The GLOBE program: what factors influence students’ and teachers’ satisfaction with science education

ABSTRACT

Background: Students’ satisfaction with science education is one of the preconditions for the students’ future interest in pursuing an academic career in science. However, to date it is still not clear what particular teaching strategies promote students’ satisfaction with science and, specifically, what opportunities for promoting this satisfaction are offered to students who become involved in after-school eco-clubs.

Purpose: The present research study analysed how students’ and teachers’ involvement in the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) program affects their satisfaction with science education and what significance the participating students and teachers attribute to their involvement in GLOBE.

Program description: GLOBE is a voluntary, after-school program that aims to support the teaching of science, environmental literacy, responsible behaviour, and inquiry-based investigation in schools. In the program, students and teachers form GLOBE teams and participate in inquiry-based learning activities in outdoor nature areas.

Sample: Quantitative data were collected from 438 students and 54 teachers participating in the GLOBE program and qualitative data were collected from 41 students and 9 teachers participating in the GLOBE program.

Design and methods: The research applied a mixed-methods design, including quantitative data collected through a questionnaire and qualitative data collected through focus groups and individual interviews.

Results: According to the teachers, their involvement in the GLOBE program encouraged them to teach outdoors more, to apply inquiry-based learning methods, and to allow students to participate in the decision-making within the program. These strategies were found to be the main predictors of students’ satisfaction with their science education. Also crucial for students’ satisfaction was their cooperation in the small GLOBE teams.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of developing a learning community as a tool for supporting both the students and the teachers participating in after-school science programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Community learning
• GLOBE
• evaluation
• satisfaction
• science education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by the EU project “CIVIS – Focused on Civic and Social Competence”.