Is the earth without people a better world? Stimulating reflection about sustainability in STEM courses

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IS THE EARTH WITHOUT PEOPLE A BETTER WORLD?
STIMULATING REFLECTION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN STEM
COURSES
Veerle Verschoren1, Laura Van den Broek1 , Eef Cornelissen1, Steven Raeman1,
Filip Mennes1, Jelle De Schrijver1,2
1Odisee University of Applied Sciences – Research Center ExploRatio (Belgium)
2Antwerp University – Research Center Didactica (Belgium)
Abstract

                        

                         
!
"
# 
 !$
 
 %&&'(
(
   

        )          * (
 
+
    
                         

, -''

1 INTRODUCTION
            .   
            "    
/"#
* 
  %
            
0012
                34        
-          .      

 "  5   
    "  5    "     
*)"
"&6
          !      "    
 7       8
"9)%:
"!

Author Accepted Manuscript
8 
"!
;! "<
     (           
 %%-
      
!=  $.
                +      

      " !< *  
.;.
       $ 
 %2'.
  ! !$%3! 
  =            %6   !        
%4 "
!#              >?+
%:(%4((#
"; $-
@A%;=
"(<
@A2;<
@A3;!
<
2 METHODOLOGY
 $  !   
$  ! (
    $
$  
2.1 Education Design Research
        @  %&    ?        

?!  (( 
         *         
  
#?2:2%(2:22
!)-(%:%4(
        (    (    (  
B (            C       
  ((( 
(
   !
         5         2:22(2:23
#  .

2.2 Interviews
 (  
(-    
         (              

Author Accepted Manuscript
*      

D                  
'E #
   
  
2.3 Observations
)    
 ( 
!  
 *F
                          

3 RESULTS
3.1 Design criteria and teaching method
 !           (       seven
design criteria
%                 
'  !!

2                     
  $
3 C!# !
 
4 !
 
& *"!     $        
                        
!
6  
              $        
  +      *            
        $        !    

7 
  )   

      %&   ! 
  -       %  
          
(! (
)!(  
)! $
            $   ) %      
 
 E# 


Author Accepted Manuscript




Figure 1. Examples of learning materials: a) opposing quotes of the domain water, b) opposing quotes
of the domain technology, c) philosophical question of the domain biodiversity, d) box thinking of the
domain waste

Author Accepted Manuscript
3.2 Teacher's attitude towards the teaching method
* 
 Glearned how to approach something differently, by applying system thinking. Learning to see
the connections between all those thingsH 
  *
GOften the solutions do not come from the children but are rather imposed. By philosophizing with
EcoZoo, we create children who learn to 'see' problems themselves and who can come up with
creative and critical solutionsH  ?=              
 "                    

  (    
(  
(  ( (

3.3 Implementation in schools
 !    #   
 -   +        (    (

) !
     ? !
$  (
!   
;$5
!
"! !
   
 (;( 
     (!? 
! 
 !;      
!) ( 5
 !?
%* !E
?(2
 
 ( !(
GI don't see myself applying this exercise because I don't know the answers myselfH
 (   
         +    
* GThe challenge for teacher education is to introduce
the questioning and inquiring attitude throughout the training; a questioning attitude that is not always
aimed at definitive answers.H

Author Accepted Manuscript
Figure 2 Exercise teachers can do before an EcoZoo activity.

Author Accepted Manuscript
Table 1 Teacher tips to facilitate student dialogues.
! 
  .       
          )!              
 -GThis method gives them much more speaking time.
Children feel safer in this context. It puts less pressure on them in terms of cognitive ability … Many
children speak who … speak much less during regular lessons or debate. They are not fast enough or
there language proficiency is not high enough. It is very noticeable that they dare much more [during
EcoZoo sessionsI. Rafsa says that in an instructive way: “I don't have enough language”. While she
can make fantastic arguments during the sessions.H
4 CONCLUSIONS

Author Accepted Manuscript
# >?+  %:(%4( 
"
"   +(  
"!; %&
&( (
(
!+ 

*
            ;      $        ((
 1!
      +  $ 
%6;
(    
+
* 
                   
 

Author Accepted Manuscript
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
"  @F  ;  (  *      
 
REFERENCES
J%I01%987K-LL (L (
J2I 012:%&-LLL2:%&L M
J3I F2:%%F.
 M-LLLLL2:%:(2:%%L%%32(%
J4I F"2::7*5M-LL LL(((
(.( (( EM
J&I F52:%7 / E2:%7
-LL  EL (((( E
J6I F52:%81  E2:%8
-LL  ELLLLLLF@N2:2:%8N2:
N2:N2:N2:5N2:(N2:
J7I *@KCK@K2:%2 K-*C"
Australian Journal of Teacher Education37%:
J8I O?2:%6"-*  <*
Cultural Studies of Science Education%%%
J9I KC2:%7=15 -
#‐Journal of research in science teaching.
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J%:I PECFFP2:2%C
(
+Tijdschrift voor Lerarenopleiders.424
J%%I PK(' 1D5K2:%&
MSustainability7%&693Q%&7%7
J%2I PEP'C@*2:%8C<
')#-P
DR)B@@S'')R
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"S*2:%86%4
J%3I ;D*U2:%7"-(  E.
 E-%:&: E*O2&4
J%4I OPE2:%8C<
School Science review99368
J%&I '/112::7*1.
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J%6I 1"C 2:%2!'O-
F'. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction%%2(2%