Students’ Conceptions of and Feelings About Land Use: Building a Conceptual Framework for Teaching and Learning About Land Use

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ conceptions of and feelings about land use. Specifically: (1) What are students’ conceptions of and feelings about land use? And (2) in what ways might students’ conceptions and feelings vary by community setting and grade level? This study was qualitative and descriptive in nature and reflected a cross-age design involving the collection of qualitative data from 863 students, grades 4 through 12, from the Midwestern United States. These qualitative data were analyzed for their content in an inductive manner. Five categories of land use and three categories of feelings about land use emerged from the data. Based on these findings, a land use framework is recommended that builds on the students’ conceptions, the scientific perspective, and the NRC (2012) science education framework.

Key Words:

• student conceptions
• science education framework
• qualitative research
• constructivist
• land use

Additional information

Daniel P. Shepardson is in the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.