| title: | The development of conceptual coherence of environmental problem issues |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF6612 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
5.5. Pedagogy |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | TU Faculty of Biology and Geography |
| head of project: | Kai Pata |
| duration: | 01.01.2006 - 31.12.2008 |
| description: | This research aims to characterise the patterns of the students’ development of conceptual coherence of environmental problem issues by applying traditional and decision-making methodologies in teaching and to ascertain its relationships with the awareness of environmental problem issues and students’ dilemma solving skills. The study stems from the hypothesis that the development of conceptual coherent understanding depends on the development of contextual coherent understanding and both together influence the formation of students’ different levels of general conceptual coherence. The low level of students’ general coherent conceptual understanding of environmental problem issues results in their lack of awareness of the nature of environmental problem issues and inability of making informed judgements in dilemma situations. The previous studies enable to assume that students do not develop coherent conceptual and contextual understanding of environmental problem issues by learning ecology and environmental course with traditional methods. The promotion of students’ environmental awareness by activities that involve judgement making should increase the formation of their coherent conceptual and contextual understanding of environmental problem issues and might benefit to their ability of making informed judgements in dilemma situations. This grant project has three outcomes: I.The general model of the development of conceptual and contextual coherency will be composed on the example of ecology and environmental issues. II.The relationships of the development of conceptual and contextual coherency with the awareness about the nature of environmental problems and decision-making skills in dilemma situations will be found. III.The influence of decision-making methodologies on the development of conceptually coherent understanding of ecology and environmental issues will be found. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Kai Pata | Tartu Ülikool | ||