Oriented program through Action Research for Biology teachers to develop their meaningful aesthetic understanding of biology and acquire the Education for Sustainable Development requirements

Amany M Abuzied

Amany M Abuzied Lecturer of Curricula and instruction of Science Education, College of Education, Ain Shams University, Egypt. dr.amany_abuzied@yahoo.com

Keywords: Aesthetic understanding, Education for sustainable development, Action research

Abstract

Abstract: This study reports on Egyptian Secondary- stage (high school) Biology teachers’ experiences in action research through an oriented- training program focus on aesthetic understanding and education for sustainable development (ESD). The Program applied in the second/ spring semester of the academic year 2017/2018, four-hours weekly per 5 weeks. The research problem stated in the shortage of acquiring aesthetic understanding and Education for sustainable development requirements for biology teachers. Throughout the research, five teachers were trained through the oriented program to promote their meaningful aesthetic understanding of biology and acquire the ESD requirements through action research in their classrooms. The framework that guided this study based on experiential, constructivist and transformative learning theories known collectively as “Exp-Con-Tran”. A mixed methods were used where teachers’ responses through qualitative and quantitative tools that are: Firstly: The Qualitative instruments, which are: 1- A Mind Map in which Biology teachers were asked to construct a mind map of aesthetic understanding concepts and ESD requirements before and after engaging in the action research. 2- Project- based learning Form: A qualitative tool with determined criteria to assess the ability of biology teacher after learning the oriented program to design a topic from biology curriculum in a project form according to the aesthetic and ESD pedagogy with passion development requirements. 3-Reflection Questionnaire (RQ): a qualitative tool with three Open-ended questions documented the teachers’ perspectives on how they received their experience through the action research stages. Secondly: The quantitative instruments, which are 1- An aesthetic understanding questionnaire 2-An Education for Sustainable Development Questionnaire. The former was to probe the cognitive of the participants had in relation to the concepts of aesthetic understanding before and after involving in the action research program. The second instrument used to identify participants’ attitudes towards teaching for ESD and their knowledge of classroom pedagogical practices. Statistical data analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 9) applied to detect the significance difference between the mean score of teachers’ pre and post results in (Mind map, aesthetic questionnaire and ESD questionnaire). The results indicate that teachers in their post-results recorded better cognitive organization for the concepts of aesthetic understanding in biology; positive attitudes towards teaching for ESD classroom-teaching practices at (0.05) level. The results of reflective questionnaire and the Problem- based form analyzed qualitatively and recorded positive attitudes in the post results. Involvement in the action research projects where teachers were experiencing, reflecting, conceptualizing, constructing, acting and transforming may be responsible for these results, so it is recommended to involve teachers more in the action researches in many fields.

Key words: Aesthetic understanding, Education for sustainable development (ESD) and Action research.

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Author Biography

Amany M Abuzied, Lecturer of Curricula and instruction of Science Education, College of Education, Ain Shams University, Egypt. dr.amany_abuzied@yahoo.com

Lecturer of Curricula and instruction of Science Education, College of Education, Ain Shams University, Egypt. dr.amany_abuzied@yahoo.com

References

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