather than on ignorance, prejudges and misconceptions. Moreover practical benefits and clear links to the daily life were emphasized in the learning material. Illuminating the interaction among science, technology and societal issues integrated with environment and peace concepts, may had an impact on human relations, according to the Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach. The learning material was designed and taught so, that it will raise students’ excitement in terms of content, tea- ching and learning styles.
15. Recommendations
The module can be imitated in other topics including science and technology subjects integrated with societal is- sues that are relevant to the daily life of junior and high schools, thus meeting the students’ needs as presented in Yager, R. E. & Hofstein, A. (1986). “Features of a Quality Curriculum”.
16. In Addition
The learning unit “Microorganisms” was translated into Hebrew and the copies of the front cover of the Arab and Hebrew editions with their translation in English, is presented on Appendix 3.
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