STSE Approach in Environmental Science for Nonscience Students in a Local Culture: Academic and Sociocultural Analysis

Abstract

The aim of the study is to use the STSE approach in teaching an environmental science course. STSE is an approach using the interactions of four important factors namely, science, technology, society and environment. Using activities derived from the local environment, a learning climate unique to the STSE approach was developed and used to determine its influence on academic achievement and environmental science self-efficacy of students as well as the sociocultural perspectives of the students. The study further aimed to determine what sociocultural perspectives of nonscience students will surface when exposes to the STSE approach.

Quantitative and qualitative designs were used in the study. An experimental design using Solomon’s Four Group Design was used for the quantitative part, while observation interview of students was used in the qualitative part.

The STSE approach was used in an Environmental Science course for the first year nonscience students. Effect on academic achievement was determined using two-way ANOVA on the posttest scores of four groups, while the effects on efficacy and sociocultural perspective were determined through the t-test of weighted means derived from the answers to the questionnaire. Observation and focused group interview were used for qualitative analysis of lessons especially for efficacy and sociocultural perspectives