Abstract:

Literature on education agrees in proposing school trips as an effective learning resource. However, in high schools in Spain, laboratory practices such as field trips, have a non-existent place in textbooks and school curriculum [1]. We therefore propose here to study school trips in places of high ecological interest within the formal educational framework, as a tool to increase awareness and environmental sensibility of students, and to generate more careful behaviours with the environment.

To position our work and its potential contribution regarding previous ones, we have perform literature review on environmental education practices in high school in Spain: extant studies lack in measuring how an experience in these areas could impact students' attitudes [2] and informing how these should be carried out in non-formal areas [3].

To measure the change in students regarding their socio-environmental attitudes and values, a longitudinal study was carried out with 110 students of 3rd year of high school, aged 14-15 years old (and 20 other students as a control group). We used a structure questionnaire containing two scales, the New NEP (New Ecological Paradigm) [4] and a Behaviours scale drawn from a broader study about lifestyles [5]. The quantitative approach through bivariate analysis looked for significant differences in the process. STEP 1: both control and experimental groups answer the questionnaire. STEP 2: Two months later, we made a school trip: visiting the “Marjal del Moro” (Valencia) with the experimental group. STEP 3: One week after the visit, both control and experimental groups answered the questionnaire again.

The paper will show how well-directed school trips in places of high ecological interest have an impact on the students' perception of environmental problems, and how these activities can positively increase their attitudes and behaviours, being more environmentally responsible partners. It is also interesting to observe significant differences towards gender or their subsequent studies (more linguistic or scientific).

References:
[1] Amórtegui, E., Mayoral, O., & Gavidia, V. (2017). Aportaciones de las Prácticas de Campo en la formación del profesorado de Biología: un problema de investigación y una revisión documenta. Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales, 153-169.
[2] Papapanagou, E., Tiniakou, A., & Georgiadis, T. (2010). Environmental education in wetland ecosystems. Journal of Biological Education, 25-30.
[3] Fatma, D., Farid, A., & Lisa, E. (2015). Population typology to better target environmental education: a case from Algeria. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 331-339.
[4] Dunlap, R., Van Liere, K., & Mertg, A. E. (2000). Measuring Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A Revised NEP scale. Journal of Social Issues, 425-442.
[5] Corraliza, J. A., & Martín, R. (2000). Estilos de vida, actitudes y comportamientos ambientales. Medio Ambiente y comportamiento humano, 31-56.

Keywords:

Environmental Education, Mediterranean wetlands, school field trip or outings.