No description available.

Syftet med vårt examensarbete har varit att undersöka hur några valda pedagoger förhåller sig till utomhuspedagogik som en pedagogisk undervisningsmetod och diskutera dessa olika perspektiv av vad pedagogerna säger utifrån frågeställningarna i vårt syfte. Med hjälp av intervjuer har vi ställt frågor till fyra utvalda pedagoger som besitter skilda kunskaper och erfarenheter av utomhuspedagogik. I litteraturstudien mötte vi begrepp som forskare och teoretiker förknippade med utomhuspedagogik. Begrepp som direktkontakterfarenhet, sinnlig erfarenhet, autentisk lärandemiljö. Resultatet åskådliggör att pedagogerna ser fler fördelar än nackdelar med utomhuspedagogik. Några fördelar gällande utomhuspedagogiken framkom som mer rörelse i lärandet, bättre hälsa och att lära om objekt i sin verkliga miljö m.fl. En nackdel som flera av pedagogerna var överens om var personalbrist, tidsbristen gällande planering och de praktiska förberedelserna. Pedagogerna visade olika intresse för utomhuspedagogik men alla var överens om att det var en bra undervisningsmetod och några av dem ville gärna använda sig mer av det i sin undervisning i framtiden.

<p>STEM education is a top priority in the educational development of youth across the United States as the country tries to address the need of having a more well equipped, prepared, and educated workforce. Agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) has the ability to provide a relevant context for engaging students in STEM education through experiential learning. Tragically, both STEM and AFNR struggle to reach and engage more diversified audiences, especially students of color. AFNR education provides an authentic avenue to center STEM engagement around addressing societal grand challenges like food and nutritional security, childhood-obesity, and climate change; issues faced by all communities. The approaches and steps taken to address these AFNR related grand challenges can all be explored through the lens of food systems. Food systems is a concept within AFNR that encompasses the interdisciplinary components of AFNR, STEM, and social sciences that provides a breakdown for the process and system involved in getting food from farm to fork. In an era where youth are more disconnected from understanding where their food comes from, food systems education has the ability to reconnect youth to the root of this issue and the potential to lead them to explore finding solutions to the grand challenges facing their generation. Furthermore, food systems education provides a context to engage youth in authentic learning experiences in nonformal and formal classroom settings around relevant issues with the potential to enhance their interests and concerns around these topics.</p> <p><a>The purpose of this study was to explore and describe elementary school students’ interests and concerns about the food system, and their overall engagement in the learning experience after participating in an authentic learning based Virtual Agri+STEM Camp focused on food systems education, AFNR, and STEM activities. The convenience sample for this study was made up of elementary school students between grades 3^rd and 8^th grade (<i>N</i> = 99) who were either in the classroom or participating in an at-home Agri+STEM session. The majority of these students were from rural communities and most of them were African Americans. Quantitative data was collected before and after participation in the Virtual Agri+STEM Camp experience that using the research developed Food System Interest and Food System Concern instrument. Previous AFNR related experiences were also reported by students. The researcher also used an adapted version of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and STEM Semantics survey to measure student engagement and attitudes after participating in the experience. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, which included means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. To explore the relationships between each of the variables, correlations were also computed. </a></p> <p>There were four conclusions for this study. First, students that participated in the Virtual Agri+STEM Camp were motivated and engaged in the learning process while doing the Agri+STEM Camp activities. Second, students that participated in the Virtual Agri+STEM Camp were interested and concerned about the food system before and after participating in the Virtual Agri+STEM Camp. Third, African American student participants reported less previous AFNR experiences, yet they reported more interests and concerns in the food system than Caucasian American participants before and after completing the Virtual Agri+STEM Camp. Lastly, Students that felt more competent, saw the value, and were interested/enjoyed the Agri+STEM experience were more likely to be interested and concerned about the food system. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice and policy were discussed.</p>

No description available.

