The effect of design-based science teaching on increasing the awareness of 7th grade students towards the relationship with technology and environment: Sustainable (green) building

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of design-based science education on increasing the awareness of seventh-grade students about technology-environment relationship in the context of sustainable (green) building application. The research was conducted with eleven seventh-grade students in a middle school in Bolu Province in the 2023-2024 academic year using criterion and convenience sampling methods. The qualitative research method was adopted in the research and a single-group pretest-posttest experimental design was used. Evaluations were made based on 7 research questions created from technology-environment-related achievements in the science education program. The changes in students' opinions about energy saving, energy efficiency, thermal insulation, renewable energies, light pollution, noise pollution and recycling in the context of (green) building application were investigated with the research problems. The data were collected with a semi-structured interview form, KWLH form and diaries. The obtained data were subjected to content analysis together with the researcher and an expert. The 7-day application process was planned to be 2 lesson hours each day. Before the application, the design-based green building design plan was made by the researcher and the application process was started. In the green building design process, students researched the technology-environment related themes given by the researcher and followed the steps of the design process by making individual building design drawings, group building design drawings, and group design studies. At the end of the application, the groups presented their green building designs and the study was completed. It was observed that the participants learned from a holistic perspective in the building design process, their sensitivity to the environment increased, they used technology to solve environmental problems in the design process, and they designed by considering the environment-technology relationship. In addition, it was determined that there was a positive change in the students' views from the behavioral dimension towards "technology selection/use and recognizing the features of technology.