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Approaches and Methods of Science Teaching and Sustainable Development

A topical collection in Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This collection belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

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A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Editors

Prof. Dr. David González-Gómez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Training Teaching School, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Interests: science education; sustainable education; flipped methodology; science teaching methodologies; pre-service teaching education; affective domain in science and sustainable teaching; active teaching methodologies; STEM education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jin Su Jeong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Training Teaching School, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Interests: sustainability; STEAM; teaching and learning; flipped classroom; affective domain; climate change; teacher training; ICT; E-learning; collaborative learning; fuzzy-MCDA; escape room; gamification; service learning; future classroom; inclusive learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

With this collection “Approaches and Methods of Science Teaching and Sustainable Development”, we aim to contribute to provide a solid research corpus for addressing the challenges needed to provide an adequate Science and Sustainable Development Education to scholars of different educational degrees. The sustainability forms a part or is starting to form a part of the curricula of many educational institutions. However, efforts must be provided for ensuring a proper implementation and development of sustainability-oriented topics seeking the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education as well as fresh perspectives on continuing challenges.

Therefore, with this collection, we seek to publish articles on innovative approaches and developments in education. We encourage theoretical, methodological, and empirical research works on teaching and learning, competencies and assessment, policy, program development and implementation, instructor preparation, community- and project-based learning, institutional collaborations and partnerships, and other relevant subjects. Especial emphasis will be put on innovative teaching approaches and methodologies that have been proved to be relevant on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, not only considering the cognitive domain of the learning process but also the affective domain, such as flipped-classroom, blended-learning, gamification, service-learning, etc.

Prof. David González-Gómez
Dr. Jin Su Jeong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable Development Goals
  • STEM education
  • Teaching methodologies
  • Environment and climate change
  • Education innovation and technology
  • Active teaching methodologies
  • Innovative teaching methodologies for sustainable education

Published Papers (18 papers)

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2023

Jump to: 2022, 2021, 2020

25 pages, 920 KiB  
Article
Knowledge in Regard to Environmental Problems among University Students in Cali, Colombia
by Silvia A. Quijano, Victor Alfonso Cerón, Carlos Eduardo Guevera-Fletcher, Iván Mauricio Bermúdez, César Augusto Gutiérrez and Jonathan S. Pelegrin
Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su152115315 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1113
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to understand the level of environmental knowledge among students at Santiago de Cali University (USC) and to evaluate the differences found based on school, gender, and age groups. To gather data, a survey that included sociodemographic information, [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research was to understand the level of environmental knowledge among students at Santiago de Cali University (USC) and to evaluate the differences found based on school, gender, and age groups. To gather data, a survey that included sociodemographic information, aspects of environmental knowledge, actions aimed at mitigating environmental problems, and environmental awareness was administered to 268 students at USC in the year 2017. We conducted an online survey of 268 students in the year 2017 by means of a questionnaire that included 18 questions with sociodemographic information, aspects of environmental knowledge, actions aimed at mitigating environmental problems, and environmental awareness campaigns conducted at USC. Additionally, we conducted an analysis to assess how gender, age groups, and academic training influence the scores of the constructed indicators: General Index of Environmental Knowledge (GI), Identification of Environmental Problems (EP), Solutions to Environmental Problems (SP), and Knowledge of Environmental Campaigns (EC). Statistical tests (i.e., Mann–Whitney U test, Chi-square test of independence, Pearson’s coefficients correlation) were used to analyze the data. Through this study, we concluded that although no significant differences were found in environmental knowledge and actions to mitigate environmental problems between genders, age groups, and schools, there were important implications observed in these categories concerning the variables analyzed. In addition, positive correlations were found between the indicators GI and SP, both globally and at the level of each gender, age group, and in some schools, which shows that with greater knowledge of environmental problems, there is greater recognition of solutions. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2023, 2021, 2020

8 pages, 237 KiB  
Editorial
Approaches and Methods of Science Teaching and Sustainable Development
by David González-Gómez and Jin Su Jeong
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1546; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14031546 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1683
Abstract
Unfortunately, science teaching at the university level has largely consisted of lectures in which the students’ position is usually to gather information by listening and taking notes from the instructors [...] Full article

