2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
[MIS11-02] Inquiry-based learning activities in geoparks and their effects -Case Study of Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark
Keywords:Inquiry-based learning activities, Mt.Chokai and Tobishima Island Geopark, Yuza Junior High School
Schools in the geopark area are actively engaged in learning activities that utilize the geopark as a field. However, there are not so many cases that have verified the effect and impact of geopark learning on students. Therefore, in this presentation, I introduce an example of verifying the effects and impacts of regional exploration learning activities using the geopark site, which was implemented by Yuza Junior High School in the area of Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark in 2022.
Yuza Junior High School carried out Inquiry-based learning activities using the Geopark’s sites almost every week from April to December, with the aim of developing human resources who can contribute to the conservation of regional resources and the sustainable development of the local community. From April to June, the students learned the value of the geological, natural and cultural sites of the Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark through classroom lectures and field work. From September onwards, each group of students decided on a site for inquiry-based learning, set up a theme and hypotheses, and verified the hypotheses until November. Some of the results that the students came up with were published to the local people and other elementary and junior high school students in the regions at the "Learning Research Presentation" hosted by the Mt. Chokai and Tobishima Island Geopark Council in December.
We gave the students the same questionnaire in April (before starting the learning activity) and in December (after the end of the activity), and verified the impact and changes that inquiry learning activities had on students by comparing them. The content of the questionnaire follows Fujioka et al. (2023).First, we asked the students to choose words that describe the geopark from among 16 keywords. As a result, the top five in both April and December were "natural environment", "spring water", "volcanoes/eruptions", "stratum/rocks", and "topography". The total number of keywords selected by the students increased from 420 to 700, with many keywords related to people's lives such as "agricultural and marine products", "folk tales/legends", and "local cuisine" being selected. Next, we compared the results of a questionnaire about the interest in geoparks, satisfaction with learning content, difficulty and fun. Next, regarding the items related to interest in geoparks and satisfaction with learning contents, the number of students who answered that they can explain the geopark program and that they enjoy learning about geoparks increased. However, not only did the number of students who felt that geopark learning was difficult increased, but the number of students showing interest in the Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark itself decreased. In particular, the number of students who gave up answering questions increased significantly.
An increase in the number of students who abandon answering questions implies that some students have become unable to keep up with inquiry-based classes and have lost interest in the class itself. One of the reasons for the result is that the Geopark Council could not sufficiently support the students' activities to prove their hypotheses. Since there was no change in the recognition of the importance of conservation of local resources, the students have a certain understanding of the significance of protecting local resources. Therefore, in order to improve students' awareness of local resource conservation, it is necessary to create opportunities for practical verification of students' hypotheses through communication between Geopark staff and students, as well as the creation of the practical Inquiry-based learning program for junior high school students.
Yuza Junior High School carried out Inquiry-based learning activities using the Geopark’s sites almost every week from April to December, with the aim of developing human resources who can contribute to the conservation of regional resources and the sustainable development of the local community. From April to June, the students learned the value of the geological, natural and cultural sites of the Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark through classroom lectures and field work. From September onwards, each group of students decided on a site for inquiry-based learning, set up a theme and hypotheses, and verified the hypotheses until November. Some of the results that the students came up with were published to the local people and other elementary and junior high school students in the regions at the "Learning Research Presentation" hosted by the Mt. Chokai and Tobishima Island Geopark Council in December.
We gave the students the same questionnaire in April (before starting the learning activity) and in December (after the end of the activity), and verified the impact and changes that inquiry learning activities had on students by comparing them. The content of the questionnaire follows Fujioka et al. (2023).First, we asked the students to choose words that describe the geopark from among 16 keywords. As a result, the top five in both April and December were "natural environment", "spring water", "volcanoes/eruptions", "stratum/rocks", and "topography". The total number of keywords selected by the students increased from 420 to 700, with many keywords related to people's lives such as "agricultural and marine products", "folk tales/legends", and "local cuisine" being selected. Next, we compared the results of a questionnaire about the interest in geoparks, satisfaction with learning content, difficulty and fun. Next, regarding the items related to interest in geoparks and satisfaction with learning contents, the number of students who answered that they can explain the geopark program and that they enjoy learning about geoparks increased. However, not only did the number of students who felt that geopark learning was difficult increased, but the number of students showing interest in the Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Island Geopark itself decreased. In particular, the number of students who gave up answering questions increased significantly.
An increase in the number of students who abandon answering questions implies that some students have become unable to keep up with inquiry-based classes and have lost interest in the class itself. One of the reasons for the result is that the Geopark Council could not sufficiently support the students' activities to prove their hypotheses. Since there was no change in the recognition of the importance of conservation of local resources, the students have a certain understanding of the significance of protecting local resources. Therefore, in order to improve students' awareness of local resource conservation, it is necessary to create opportunities for practical verification of students' hypotheses through communication between Geopark staff and students, as well as the creation of the practical Inquiry-based learning program for junior high school students.