The Effect of Scientific Events in Shopping Mall On Children’s Learning and Social Interaction: Case of Life Cycle of Butterfly & Formation of Rainbow

Hakan Türkmen

Abstract


This study, it is aimed to determine the effect of scientific events in shopping malls on children's interactions and learning. Thirty-three children selected by purposive sampling method were carried out by participating in scientific events in a shopping mall, one of the informal learning environments of a big city. Data were collected through interviews before the scientific event session, observations and drawings during the scientific event session, and open-ended questions after the scientific event session. Content and frequency analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Before the events, the children participating in the study had deficiencies and misconceptions in scientific knowledge, but a significant increase was observed in their scientific knowledge at the end of the event. In the science event children learned by doing and experiencing (hands-on) and they had no difficulty in expressing their knowledge. In addition, it was observed that those who do not know each other got along very quickly with other children during the event. Helping and sharing with their friends who have difficulties in handicraft skills is the clue that they contribute to the development of their social skills. It also showed that children not only learn from a teacher but also learn from their peers. Expressing that they have fun and enjoy the science events can be shown as proof that children have a good time. After the scientific events, they emphasized that the children want to participate in such events again because this environment including different activities was found so colorful and not boring by children. If families bring their children to these types of scientific events in the shopping mall, that will contribute to children’s school academic achievement and help them socialize. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that the number of such science events should increase in shopping malls and the permanence of children's learning can also be searched.  


Keywords


hands-on activities; Informal learning; social interaction.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ash, D. (2003). Dialogic inquiry in life science conversations of family groups in a museum. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(2), 138–162. DOI:10.1002/tea.10069

Bakioğlu, B., Karamustafaoğlu, O., Karamustafaoğlu, S. & Yapıcı, S. (2018). The effects of out-of-school learning settings science activities on 5th graders’ academic achievement. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 451-464.

Bonnette, R.N., Crowly, K. & Shunn, C.D. (2019). Falling in love and staying in love with science: ongoing informal science experiences support fascination for all children. International Journal of Science Education. 41(12), 1626-1643.

DOI:10.1080/09500693.2019.1623431

Bozdoğan, A. E. & Yalçın, N. (2006). The Effects Of Science Centers On The Change Of “Science Interest” Levels Of Primary Education Students And On Their Academic Success: Energy Park. Ege Education Journal, 2(7), 95-114.

Briseno-Garzon, A. Anderson, D. & Anderson, A. (2007). Adult learning experiences from an aquarium visit: the role of social interactions in family groups. Curator: The Museum Journal, 50(3), 299-318.

Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak-Kılıç, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş. & Demirel F. (2016). Scientific research methods (20. Ed). Pegem Publishing, Ankara.

Callanan, M. A., Castañeda, C. L., Luce, M. R., & Martin, J. L. (2017). Family science talks in museums: Predicting children‘s engagement from variations in talk and activity. Child Development, 88(5), 1492–1504. DOI:10.1111/ cdev.12886

Diamond, J. (1986). The Behavior of Family Science Museums. Curator, 29(2), 139-154.

Eberbach, C. & Crowley, K. (2005). From Living to Virtual: Learning from Museum Objects. Curator, 48(3), 317-338.

Ekinci, S., Oktay, Ö., & Şen, A. İ. (2020). A mobile planetarium activity: investigation of middle school teachers’ views. Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty, 40(3), 827–852.

Ernst, J. (2019). Zoos’ and aquariums’ impact and influence on connecting families to nature: An evaluation of the nature play begins at your zoo & aquarium program. Visitor Studies, 21(2), 232–259. DOI:10.1080/ 10645578.2018.1554094

Ertaş, H., Şen, A. İ. & Parmasızoğlu, A. (2011). The Effects of Out-of School Scientific Activities on 9th Grade Students’ Relating the Unit of Energy to Daily Life. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education , 5(2), 178-198.

Eshach, H. (2007). Bridging in-school and out-of-school learning: formal, non-formal, and informal education. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16(2), 171–190.

Evren-Yapıcıoğlu, A., Arıkan, K., & Akbulut, A. (2021). An evaluation of one day science activities at a natural history museum. Journal of Theoretical Educational Science, 14(4), 524-547.

Falk, J. H. & Adelman, L. M. (2003). Investigating the impact of prior knowledge and interest on aquarium visitor learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(2), 163- 176.

Falk, J. H. & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from museums: Visitor experiences and the making of meaning. Walnut Creek: Alta Mira Press. http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic1025195.file.

Falk, J. H. & Gillespie, K. L. (2009). Investigating the role of emotion in science center visitor learning. Visitor Studies, 12(2), 112–132.

