The Role of Nature Observations in the Discovery-Based Learning of Biology Concepts: The Case of Forest.
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| Title: | The Role of Nature Observations in the Discovery-Based Learning of Biology Concepts: The Case of Forest. |
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| Authors: | ARIKAN, Kalender1 kalendera@hacettepe.edu.tr |
| Source: | Hacettepe University Journal of Education. oca2026, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p56-66. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Biology education, *Secondary school students, *Field research, *Environmental literacy, *Learning by discovery, Awareness, Environmental sciences, Forest management |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to examine how secondary school students develop knowledge of the concept of "forest" through guided discovery-based nature observation activities, and to evaluate the applicability of this method in teaching. Participants were 25 tenth-grade students who defined the forest one week before the nature observation (T1) and then engaged in two four-hour observation sessions (T2 and T3) in the forest of Hacettepe University's Beytepe Campus. No prior information about forests was provided; instead, students were asked to record observations in nature that could inform their definitions. Data were analyzed through content analysis with MAXQDA, and codes were compared across the three stages. According to results, the number of codes, words, and characters in T3 increased significantly compared to T1 and T2 (p < 0.01). The findings revealed a clear development in perceptions of the forest from T1 to T3. Students' statements mainly reflected general natural elements (tree, conservation) and emotional - perceptual expressions (quiet, dark) at T1. After the second stage (T2), attention shifted to direct observations, including concrete components (trunk, branch, root, leaf, mushroom, ant) and detailed descriptions. These observations were integrated with system-level ecological terms such as "ecosystem," "biodiversity," "water cycle," "carbon," and "environmental balance" at T3. Moreover, expressions related to human impact and environmental ethics - such as "human impact," "logging," "fire," and "economic importance"-became prominent at T3. This developmental trajectory demonstrates that nature observation supported with guided discovery learning initially activates emotional and perceptual awareness, strengthens observational skills during the process, and ultimately contributes to the internalization of abstract forest and related concepts. Importantly, the study also highlights the potential applicability of this approach in formal school settings, particularly within biology curricula, to foster both conceptual understanding and environmental awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Hacettepe University Journal of Education is the property of Hacettepe University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 191281558 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Role of Nature Observations in the Discovery-Based Learning of Biology Concepts: The Case of Forest. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22ARIKAN%2C+Kalender%22">ARIKAN, Kalender</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> kalendera@hacettepe.edu.tr</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Hacettepe+University+Journal+of+Education%22">Hacettepe University Journal of Education</searchLink>. oca2026, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p56-66. 11p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biology+education%22">Biology education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+school+students%22">Secondary school students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Field+research%22">Field research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+literacy%22">Environmental literacy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+by+discovery%22">Learning by discovery</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Awareness%22">Awareness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+sciences%22">Environmental sciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forest+management%22">Forest management</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The aim of this study is to examine how secondary school students develop knowledge of the concept of "forest" through guided discovery-based nature observation activities, and to evaluate the applicability of this method in teaching. Participants were 25 tenth-grade students who defined the forest one week before the nature observation (T1) and then engaged in two four-hour observation sessions (T2 and T3) in the forest of Hacettepe University's Beytepe Campus. No prior information about forests was provided; instead, students were asked to record observations in nature that could inform their definitions. Data were analyzed through content analysis with MAXQDA, and codes were compared across the three stages. According to results, the number of codes, words, and characters in T3 increased significantly compared to T1 and T2 (p < 0.01). The findings revealed a clear development in perceptions of the forest from T1 to T3. Students' statements mainly reflected general natural elements (tree, conservation) and emotional - perceptual expressions (quiet, dark) at T1. After the second stage (T2), attention shifted to direct observations, including concrete components (trunk, branch, root, leaf, mushroom, ant) and detailed descriptions. These observations were integrated with system-level ecological terms such as "ecosystem," "biodiversity," "water cycle," "carbon," and "environmental balance" at T3. Moreover, expressions related to human impact and environmental ethics - such as "human impact," "logging," "fire," and "economic importance"-became prominent at T3. This developmental trajectory demonstrates that nature observation supported with guided discovery learning initially activates emotional and perceptual awareness, strengthens observational skills during the process, and ultimately contributes to the internalization of abstract forest and related concepts. Importantly, the study also highlights the potential applicability of this approach in formal school settings, particularly within biology curricula, to foster both conceptual understanding and environmental awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Hacettepe University Journal of Education is the property of Hacettepe University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.16986/hunefd.1765615 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 56 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Biology education Type: general – SubjectFull: Secondary school students Type: general – SubjectFull: Field research Type: general – SubjectFull: Environmental literacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning by discovery Type: general – SubjectFull: Awareness Type: general – SubjectFull: Environmental sciences Type: general – SubjectFull: Forest management Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Role of Nature Observations in the Discovery-Based Learning of Biology Concepts: The Case of Forest. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: ARIKAN, Kalender IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: oca2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 13005340 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 41 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Hacettepe University Journal of Education Type: main |
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