2021

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2020

24 pages, 4459 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Inspired a STEM-Based Virtual Learning Model for Middle Schools—A Case Study of Qatar
by Azza Abouhashem, Rana Magdy Abdou, Jolly Bhadra, Nitha Siby, Zubair Ahmad and Noora Jabor Al-Thani
Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2799; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13052799 - 05 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3563
Abstract
An unprecedented turn in educational pedagogies due to the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the students’ learning process worldwide. This article describes developing a STEM-based online course during the schools’ closure in the COVID-19 epidemic to combat the virtual science classroom’s limitations that [...] Read more.
An unprecedented turn in educational pedagogies due to the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the students’ learning process worldwide. This article describes developing a STEM-based online course during the schools’ closure in the COVID-19 epidemic to combat the virtual science classroom’s limitations that could promise an active STEM learning environment. This learning model of the online STEM-based course successfully developed and exercised on 38 primary–preparatory students helped them to overcome the decline in their learning productivity. Various digital learning resources, including PowerPoint presentations, videos, online simulations, interactive quizzes, and innovative games, were implemented as instructional tools to achieve the respective content objectives. A feedback mechanism methodology was executed to improve online instructional delivery and project learners’ role in a student-centered approach, thereby aiding in the course content’s qualitative assessment. The students’ learning behavior provided concrete insights into the program’s positive outcomes, witnessing minimal student withdrawals and maximum completed assignments. Conclusions had been drawn from the course assessment (by incorporating both synchronous and asynchronous means), student feedback, and SWOT analysis to evaluate the course’s effectiveness. Full article
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20 pages, 3821 KiB  
Article
Are Cross-Border Classes Feasible for Students to Collaborate in the Analysis of Energy Efficiency Strategies for Socioeconomic Development While Keeping CO2 Concentration Controlled?
by Roberto Araya and Pedro Collanqui
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1584; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031584 - 02 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3075
Abstract
Education is critical for improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 concentration, but collaboration between countries is also critical. It is a global problem in which we cannot isolate ourselves. Our students must learn to collaborate in seeking solutions together with others from [...] Read more.
Education is critical for improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 concentration, but collaboration between countries is also critical. It is a global problem in which we cannot isolate ourselves. Our students must learn to collaborate in seeking solutions together with others from other countries. Thus, the research question of this study is whether interactive cross-border science classes with energy experiments are feasible and can increase awareness of energy efficiency among middle school students. We designed and tested an interactive cross-border class between Chilean and Peruvian eighth-grade classes. The classes were synchronously connected and all students did experiments and answered open-ended questions on an online platform. Some of the questions were designed to check conceptual understanding whereas others asked for suggestions of how to develop their economies while keeping CO2 air concentration at acceptable levels. In real time, the teacher reviewed the students’ written answers and the concept maps that were automatically generated based on their responses. Students peer-reviewed their classmates’ suggestions. This is part of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education project on energy efficiency using APEC databases. We found high levels of student engagement, where students discussed not only the cross-cutting nature of energy, but also its relation to socioeconomic development and CO2 emissions, and the need to work together to improve energy efficiency. In conclusion, interactive cross-border science classes are a feasible educational alternative, with potential as a scalable public policy strategy for improving awareness of energy efficiency among the population. Full article
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18 pages, 2992 KiB  
Article
An Online-Based Edu-Escape Room: A Comparison Study of a Multidimensional Domain of PSTs with Flipped Sustainability-STEM Contents
by Félix Yllana-Prieto, Jin Su Jeong and David González-Gómez
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1032; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031032 - 20 Jan 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3671
Abstract
The use of active and flipped methodologies has increased in recent years. Here, gamification uses typical elements of a game in different contexts, including that of education. Specifically, Escape Room games used as educational tools have potential for teaching–learning, and they can be [...] Read more.
