Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5467/JKESS.2021.42.6.770

Assessing Middle School Students' Understanding of Radiative Equilibrium, the Greenhouse Effect, and Global Warming Through Their Interpretation of Heat Balance Data  

Chung, Sueim (Eunhaeng High School)
Yu, Eun-Jeong (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean earth science society / v.42, no.6, 2021 , pp. 770-788 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether middle school students could understand global warming and the greenhouse effect, and explain them in terms of global radiative equilibrium. From July 13 to July 24 in 2021, 118 students in the third grade of middle school, who completed a class module on 'atmosphere and weather', participated in an online assessment consisting of multiple-choice and written answers on radiative equilibrium, the greenhouse effect, and global warming; 97 complete responses were obtained. After analysis, it was found that over half the students (61.9%) correctly described the meaning of radiative equilibrium; however, their explanations frequently contained prior knowledge or specific examples outside of the presented data. The majority of the students (92.8%) knew that the greenhouse effect occurs within Earth's atmosphere, but many (32.0%) thought of the greenhouse effect as a state in which the radiative equilibrium is broken. Less than half the students (47.4%) answered correctly that radiative equilibrium occurs on both Earth and the Moon. Most of the students (69.1%) understood that atmospheric re-radiation is the cause of the greenhouse effect, but few (39.2%) answered correctly that the amount of surface radiation emitted is greater than the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth's surface. In addition, about half the students (49.5%) had a good understanding of the relationship between the increase in greenhouse gases and the absorption of atmospheric gases, and the resulting reradiation to the surface. However, when asked about greenhouse gases increases, their thoughts on surface emissions were very diverse; 14.4% said they increased, 9.3% said there was no change, 7.2% said they decreased, and 18.6% gave no response. Radiation equilibrium, the greenhouse effect, and global warming are a large semantic network connected by the balance and interaction of the Earth system. This can thus serve as a conceptual system for students to understand, apply, and interpret climate change caused by global warming. Therefore, with the current climate change crisis facing mankind, sophisticated program development and classroom experiences should be provided to encourage students to think scientifically and establish scientific concepts based on accurate understanding, with follow-up studies conducted to observe the effects.
Keywords
global warming; greenhouse effect; radiative equilibrium; middle school students; alternative concept;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Boyes, E., Stanisstreet, M., and Papantoniou, V., 1999, The ideas of Greek high school students about the "ozone layer". Science Education, 83(6), 724-737.   DOI
2 Kim, G., 2010, Analysis of the current status of overseas climate change education. The Korean Society of Energy and Climate Change Education, Preliminary issue, 6-10. (in Korean)
3 The Science Times, 2021.10.15, Characteristics of this year's Nobel Prize in Physics 2021-[Science and Technology Crossing] Interpretation of complex climate change. Retrieved on November 25, 2021 from https://www.sciencetimes.co.kr/news/2021-%EC%98%AC%ED%95%B4-%EB%85%B8%EB%B2%A8%EB%AC%BC%EB%A6%AC%ED%95%99%EC%83%81%EC%9D%98-%ED%8A%B9%EC%A7%95/ (in Korean)
4 Jeong, D. and Yu, E., 2017, Exploring the question types of science gifted students in the astronomy field of earth science. Journal of Gifted/Talented Education, 27(2), 139-158. (in Korean)   DOI
5 Kwak, Y., 2004, Korean fifteen-year-olds' alternative conceptions on the greenhouse effect revealed in PISA test results. Journal of the Korean Association for Science Education, 24(3), 668-674. (in Korean)
6 Laerd Statistics, 2019, Fleiss' kappa using SPSS Statistics. Statistical tutorials and software guides. Retrieved on October 30, 2021 from https://statistics.laerd.com/spss-tuorials/fleiss-kappa-in-spss-statistics.php
7 Landis, J. R., & Koch, G. G., 1977, The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33(1), 159-174.   DOI
8 Lee, J., 2000, Study in alternative concepts of middle school students about the earth radiative equilibrium and atmospheric composition. Master thesis, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. (in Korean)
9 Toulmin, S., 1972, Human understanding. Vol. 1: The collective use and evolution of concepts. University of Princeton Press, Princeton.
10 Han, J., Jeong, Y., and Noh, T., 2000, The conceptions of high school students about acid rain, ozone layer, nd greenhouse effect. Journal of the Korean Association for Science Education, 20(3), 364-370. (in Korean)
11 US GCRP, 2009, Climate literacy: The essential principles of climate sciences(2nd ed.), US Global Change Research Program.
12 Whitmarsh, L., 2009, What's in a name? Commonalities and differences in public understanding of "global warming" and "climate change". Public Understanding of Science, 18, 401-420.   DOI
13 Lee, K., Kim, H., Park, J., Lee, S., Jeong, J., and Choi, Y., 2020, High School Earth science?. Visang textbook, Seoul. (in Korean)
14 Lee, S., 2015, Conceptual change in learning science. Seoul National University Press, Seoul. (in Korean)
15 Lim, T., Baek, J., Nam, K., Kang, T., Kang, D., Lee, B., Jang, H., Hwang, I., Kim, M., Lee, Y., Ko, H., Shin, M., 2020, 3 rd science, Visang textbook, Seoul. (in Korean)
16 Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J. and Behrens, W. W., 1972, The limit to growth. A report for the club of Rome's project on the predicament of mankind. A Potomac Associates Book.
