Exploring 3th grade students' experiences of informal science learning in the school garden: A qualitative study

John Dewey explained in an experimental study which conducted 100 years ago and published in his book "The School and Society" that students' learning increased once they realised that they were part of the informal learning environment and the environment outside the classroom, they became active, curious learners and willing to explore. (Dewey, 1915). On the other hand, it is stated that children, who will have a voice in the solution of environmental problems which are increasing day by day, prefer to have experience in their own environment, in the natural environment, and nature education to formal education (Hart 2002; Martin, 2003; Civelek & Özyılmaz Akamca, 2018). In this qualitative study, the informal science learning experience process in the schoolyard was explored since small group learning experiences are notable both for educators and teachers (Hutchinson, 2009). A total of n = 29 (female: 18, male: 11) students studying at the 3rd grade of a public school participated in the study. The data was collected through student responses given to the open-ended Views about living things and environment questionnaire and to individual, semi-structured interviews. A 4-week informal science education was implemented about living and non-living things, biodiversity, food chain, recycling, endangered creatures and the environment. The data collected before and after the application (pre-test / posttest) were analyzed using the content analysis method in NVivo12 program. The results indicate that students' schoolyard informal science learning experience has statistically improved their environmental concepts (a) and that "living and nonliving things", "biodiversity", "forest ecosystem", "recycling", "the results of the interaction of living things with the environment" It is seen that students have improved their environmental awareness in a short time. However, it was observed that the practice was insufficient in eliminating the misconceptions of the students about "food chain", "microscopic living" concept (a) and "soil", "water" and "flower". In addition, it was determined that the informal science learning experience in the schoolyard was enjoyed by the majority of students despite the cold weather. KEYWORDS: Environmental Education, Informal Learning, Schoolyard, Primary School Students