The use of active and flipped methodologies has increased in recent years. Here, gamification uses typical elements of a game in different contexts, including that of education. Specifically, Escape Room games used as educational tools have potential for teaching–learning, and they can be beneficial because they can improve students’ motivation and emotions toward learning. This is particularly valuable in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, where the cognitive factor and multidimensional domain are closely connected. This research presents an online-based Edu-Escape Room with science and sustainability contents as an educative tool in a STEM course. With the intervention proposed, we analyze how this tool influences the multidimensional domain (attitudes, self-efficacy and emotions) of pre-service teachers (PSTs). According to attitude and self-efficacy analysis, it is observed that most of the items analyzed show an increase in self-efficacy and more positive attitudes after the intervention. In particular, Question 11 (Q11) indicates a significant difference. Concerning the results for emotion, the positive emotions “joy”, “satisfaction” and “fun” are significantly increased after the intervention. However, the negative emotions “nervousness”, “frustration” and “concern” also increase, partly due to the game characteristics. The proposed activity had a medium effect on items with significant differences except for the emotion “frustration”, where the intervention had a large effect according to effect size (ES) analysis. According to the principal component analysis (PCA), the attitudes, self-efficacy and emotions of the PSTs are positively correlated, and the influence of the proposed activity shows a significant improvement in these variables. Finally, the structural equation modeling partial least squares (SEM-PLS) analysis showed the effects that the instruction has on the PSTs’ emotions and also that they had a significant effect on the positive attitudes towards and self-efficacy in science. Therefore, there are multiple benefits in the multidimensional domain of PSTs of having implemented the proposed online-based Edu-Escape Room. Full article
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15 pages, 982 KiB  
Article
Effects of a Thermal Inversion Experiment on STEM Students Learning and Application of Damped Harmonic Motion
by Omar Israel González-Peña, Gustavo Morán-Soto, Rodolfo Rodríguez-Masegosa and Blas Manuel Rodríguez-Lara
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 919; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020919 - 18 Jan 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3041
Abstract
There are diverse teaching methodologies to promote both collaborative and individual work in undergraduate physics courses. However, few educational studies seek to understand how students learn and apply new knowledge through open-ended activities that require mathematical modeling and experimentation focused on environmental problems. [...] Read more.
There are diverse teaching methodologies to promote both collaborative and individual work in undergraduate physics courses. However, few educational studies seek to understand how students learn and apply new knowledge through open-ended activities that require mathematical modeling and experimentation focused on environmental problems. Here, we propose a novel home experiment to simulate the dynamics of a flue gas under temperature inversion and model it as damped harmonic motion. After designing and conducting the experiment, twenty six first year students enrolled in STEM majors answered six qualitative questions to inform us about their epistemological beliefs regarding their learning process. Their answers imply that this type of open-ended experiments may facilitate students’ understanding of physical phenomena and point to the significance of physics instructors as promoters of epistemological development. In general, students described this activity as a positive experience that helped them connect an environmental phenomenon with a fundamental physics concept. Full article
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18 pages, 1233 KiB  
Article
Is It a Good Idea for Chemistry and Sustainability Classes to Include Industry Visits as Learning Outside the Classroom? An Initial Perspective
by Omar Israel González-Peña, María Olivia Peña-Ortiz and Gustavo Morán-Soto
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020752 - 14 Jan 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3452
Abstract
Learning outside the classroom (LOtC) activities are part of pedagogical methodologies that are currently applied in the development of student skills. The objective of this study is to determine the perceptions of faculty and undergraduate students concerning industrial visits and define the advantages [...] Read more.
Learning outside the classroom (LOtC) activities are part of pedagogical methodologies that are currently applied in the development of student skills. The objective of this study is to determine the perceptions of faculty and undergraduate students concerning industrial visits and define the advantages and disadvantages of these activities. A survey was designed with 17 questions, from a sample of 296 students and 32 professors from various chemistry and sustainability courses. The statistical samples correspond to a population of 2275 students and 246 professors. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and compare participant perceptions on industrial visits, as LOtC activities. Results indicated a positive perception for making industrial visits, generating more interest in the class material and helping students acquire knowledge. Despite this positive perception, it was found that professors are unlikely to organize industrial visits frequently due to the work required to plan, perform, and evaluate these activities. This issue suggests that approximately 40% of the students may lose the advantages that LOtC activities could offer. Professors must be motivated and supported by administrators to include industrial visits in their courses as a teaching strategy to provide a beneficial experience to the majority of students enrolled in chemistry and sustainability undergraduate programs. Full article
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2020

