The Effects of Structured Controversy Strategy on the Learning of Environmental Unit in General Science

구조화된 논쟁 전략이 공통과학 환경 단원 학습에 미치는 효과

In this study, the effects of structured controversy strategy, individual learning, and traditional learning on the learning of environmental unit in ‘General Science’ were compared. One hundred and forty-three 10th-graders had been taught about environmental issues-self purification, biological concentration, acid rain, greenhouse effect, noise, and radioactivity-for 6 class hours. Prior to the instructions, environmental attitudes test and self-esteem test were administered. After the instructions, their achievements, critical thinking, environmental attitudes. self-esteem, and views on Science-Technology-Society were examined. The results of 2-way ANCOVA and/or Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there were no significant main effects in the scores of the achievement test and the critical thinking test. The environmental attitudes test scores tended to be highest in the structured controversy group, and lowest in the traditional learning group. Self-esteem scores of the structured controversy group and the individual learning group were higher than those of the traditional learning group. Significant differences by students' prior achievement level in students' critical thinking, environmental attitudes, and views on Science-Technology-Society were also found.