Idag finns det omkring 5 000 operativa satelliter i omloppsbana runt jorden. Bland dessa finns MATS, DMSP-17/18 och Swarm-A/B/C. De tre satellitprogrammen ger olika data från jordens övre atmosfär där MATS bland annat observerar infraröd emission, DMSP mäter elektron- och jonnedfall från rymden och Swarm bland annat mäter variationer i jordens geomagnetiska fält. Dessa data ger möjlighet att analysera aurora. Aurora, även känt som polarsken, är ett fantastiskt ljusfenomen som kan urskiljas i olika färger och som har forskats på under flera decennier. Till följd av detta finns även möjligheten att göra gymnasieelever mer intresserade av rymden. När elever deltar i autentiskt lärande kan det bidra till ökat intresse inom naturvetenskap. Studien syftar till att undersöka auroraregionerna och jämföra data mellan MATS, DMSP och Swarm för att skapa en helhetsbild av fenomenet. Dessutom utvecklas ett lektionsmaterial som syftar till att öka intresset för rymden och fysik i allmänhet bland gymnasieelever. Metoden för den tekniska delen innefattade att finna konjunktioner mellan MATS och en annan satellit eftersom satelliterna ska ge data för samma fenomen. Under en konjunktion behövde banorna stämma överens samtidigt som satelliterna skulle ha tillgänglig data vid tidpunkten. För den pedagogiska delen har en enkätstudie använts för att samla in lärares åsikter om utveckling och utvärdering av lektionsmaterialet. Fem konjunktioner undersöktes och resultaten visade på en ökning av elektron och jonenergi samt flöde i auroraregioner. Ett fall visade en svag uppåtriktad ström som en potentiell förklaring till den ökade energin, vilket möjligtvis tillåter elektronerna att accelerera mot jorden och därav ökar flödet. Enkätstudien visade att det fanns ett intresse för ett lektionsmaterial. Fokus skulle ligga på att skapa ett autentiskt material där eleverna fick en genomgång om hur polarsken uppstår och därefter diskutera frågor kopplade till materialet. Utvärderingen visade att syftet och lärandemålen för lektionen hade uppfyllts. Eleverna deltog aktivt i diskussioner, ställde följdfrågor och ansågs vara intresserade av materialet. / Today there are around 5 000 operative satellites currently in orbit. MATS,DMSP-17/18 and Swarm-A/B/C are just a few among them. These three satellite programs produce different data from Earth’s upper atmosphere. MATS observe infrared emission, DMSP measure electron- and ion precipitation and Swarm measure variations in Earth’s geomagnetic field. This data provides the opportunity to analyze aurora. Aurora, also known as polar lights, is a fantasticlight phenomenon that can be observed in different colors and has been researched for decades. As a result, there is also a possibility to increase the interest among high school students to learn about space. A contribution to their interest can be seen when the students are allowed to participate in authentic learning.The study aimed to investigate aurora regions and compare data between MATS, DMSP and Swarm in order to create a comprehensive picture of the phenomenon. Additionally, an educational material was developed with the aim of increasing interest in space and physics in general among high school students. The methodology for the technical part consisted of finding conjunctions between MATS and one other satellite. This was because of the fact that the satellites were required to give data from the same phenomenon. During a conjunction the orbits of the satellites had to correspond and the satellites also needed to have available data from the time period. A survey study was conducted for the pedagogical part in order to collect opinions from teachers about the development and evaluation of the educational material. Five conjunctions were examined, and the results indicated an increase in electron and ion energy as well as flux in auroral regions. One case showed a weak upward current as a potential explanation for the increase in energy, possibly allowing electrons to accelerate towards the Earth and thus increasing the flux. The survey study showed that there was an interest in the educational material. The focus would be to create an authentic material where students were given an overview of how aurora occur followed by questions to discuss related to the material. The evaluation showed that the purpose and learning objectives of the lesson had been fulfilled. Students actively participated in discussions, asked follow-up questions and were considered to be interested in the material.