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2021

13 pages, 1030 KiB  
Article
From Transdisciplinary Research to Transdisciplinary Education—The Role of Schools in Contributing to Community Well-Being and Sustainable Development
by Susanne Kubisch, Sandra Parth, Veronika Deisenrieder, Karin Oberauer, Johann Stötter and Lars Keller
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 306; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010306 - 31 Dec 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4426
Abstract
This article looks at transdisciplinary research and discusses the possibilities of translating this concept into a new type of education, which we will call Transdisciplinary Education. Following the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the community of states, there has been increased [...] Read more.
This article looks at transdisciplinary research and discusses the possibilities of translating this concept into a new type of education, which we will call Transdisciplinary Education. Following the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the community of states, there has been increased international recognition of education as being a key driver for sustainable development. Considering the global grand challenges of the 21st century, the integration of Education for Sustainable Development at all school levels ought to be prioritized in order to empower young people to contribute to sustainable development. Collaborating with out-of-school partners and doing research on real-world problems within their lifeworld, help students develop the competences necessary for responsible citizenship, while at the same time contributing to community well-being. Both concepts transdisciplinary research and Transdisciplinary Education acknowledge the responsibility of addressing social relevant problems and the significant role of those who are and who will be affected by these challenges. The project Science Education for Action and Engagement Towards Sustainability (SEAS) aims at analyzing different partnerships between schools and out-of-school institutions in European countries. By comparing the collaborative formats and providing a concept and method pool for educators, SEAS targets facilitating the integration of Transdisciplinary Education in formal schooling in the future. This article gives insights into the Austrian research-education collaboration k.i.d.Z.21. Drawing on experiences of k.i.d.Z.21 and taking up characteristics of transdisciplinary research, opportunities and challenges of integrating Transdisciplinary Education in formal schooling are discussed. Full article
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19 pages, 1218 KiB  
Article
Effects of Verbal Interactions between Students on Skill Development, Game Performance and Game Involvement in Soccer Learning
by Wissam Ben Khalifa, Mehrzia Zouaoui, Makrem Zghibi and Fairouz Azaiez
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 160; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010160 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5012
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of verbal interaction between students on skill development and soccer game performance within a socio-constructivist perspective and a cooperative learning model in team-sport teaching. In addition, the usefulness of open verbalization was manifested [...] Read more.
The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of verbal interaction between students on skill development and soccer game performance within a socio-constructivist perspective and a cooperative learning model in team-sport teaching. In addition, the usefulness of open verbalization was manifested as follows: (1) a social tool for both actors (teachers and students) to collect and manage reports on their thought processes; (2) a tool to stimulate reflection and critical reflection on performance to induce transformation during game action projects. Participants were 18 boys and 12 girls aged (15 ± 0.4 years) from a Tunisian school (ninth grade). They were placed in either the experimental group (with verbal interaction) or the comparison group (without verbal interaction) and then were tested before and after a 12-lesson soccer unit (approximately two hours/week). Skill competence was assessed using three tests: a 15 m ball dribbling test, the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT) and a shooting accuracy test. Game performance was measured using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) in which the outcome variables assessed included (a) decision-making (DM), (b) skill execution (SE), (c) support (S), (d) game performance (GP), and (e) game involvement (GI). While both groups showed significant improvements in their short-passing ability, no such improvements were found in dribbling and shooting. In contrast, only the verbal interaction group produced significant improvements in overall game performance. In conclusion, if the objectives of the physical education curriculum are to promote team-sport teaching methods and quality game play, and create a reflexive learner, verbal interaction may be an effective tool for developing tactical understanding through cooperative learning. Full article
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12 pages, 518 KiB  
Article
Active Learning Methodologies in Teacher Training for Cultural Sustainability
by María-Pilar Molina-Torres and Raimundo Ortiz-Urbano
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9043; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12219043 - 30 Oct 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2328
Abstract
Within the framework of sustainable development, the concept of cultural heritage is linked to the heritage awareness of a specific spatial context, and to the conservation of collective memory. Despite the clear interest in cultural sustainability, the lack of research devoted to interpreting [...] Read more.
