Measurement and evaluation of environmental components in the experimental science textbooks of the first secondary level based on Shannon's entropy with a special attitude to the STSE approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, PO Box 889-14665, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jne.2024.379357.2695

Abstract

The best age to develop love and interest and a sense of responsibility towards environmental issues is primary and secondary school. The purpose of this study is to investigate the position of environmental components science books. The research method is the analysis of data based on Shannon's descriptive entropy index. The studied society is all the science books. The results show that the highest frequency of attention to the components of environmental education is related to the 9th book (67) and the lowest is related to the 8th book (46). The components of animals in the 9th and 8th books, soil and stone in the 8th science book, the energy and food component in the 7th and 9th books, and the water and seas component in the 7th science book have the most attention and abundance. The highest coefficient of importance of Shannon in three books of the first secondary level, respectively, related to the components of animals and fauna (0.211), renewable and non-renewable resources (0.161), plants, forests and trees (0.153) and Biosphere is (0.116).  The components of growth and population and protection and maintenance have the lowest Shannon importance coefficient, and important issues such as air and energy have not been given significant attention. The results show that the curriculum of sciences has been able to provide students with lessons in some environmental subjects that fit the needs of students and to some extent attention has been paid to the components of environmental education. STSE approach can overcome the shortcomings of the textbook.

Keywords

Abdullah, Z., 2020. Development of STSE-based learning device to improve the character of environmental care. Journal Bioedukatika 8(2), 91-101.
Amini, M., 2014. The neglected place of environmental education in textbooks (case study, middle school science and social education books). Journal of Educational Sciences (JEDUS) 21(2), 59-82. (In Persian)
Ansari Rad, P. Safari, A., Bashiri, F., 2020. Assessment of the environmental education needs of the students of the second year of elementary school in the 16th district of Tehran, Educational and Educational Studies Quarterly 9(4), 109-127. (In Persian)
Buchcic, E., & Grodzinka-Jurrczak, M., 2004. Environmental education in Polish primary schools. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 13(3), 264-268.
Chanapimuk, K., Sawangmek, S., Nangngam, P., Using science, 2019. Technology, society, and environment (STSE) approach to improve the scientific literacy of grade 11 students in plant growth and development, Journal of Science Learning 2(1), 14-20.
Martín-Ezpeleta, A., Martínez-Urbano, P., Echegoyen-Sanz, Y., 2022. Let’s read green! a comparison between approaches in different disciplines to enhance preservice teachers’ environmental attitudes, Journals of Environmental Education Research 28(6), 886-906.
Fazeli, F., Mahdavi Ikdelu, F., 2019. Investigating the status of science sextbooks in sublic sducation, Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 21(1), 227-243. (In Persian)
Gathong, S., Chamrat, S., 2019. The Implementation of Science, Technology and Society Environment (STSE)-based Learning for Developing Pre-Service General Science Teachers’ Understanding of the Nature of Science by Empirical Evidence, Journal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia 8(3), 354-360
Gerick, N., 2017. Identifying capital for school improvement: recommendations for a whole school approach to ESD implementation, Journal of Environmental Education Research 28(6), 803-825
Gresch, H., Hasselhorn, M., Bögeholz, S., 2017. enhancing decision-making in STSE education by inducing reflection and self-regulated learning, Research in Science Education, 47(1),95-118
Houshmandan Moghadam Fard, Z., Shams, A., 2016. Factors related to the level of integration of environmental and agricultural education in school curricula by primary teachers in Zanjan city, Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 19(2), 1999-199. (In Persian)
Keramati, M., Golian, F., 2016, Review of STSE in elementary science education, the second conference on new approaches in education and research, 1-9. (in Persian)
Mashalahinjad, Z., Amini, M., 2010. The neglected position of environmental education in textbooks (case study; science and social education books of middle school level), Scientific Journal of Educational Sciences 21(2), 59-82. (in Persian)
Mashalahinjad, Z., 2020, Analysis of the content of the experimental science course curriculum of the elementary school in terms of environmental components. Curriculum Research Journal 2(36), 122-138. (In Persian)
Ramzankhani, B., 2007. The content of middle school science books and environmental protection education, Tehran province education and training organization. Report of the Working Group on Environmental Education, shaping our schools shaping our future, Environmental education in Ontario schools. Environmental Education Research 3 (2), 163-178. (In Persian)
Rezaei, M., Nahafi, M., Shafiei, H., 2021. The degree of adaptation of the elementary school curriculum to the needs related to the promotion of students' environmental literacy in the cognitive field from the teachers' point of view, Educational and Educational Studies Quarterly 10(3), 37-65. (In Persian)
Salehi omran, E., Parhizkar, L., Hatamifar, F., 2017, Investigating the position of main of environment teaching in the tex books of the sixth grade schools in Iran, Environmental Education and Sustainable Development 5(2), 89-99. (In Persian)
Salsabili, N., 2015, Evaluation of the national curriculum of the Islamic Republic of Iran based on the knowledge derived from the theoretical knowledge of the field of curriculum studies, Iranian Curriculum Studies Quarterly 11(41), 65-98. (in Persian)
Shamsi, Z., Sarmadi, M., 2019. Evaluation of the internalization of environmental values ​​in the education system, Human and Environment Quarterly 17(2), 65-78. (In Persian)
Stern, j., Powell, R., Ferensly T., 2022. Environmental education, age, race, and socioeconomic class: An exploration of differential impacts of field trips on adolescent youth in United States, journal of Environmental Education Research 28(2), 197-215.
Tamara A., 2019. Content Analysis of Basic Fifth Grade Science textbook at Saudi Arabia in light of the. Integrative Approach between science, technology, Society and Environment (STSE). Zarqa Journal for Research and Studies in Humanities 19(1), 117-125.
UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office, 2007. Medium-term Strategy for 2008-2013 (34 C/4), Report Code: TEH/2006/PI/H/1, 35 p.
Watanpour, H., Rashidi, P., 2022, Examining the six streams of the STSE approach in the science book of the fifth year of elementary school and their compliance with the goals of the national curriculum under the education reform document system. Journal of Research in Experimental Science Education 1(4), 84-100. (In Persian)
Yoruk, N. morgil, I., Secken, N., 2010. The effects of science, technology, society, environment (STSE) interactions on teaching chemistry, Natural Science 02(12), 1417-1424.