The researcher wants to create a learning environment where learners are much more involved in their own learning. The progressive teaching design implies that the contribution of the learner to the development of knowledge is recognised. The educator also acknowledges the learner as a social being reliant on interaction with others to generate meaning. The problem statement for this study is based on the researcher’s opinion that In South African schools rote learning and memorisation are still the main methods of learning. The reason for this is because the majority of educators have been schooled in the traditional educational paradigm where the teaching process essentially revolves around the educator. In such a system learners who can recall facts best and obtain the best grades are regarded as having learnt well. The researcher contests the assertion that the learners learnt authentically. The progressive teaching approach is proffered by the educator as an alternative for the attainment of authentic learning in a grade 10 Economics classroom. In an authentic learning environment learners are prepared to face challenges in the real world through the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learners collaborate and cooperate as members of a group to unravel problems. The researcher makes use of a qualitative research design for this study. The grade 10 Economics class of the researcher is used a case study to ascertain whether a progressive teaching approach can enhance authentic learning. Twelve learners out 26 that indicated that they would participate eventually took part in the study. The research instruments used were the video recorded lessons, teacher observation sheets and learner focused-group interviews. One of the findings from the study was that authentic learning skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking can be developed through the educator using the progressive teaching approach. This is in line with the principles of the CAPS for Economics. Another finding is that although more learner involvement is required for the progressive approach, the role of the educator remains crucial as a knowledge expert and a facilitator in the classroom. A further finding was that learners embraced the co-operative learning strategy which is one of the fundamentals of authentic learning. They enjoyed teaching to and learning from one another in group work. Finally, learners appreciated the use of cartoons and team-games by the progressive educator as additional strategies to further authenticate and enhance the learning experience. In summary the researcher wants to contend that from the literature study, the findings of the empirical research and the recommendation of this study that by working within the parameters of the CAPS for Economics, authentic learning can be achieved via a progressive teaching design. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The researcher wants to create a learning environment where learners are much more involved in their own learning. The progressive teaching design implies that the contribution of the learner to the development of knowledge is recognised. The educator also acknowledges the learner as a social being reliant on interaction with others to generate meaning. The problem statement for this study is based on the researcher’s opinion that In South African schools rote learning and memorisation are still the main methods of learning. The reason for this is because the majority of educators have been schooled in the traditional educational paradigm where the teaching process essentially revolves around the educator. In such a system learners who can recall facts best and obtain the best grades are regarded as having learnt well. The researcher contests the assertion that the learners learnt authentically. The progressive teaching approach is proffered by the educator as an alternative for the attainment of authentic learning in a grade 10 Economics classroom. In an authentic learning environment learners are prepared to face challenges in the real world through the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learners collaborate and cooperate as members of a group to unravel problems. The researcher makes use of a qualitative research design for this study. The grade 10 Economics class of the researcher is used a case study to ascertain whether a progressive teaching approach can enhance authentic learning. Twelve learners out 26 that indicated that they would participate eventually took part in the study. The research instruments used were the video recorded lessons, teacher observation sheets and learner focused-group interviews. One of the findings from the study was that authentic learning skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking can be developed through the educator using the progressive teaching approach. This is in line with the principles of the CAPS for Economics. Another finding is that although more learner involvement is required for the progressive approach, the role of the educator remains crucial as a knowledge expert and a facilitator in the classroom. A further finding was that learners embraced the co-operative learning strategy which is one of the fundamentals of authentic learning. They enjoyed teaching to and learning from one another in group work. Finally, learners appreciated the use of cartoons and team-games by the progressive educator as additional strategies to further authenticate and enhance the learning experience. In summary the researcher wants to contend that from the literature study, the findings of the empirical research and the recommendation of this study that by working within the parameters of the CAPS for Economics, authentic learning can be achieved via a progressive teaching design. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

<p>In this dissertation, I investigate the authentic learning experiences of students participating in the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program at Purdue University within the framework of authentic education. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the study assesses the performance of new and returning students across five key outcomes that measure authentic learning during a single semester. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant main effects for time of assessment and type of student on performance, with an overall improvement in all outcomes observed from mid-term to final evaluations and returning students typically outperforming new students. Interaction effects between time and type were also examined, revealing subtle yet complex dynamics in students’ learning trajectories. The findings hold implications for enhancing authentic learning, especially in engineering design contexts, and offer insights to guide future implementation of and improvements to authentic education initiatives, particularly the EPICS program. Despite certain limitations, the research opens avenues for future investigations into diverse aspects of authentic education in STEM and beyond.  </p>

This thesis offers an assessment design for collaborative learning, utilisation of blended learning support through current communication technologies and highlights the crucial role of the tutor. The thesis designed and tested a theoretical framework which encompassed an active learning environment and resulted in the development of the shamrock conceptual framework. To test the theoretical framework, clarify the role of the tutor and the impact on the learner experience two studies were undertaken using pedagogical models that combined the concepts of learner-centric, sociocultural and dialogic perspectives on collaborative learning and technology in meeting the needs of learners in the 21st Century. In the first study, the role of the tutor was found to be crucial in setting, implementing and guiding learners using the assessment design as part of a social constructivist pedagogical practice. The pedagogical approach adopted was to blend face-to-face and Wiki learning experiences and was found to promote learner ownership, engagement and the fostering of a learning community. The second study validated the first and provided additional asynchronous technology experiences in addition to the Wiki blend in the assessment design. Study 2 examined the role of the tutor and the learner whilst using current technologies comprising podcasts and video and a Wiki in the collaborative experience. Findings showed that the Wiki supported community and collaborative aspects of a sociocultural practice whilst learners were engaged in authentic learning activities and led to a well supported learning environment. The importance of technology design and use to accommodate collaborative and community aspects was found to be an essential component. It was found that technology is not simply an add-on but rather needs to be planned and considered purposefully by both tutors and learners when used in a blend to supplement learning on campus as part of an assessment design in higher education. This study has shown that, for this to happen, academics need to be provided with the appropriate support, knowledge and skills required in developing a blended learning experience using a Wiki supplemented by class contact on campus as part of an assessment design.