Within the framework of sustainable development, the concept of cultural heritage is linked to the heritage awareness of a specific spatial context, and to the conservation of collective memory. Despite the clear interest in cultural sustainability, the lack of research devoted to interpreting different teaching methods for transmitting patrimonial assets and preserving natural heritage is noteworthy. For this reason, the present study takes various scientific contributions as the background for considering sustainable education as a fundamental instrument to recover and conserve heritage resources, both from an informative and educational point of view. The aim of this study was to assess the training of new teachers in terms of the particular skills needed to develop active learning methods related to the teaching of heritage sustainability. The research sample consisted of 488 students in the Degree in Primary Education program. The methodology combined both qualitative and quantitative techniques, to obtain information from both observation and an opinion survey given to the students. The results show several opinions related to achieving and facilitating the implementation of innovative methodologies, due to a lack of initial university training. Generally speaking, this work provided an opportunity for students to analyze a series of prejudices regarding their working methods, and to overcome excessive theorization in their university studies. Full article
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16 pages, 604 KiB  
Article
STEM Education in Secondary Schools: Teachers’ Perspective towards Sustainable Development
by Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen, Thi Huy Nguyen and Thanh Khiet Tran
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8865; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218865 - 26 Oct 2020
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 11321
Abstract
Young people are the future of society and agents for social change, and so it is crucial to provide education that not only equips them with knowledge and skills but also changes their attitudes and behavior towards sustainable development. This study provides a [...] Read more.
Young people are the future of society and agents for social change, and so it is crucial to provide education that not only equips them with knowledge and skills but also changes their attitudes and behavior towards sustainable development. This study provides a review on how pedagogical approaches in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education can be deployed to teach concepts of sustainability. It also shows how secondary school teachers perceived STEM education and how they applied integrated STEM disciplines in designing projects to address development issues in Vietnam. Seventy-seven STEM teaching projects of teachers across the country were analysed, and interviews were conducted with 635 teachers who participated in the STEM program. Teachers valued STEM education and were willing to apply constructivist pedagogical methods to help solve the real-world problems. It is hoped that an integrated STEM approach can transform education into an innovative and inclusive education for social equity and sustainable development. Full article
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12 pages, 251 KiB  
Article
Inter-Relations among Motivation, Self-Perceived Use of Strategies and Academic Achievement in Science: A Study with Spanish Secondary School Students
by Enric Ortega-Torres, Joan-Josep Solaz-Portoles and Vicente Sanjosé-López
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176752 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2488
Abstract
The relationship between motivation and the use of learning strategies is a focus of research in order to improve students’ learning. Meaningful learning requires a learner’s personal commitment to put forth the required effort needed to acquire new knowledge. This commitment involves emotional [...] Read more.
The relationship between motivation and the use of learning strategies is a focus of research in order to improve students’ learning. Meaningful learning requires a learner’s personal commitment to put forth the required effort needed to acquire new knowledge. This commitment involves emotional as well as cognitive and metacognitive factors, and requires the ability to manage different resources at hand, in order to achieve the proposed learning goals. The main objectives in the present study were to analyse: (a) Spanish secondary school students’ motivation and self-perception of using strategies when learning science; (b) the nature of the relationship between motivation and perceived use of learning strategies; (c) the influence of different motivational, cognitive, metacognitive and management strategies on students’ science achievement. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was administered to 364 middle and high-school students in grades 7–11. For each participant, the academic achievement was provided by the respective science teacher. The results obtained from the Pearson product-moment correlations between the study variables and a stepwise regression analysis suggested that: (1) motivation, cognitive and metacognitive, and resource management strategies, have a significant influence on students’ science achievement; (2) students’ motivation acts as a kind of enabling factor for the intellectual effort, which is assessed by the self-perceived use of learning strategies in science; and, (3) motivational components have a greater impact on students’ performance in science than cognitive and metacognitive strategies, with self-efficacy being the variable with the strongest influence. These results suggest a reflexion about the limited impact on science achievement of the self-perceived use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and highlight the importance of students’ self-efficacy in science, in line with previous studies. Full article
15 pages, 2028 KiB  
Article
Cultural Sustainability in Ethnobotanical Research with Students Up to K-12