Griffin, J. (1994). Learning to learn in informal science settings. Research in Science Education, 24, 121-128.

Güler, A. (2011). The effect of a planned museum visit on the attitude of primary school students. İlköğretim Online, 10(1), 169-179.

Harvey, D. J., Montgomery, L. N., Harvey, H., Hall, F., Gange, A. C., & Watling, D. (2020). Psychological benefits of a biodiversity-focussed outdoor learning program for primary school children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 67, 101381.

Jones, G., Taylor, A., & Forrester, J. H. (2011). Developing a scientist: A retrospective look. International Journal of Science Education, 33(12), 1653–1673. DOI:10.1080/09500693.2010.523484

Kelly, K.R., Ocular, G. & Austin, A. (2020) Adult-child science language during informal science learning at an aquarium, The Social Science Journal, DOI: 10.1080/03623319.2020.1727226

Kisiel, J. F. (2005). Understanding elementary teacher motivations for science fieldtrips. Science Education, 89(6), 936–955.

Köseoğlu, P. & Türkmen, H. (2020). Perspectives of science teachers about science teaching in informal setting. Journal of Research in Informal Environments, 5(1), 44-58

Laçin-Şimşek, C. (2011). Fen öğretiminde okul dışı öğrenme ortamları (Out-of-school learning environments in science teaching ) (1. Ed.). Pegem Publishing, Ankara.

http://www.pegem.net/dosyalar/dokuman/3072015091935.

Leibham, M.B., Alexander, J.M., & Johnson, K.E. (2013). Science interests in preschool boys and girls: Relations to later self-concept and science achievement. Science Education, 97(4), 574–593. DOI:10.1002/sce.21066

Martin, A.J., Durksen, T.L., Williamson, D., Kiss, J., & Ginns, P. (2016). The role of a museum-based science education program in promoting content knowledge and science motivation. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(9), 1364-1384. DOI:10.1002/tea.21332

McManus P. M. (1988). Good Companions: More on the Social Determination of Learning-Related Behavior in a Science Museum. The International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship, 7, 37-44.

Orion, N., & Hofstein, A. (1994). Factors that influence learning during a scientific field trip in a natural environment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(10), 1097–1120. DOI: 10.1002/tea.3660311005

Paris, S.G., Yambor, K.M. & Packard, B.W. (1998). Hands-on biology: a museum school-university partnership for enhancing students' interest and learning in science. The Elementary School Journal, 98(3), 267-288.

Piscitelli, B. & Anderson, D. (2001). Young Children's Perspectives of Museum Settings and Experiences. Museum Management and Curatorship, 19(3), 269-282.

Randler, C., Baumgartner, S., Eisele, H., & Kienzle, W. (2007). Learning at workstations in the zoo: A controlled evaluation of cognitive and affective outcomes. Visitor Studies, 10(2), 205-216.

Rennie, L.J. & Williams, G.F. (2002). Science centers and scientific literacy: promoting a relationship with science. Science Education, 86, 706-726.

Riedinger, K. (2012). Family connections: Family conversations in informal learning environments. Childhood Education, 88(2), 125–127. DOI:10.1080/00094056.2012.662136

Rogoff, B., Callanan, M., Gutiérrez, K.D., & Erickson, F. (2016). The organization of informal learning. Review of Research in education, 40(1), 356-401. DOI:10.3102/0091732X16680994

Shepard, C.L. & Speelman, L. R. (1986). Affecting environmental attitudes through outdoor education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 17(2), 20-25.

Şahin, F. & Sağlamer Yazgan, B. (2013). The effect of research-based out-of-class laboratory activities on students' academic success. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 3(3), 107-122

Tatar, N. & Bağrıyanık, K.E. (2012). Views of Science and Technology Teachers on Out-of-School Education. İlköğretim Online, 11(4), 883-896.

Türkmen, H. (2010). Historical view of informal (out-of-class) science education and its integration into our education. Çukurova University Education Faculty Journal 3(39), 46-59.

Türkmen, H., Doğru, Ö. & Özen Göktaş, Ş. (2018). Teaching science in informal learning environments: Secondary school students' views on the Sasalı wildlife park trip. TURAN-SAM International Scientific Peer-reviewed Refereed Journal, 10(40), 641-650.

Yigit, N., Sivrikaya, E., & Guven, E.M. (2021). Determination of the Contribution of Station Technique in Informal Learning Environments (STiIL) to Learning Domains. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 18(3), 371-388. DOI no: 10.36681/tused.2021.79




DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ijposs.v7i2.52858

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

View My Stats