Meaningful Science Learning in Open Learning Environments

Tools for Public Understanding of Science

Document identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:1117
Keyword: Science education, Primary schools, Public understanding of science, Informal learning, Science centre, Open learning environment, Motivation, ELearning
Publication year: 2004
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Abstract:

This presentation describes contemporary and historical changes in the role of informal learning related to public awareness of science. It shows by several case examples and case studies how the rapid development of modern information and communication technology has influenced the traditional education system. First science centres were created as a reaction to Sputnik-phenomena, and the growth of the science centres since 1990s has clearly been connected to two major developments in society: the crisis of scientific literacy and the visions for the information society. Therefore, new forms of education are actively being sought. A huge amount of information, especially about modern phenomena, is obtained in a personal way from family, friends, peer groups. Practically all learning at the early years of childhood take place in informal way without the schooling institutes. That makes the informal learning approach important for pre- and primary school. Furthermore, the roles of television, libraries, magazines and newspapers are also essential. Science centres have increased the number of their visitors regularly during the last decade. Recently, informal learning has become a more accepted part of educational science, and there is nowadays considerably more literature and research reports related to informal learning. Science centres were originally applying hands-on –principle, i.e. learning by doing. However, the most successful institutes are nowadays using all kind of interactive methods in their exhibitions. The combination of an exhibition and the Internet forms an excellent example of an open learning environment. The results of the case studies and surveys clearly show that the main factor in informal learning is motivation, which is clearly connected also to the results of cognitive learning. Meaningful content and context are the ways how informal learning creates intrinsic motivation.

Authors

Hannu Sakari Salmi

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        identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:1117
        datestamp: 2021-04-15T12:08:29Z
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                recordContentSource: du
                recordCreationDate: 2005-05-19
            identifier: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-1117
            titleInfo: 
                @attributes: 
                    lang: eng
                title: Meaningful Science Learning in Open Learning Environments
                subTitle: Tools for Public Understanding of Science
            abstract: 
This presentation describes contemporary and historical changes in the role of informal learning related to public awareness of science.  It shows by several case examples and case studies how the rapid development of modern information and communication technology has influenced the traditional education system. First science centres were created as a reaction to Sputnik-phenomena and the growth of the science centres since 1990s has clearly been connected to two major developments in society: the crisis of scientific literacy and the visions for the information society. Therefore new forms of education are actively being sought. A huge amount of information especially about modern phenomena is obtained in a personal way from family friends peer groups. Practically all learning at the early years of childhood take place in informal way without the schooling institutes. That makes the informal learning approach important for pre- and primary school. Furthermore the roles of television libraries magazines and newspapers are also essential. Science centres have increased the number of their visitors regularly during the last decade. Recently informal learning has become a more accepted part of educational science and there is nowadays considerably more literature and research reports related to informal learning. Science centres were originally applying hands-on –principle i.e. learning by doing. However the most successful institutes are nowadays using all kind of interactive methods in their exhibitions. The combination of an exhibition and the Internet forms an excellent example of an open learning environment. The results of the case studies and surveys clearly show that the main factor in informal learning is motivation which is clearly connected also to the results of cognitive learning. Meaningful content and context are the ways how informal learning creates intrinsic motivation.

            subject: 
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: science education
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: primary schools
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: public understanding of science
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: informal learning
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: science centre
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: open learning environment
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: motivation
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: eLearning
            language: 
                languageTerm: eng
            genre: 
                conference/other
                vet
            note: 
                Published
                1
            name: 
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                    type: personal
                namePart: 
                    Salmi
                    Hannu Sakari
                role: 
                    roleTerm: aut
            originInfo: 
                dateIssued: 2004
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                    type: host
                titleInfo: 
                    title: Proceedings  at the European Conference on Primary Science and Technology Science is Primary in Amsterdam Oct 16th 2004
            physicalDescription: 
                form: print
            typeOfResource: text