by Lorena Gutiérrez-García, José Blanco-Salas, Jesús Sánchez-Martín and Trinidad Ruiz-Téllez
Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5664; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12145664 - 14 Jul 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3197
Abstract
In the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education plays a fundamental role. However, traditional methodologies do not favor the enrichment and personal development essential to promote global awareness. The use of active methodologies based on experiences improve the quality of learning. [...] Read more.
In the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education plays a fundamental role. However, traditional methodologies do not favor the enrichment and personal development essential to promote global awareness. The use of active methodologies based on experiences improve the quality of learning. This work describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of the acquired knowledge of a didactic proposal for non-formal education as a support for regulated education based on botany content. Firstly, a workshop was held, where young people participated directly in developing field work with a real scientific methodology. Subsequently, a group of students was chosen to be interviewed to obtain a global vision of the learning they obtained. The motivation of the students was quite positive, which allowed us to obtain voluntary participation in the field work and also gave the students a participative attitude throughout the development of the workshops. Four months later, this positive attitude remained during their direct involvement in various activities, and the students still remembered the fundamental content discussed. Relating the didactic proposal to its immediate environment was shown to increase interest in learning and value in its own context. The results of this educational experience have been very positive, as knowledge was acquired, and interest in the preservation of the environment and the profession of a researcher was promoted. Full article
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21 pages, 636 KiB  
Article
Learning Science in Primary Education with STEM Workshops: Analysis of Teaching Effectiveness from a Cognitive and Emotional Perspective
by Milagros Mateos-Núñez, Guadalupe Martínez-Borreguero and Francisco Luis Naranjo-Correa
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3095; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083095 - 12 Apr 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3421
Abstract
Several international institutions emphasize the need to develop a comprehensive education in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to improve learning, competences and student perception of these subjects. The general objective of this study was to analyze the teaching effectiveness, from a cognitive [...] Read more.
Several international institutions emphasize the need to develop a comprehensive education in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to improve learning, competences and student perception of these subjects. The general objective of this study was to analyze the teaching effectiveness, from a cognitive and emotional perspective, of a STEM workshop versus an academic-expositional methodology in the science classroom in primary education. The research design was quasi-experimental with a control group, an experimental group, a pre-test and two post-tests. By means of a randomized probabilistic sampling, 256 students between 10 and 12 years old participated. Cognitive, emotional, attitudinal and gender variables were analyzed according to two teaching methodologies, an expository academic methodology for the control group and an active methodology based on the development of a practical STEM workshop for the experimental group. The results reveal that both methodologies are equally effective in short-term learning, but statistically significant differences are found in long-term learning, in favor of STEM workshops. Likewise, the STEM workshop mainly generates positive emotions and attitudes in the students compared to the transmission-reception methodology applied with the control group. Full article
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17 pages, 1671 KiB  
Article
A Design-Based Learning Approach for Fostering Sustainability Competency in Engineering Education
by Zhiliang Huang, Annan Peng, Tongguang Yang, Shuguang Deng and Yuexia He
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2958; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12072958 - 08 Apr 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4384
Abstract
This paper provides and illustrates a design-based learning (DBL) approach for fostering individual sustainability competency in engineering education. We performed two studies with engineering students in typical educational activities. The first study helped students perform a topic-specific design task in the practicum unit [...] Read more.
This paper provides and illustrates a design-based learning (DBL) approach for fostering individual sustainability competency in engineering education. We performed two studies with engineering students in typical educational activities. The first study helped students perform a topic-specific design task in the practicum unit of a sensor technology course, which compared the performance of the DBL approach and conventional passive learning approach. The second study guided students to develop innovative projects for participating in the "Internet Plus" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (IPIEC). To validate the proposed approach, stakeholder questionnaires and performance evaluations were implemented. The results show that the DBL approach was viable for sustainability competency teaching in terms of learning demand and teaching procedure. We found that students in the DBL group gave more prominence in the individual competencies, such as system-thinking, multidisciplinary applications, and collaboration. These findings suggest that applying the DBL approach to train sustainability competency in engineering education is beneficial for promoting students’ abilities in dealing with challenges involved in sustainability practice. Full article