17 Ministry of Education (MOE), 2015, 2015 Science curriculum. [Annex 9]. 2015-74.
18 Ministry of Environment, 2008, Public awareness survey [2nd] result report on response to climate change. (in Korean)
19 Ministry of Science and ICT, 2021.08.09, IPCC climate report: Earth is warmer than it's been in 125,000 years. Retrieved on November 08, 2021 from https://now.k2base.re.kr/portal/trend/mainTrend/view.do?poliTrndId=TRND0000000000043939&menuNo=200004&pageUnit=10&pageIndex=1 (in Korean)
20 Moon, T., 2016, Evolution of limits to growth studies and its implications on concept and strategy of sustainable development. Korean System Dynamics Society, 17(2), 5032. (in Korean)
21 Park, J. and Lee, S., 2007, A case study of middle school students' conceptual change on the concept of force: Conceptual ecological approach. The Journal of the Korean Association for Science Education, 27(7), 595-611.
22 Nature, 2021.08.09, IPCC climate report: Earth is warmer than it's been in 125,000 years. Retrieved on November 08, 2021 from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02179-1
23 Noh, T. H., Lee, B. W., Kim, S. K., Chang, J. M., Kang, S. J., Lim, H. Y., Yang, C. H., Park, J. G., Min, J. S., Bae, Y. H., Oh, P. S., Kim, Y. G., and Park, C. Y., 2020, Middle school 3rd science, Chunjae textbook, Seoul. (in Korean)
24 Oh, P., Cho, H., Oh, S., Lee, H., Moon, B., Soh, Y., Jeon, H., and Park, C., 2020, Earth science?. Chunjae textbook, Seoul. (in Korean)
25 Roh, S. and Lee, W., 2013, Global warming" vs. "Climate change": A framing effect of word choice in environmental communication. Communication Theory, 9(1), 163-198. (in Korean)
26 Sezen-Barrie, A. and Marbach-Ad, G., 2021, Cultural-historical analysis of feedback from experts to novice science teachers on climate change lessons. International Journal of Science Education, 43(4), 497-528.   DOI
27 Hong, J., 2021, A study on pre-service biology teachers' perceptions of global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, and acid rain. The Korean Society of Energy and Climate Change Education, 11(2), 165-173. (in Korean)
28 Shin, H. and Jang, C., 2016, Regional characteristics of global warming: Linear projection for the timing of unprecedented climate. Journal of the Korean Society of Oceanography, 21(2), 49-57. (in Korean)
29 Shin, H., and Lee, D., 2006, A research on the correct concept of the greenhouse effect. Korean Journal of Environmental Education, 19(2), 122-132. (in Korean)
30 Shin, Y., Oh, S., Jeon, Y., An, P., Lim, h., Kang, N, Choi, W., Oh, P., Kim, H., Park, C., Lee, S., and Jee, J., 2020, Integrated science. Chunjae textbook, Seoul. (in Korean)
31 Je, K. and An, H., 1999, The analysis of students' ideas about the greenhouse effect. Journal of the Korean Association for Science Education, 19(4), 585-594. (in Korean)
32 Yonhapnews, 2021.11.02., "Climate response is also returning to the United States" Biden apologizes for Trump. Retrieved on November 08, 2021 from https://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/news/MYH20211102007600641?input=feed_ytvdaum (in Korean)
33 Baek, S., Kim, C., and Ju, E., 2021, A causal model among factors associated with climate change behavior of pre-service elementary teachers. The Korean Society for Environmental Education, 34(3), 306-318. (in Korean)
34 Driver, R., Guesne, E., and Tiberghien, A., 1985, Some features of children's ideas and their implications for teaching. In R. Driver, E. Guesne, & A. Tiberghien (Eds.), Children's ideas in science. (pp. 193-201). Milton Keynes, Open University Press, UK.
35 Edwards, P., 2010, A vast machine: Computer models, climate data, and the politics of global warming. MIT Press.
36 Hong, J., 2020, Study on conceptual understanding of preliminary teachers about the earth radiative equilibrium. Master thesis, Kongju National University, Gongju, Korea. (in Korean)
37 Jaeger, C., and Jaeger, J., 2011, Three views of two degrees. Regional Environmental Change, 11(SUPPL. 1), 15-26.   DOI
38 Gambro, J. S., and Switzky, H. N., 1996, A national survey of high school students' environmental knowledge. The Journal of Environmental Education, 27(3), 28-33.   DOI
39 Boyes, E., and Martin, S., 1998, High school students' perceptions of how major global environmental effects might cause skin cancer. The Journal of Environmental Education, 29(2), 31-36.   DOI
40 Kook, D., 2003, An analysis of 10th grade science textbook as an origin of misconception on greenhouse concept. Journal of the Korean Association for Science Education, 23(5), 592-598.
41 Schuldt, J. P. & Roh, S., 2013, Hot or not? Differential associations of "global warming" vs. "climate change" across the partisan divide. Paper to be presented at the meeting of the International Environmental Communication Association, Uppsala, Sweden.