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11 pages, 779 KiB  
Article
Incorporation of Sustainability Concepts into the Engineering Core Program by Adopting a Micro Curriculum Approach: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia
by Muhammad Waqar Ashraf and Faisal Alanezi
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2901; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12072901 - 05 Apr 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2620
Abstract
Higher education institutions are increasingly pursuing sustainable development goals in engineering and technology education. The concepts related to operations, production, and consumption continue to gain importance and significance for engineering students. In the engineering profession, the incorporation of sustainability means integrating environmental, economic, [...] Read more.
Higher education institutions are increasingly pursuing sustainable development goals in engineering and technology education. The concepts related to operations, production, and consumption continue to gain importance and significance for engineering students. In the engineering profession, the incorporation of sustainability means integrating environmental, economic, and social factors into the evaluation of design processes, products, and services. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an engineering program that along with the technical content, also fosters a critical sense regarding the social and environmental aspects of the field. The current status of sustainability education in engineering programs offered in Saudi universities is not very promising. In this paper, we explore the use of existing university curricula to incorporate sustainability elements into engineering education and training. Sustainability concepts were introduced into selected courses by using a micro-curriculum approach. Moreover, a standalone course is also introduced. We observed that this approach has been successful in integrating sustainability into the engineering curriculum. We recommend that such an approach be used to develop sustainability awareness in engineering programs. Full article
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15 pages, 5375 KiB  
Article
Problem-Based Learning in University Studies on Renewable Energies: Case of a Laboratory Windpump
by Alain Ulazia and Gabriel Ibarra-Berastegi
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2495; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12062495 - 23 Mar 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2501
Abstract
In the last eight years, the new faculty of Engineering in Renewable Energies at the University of the Basque Country in Eibar has developed several sustainability goals related to clean energy and climate change, but also in educative terms related to co-operative learning, [...] Read more.
In the last eight years, the new faculty of Engineering in Renewable Energies at the University of the Basque Country in Eibar has developed several sustainability goals related to clean energy and climate change, but also in educative terms related to co-operative learning, motivation, and reflective thinking. The case of the laboratory-windpump challenge is paradigmatic in this sense, since it constitutes successful problem-based learning for the students in terms of the activation of heuristic tools (analogies or diagrams), critical discussions combining complex ideas about aerodynamics, mechanics and hydraulics, and a good group atmosphere. The conclusions of this work are supported by qualitative and quantitative results within a theoretical background based on the logic of discovery and its corresponding constructive-learning strategy, rather than on the logic of justification with given and well-known aprioristic assumptions. Full article
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11 pages, 625 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Creativity: Using Visual Mnemonic Devices in the Teaching Process in Order to Develop Creativity in Students
by Lucian-Ionel Cioca and Raluca Andreea Nerișanu
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1985; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12051985 - 05 Mar 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6991
Abstract
(1) Background: In the field of creativity studies there is always space for expansion and new conceptualizations of the methods involved. Therefore, we will present in this paper a brief arrangement of the methods used to enhance creativity and consider whether visual mnemonic [...] Read more.
(1) Background: In the field of creativity studies there is always space for expansion and new conceptualizations of the methods involved. Therefore, we will present in this paper a brief arrangement of the methods used to enhance creativity and consider whether visual mnemonic devices can increase creativity. The devices are used in the teaching process in order to ease the remembering process by creating a visual representation. Visual mnemonic devices are techniques that increase creativity as part of their own performance. (2) Methods: We will use a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design, the procedure involving the use of visual mnemonic devices. (3) Results: The results show that the degree of abstracting increased after using visual mnemonic devices, along with fluency and other creativity dimensions. (4) Conclusions: The paper shows that the creativity increased, based on a national percentile system (along with standard creativity index), after using the visual mnemonics devices, thus demonstrating a case for integrating the visual mnemonic devices among methods to foster creativity. Full article
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