Guidelines for Integrating iNaturalist Technology with Place-Based Learning to Promote Students' Sense of Place and Environmental Responsibility
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Biology education in Thai schools continues to face significant challenges stemming from an emphasis on knowledge transmission and memorization rather than developing analytical thinking and scientific inquiry skills. This results in students not seeing connections between what they learn and real life, lacking attachment to their place, and lacking environmental responsibility. This article presents an approach integrating iNaturalist technology, a citizen science platform that uses artificial intelligence to identify species, with Place-Based Learning that emphasizes student interaction with local environments in multiple dimensions. The approach is grounded in theories of Sense of Place, environmental responsibility, and identity development in school-age students. Place-Based Learning helps create emotional attachment to place and leads to environmentally friendly behaviors. From synthesizing the conceptual framework, the NATURE teaching method was developed, consisting of 6 steps: Nurture the Context, Align with Tools, Traverse the Place, Understand through Verification, Reflect and Reconstruct, and Engage for Action. This teaching method helps reduce the knowledge-action gap, promotes students as citizen scientists who participate in creating new knowledge, and develops sustainable environmental citizenship. This integration also supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly quality education, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity conservation. However, successful implementation of this approach depends on teacher readiness, school support, and local community participation.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Journal of Science and Science Education (JSSE) retain the right of all articles published in JSSE. The coresponding author or the authorized person on behalf of the authors must send the complete Copyright Transfer Form to JSSE before any article get published in JSSE.
Copyright Transfer Form
The JSSE request the coresponding author or the authorized person on behalf of the authors upload the manuscript under the together with the Copyright Transfer Form under the supplementary data. The guidline for uploading both manuscript and Copyright Transfer Form is shown below:
1. Upload the manuscript in the sub-menu, Article Component > Article Text.
2. Upload the the Copyright Transfer Form in the sub-menu, Article Component > Other.
Download Copyright Transfer Form
References
Ballard, H. L., Dixon, C. G. and Harris, E. M. (2017). Youth-focused citizen science: Examining the role of environmental science learning and agency for conservation. Biological Conservation, 208, 65–75.
Bonney, R., Cooper, C. B., Dickinson, J., Kelling, S., Phillips, T., Rosenberg, K. V. and Shirk, J. (2009). Citizen science: A developing tool for expanding science knowledge and scientific literacy. BioScience, 59(11), 977–984.
Chawla, L. (1999). Life paths into effective environmental action. Journal of Environmental Education, 31(1), 15–26.
Chawla, L. and Cushing, D. F. (2007). Education for strategic environmental behavior. Environmental Education Research, 13(4), 437–452.
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. Norton.
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H. and Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415.
Garner, A. V. and Rosenberg, J. (2023). Utilizing iNaturalist to support place-based learning and data analysis. Science Scope, 46(7), 54–60.
Gruenewald, D. A. (2003). The best of both worlds: A critical pedagogy of place. Educational Researcher, 32(4), 3–12.
Handal, B., Campbell, C. and Cavanagh, M. (2013). Pre-service teachers’ beliefs about teaching with technology: Resolving the transformative paradox. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 29(2), 168–185.
Herodotou, C., Aristeidou, M., Miller, G., Ballard, H. and Robinson, L. (2020). What do we know about young people’s participation in citizen science? A systematic review. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 5(1), Article 2, 1–13.
Hines, J. M., Hungerford, H. R. and Tomera, A. N. (1987). Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Education, 18(2), 1–8.
Johnson, J. T. (2010). Place-based learning and knowing: Critical pedagogies grounded in indigeneity. GeoJournal, 77(6), 829–836.
Kang, J. and Keinonen, H. (2017). The effect of student-centered approaches on students’ interest levels in science learning. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(8), 5147–5168.
Kıran, D. and Sungur, S. (2012). Middle school students’ science self-efficacy and its sources: Implications for science achievement. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 21(5), 619–625.
Kendall, D., Davis, M. A. and Niemiller, M. L. (2021). Addressing biodiversity naivety through project-based learning using iNaturalist. Journal for Nature Conservation, 64, 126070.
Kollmuss, A. and Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260.
Kudryavtsev, A., Stedman, R. C. and Krasny, M. E. (2012). Sense of place in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 18(2), 229–250.
Osborne, J. and Dillon, J. (2008). Science education in Europe: Critical reflections. King’s College London.
Pimsarn, P. and Tuntiwongwanich, S. (2015). Barriers to implementing active learning in biology teaching: Teachers’ perspectives in Thailand. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, 16(1), 1–21.
Rauf, R. A. A., Rasul, M. S., Mansor, A. N., Zaini, A. Z. and Deniz, H. (2013). Problem-based learning in technology education. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 102, 406–416.
Scannell, L. and Gifford, R. (2010). Defining place attachment: A tripartite organizing framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(1), 1–10.
Semken, S. and Freeman, C. B. (2008). Sense of place in the practice and assessment of place-based science teaching. Science Education, 92(6), 1042–1057.
Smith, G. A. and Sobel, D. (2010). Place and community-based education in schools. Routledge.
Sobel, D. (2004). Place-based education: Connecting classrooms & communities. Orion Society.
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A. and Kalof, L. (2000). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81–97.
Stedman, R.C. (2002) Toward a Social Psychology of Place Predicting Behavior from Place-Based Cognitions, Attitude, and Identity. Environment and Behavior, 34, 561-581.
Tuan, Y. F. (1977). Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Unger, S., Pörn, M. and Hoffmann, A. (2021). Performance and limitations of AI-based image recognition software for smartphone-supported species identification: The case study of iNaturalist. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 4, 621283.
Unger, S., Rollins, M., Tietz, A. and Dumais, H. (2021). iNaturalist as an engaging tool for identifying organisms in outdoor activities. Journal of Biological Education, 55(5), 537–547.
Vander Ark, T., Liebtag, E. and McClennen, N. (2020). The power of place: Authentic learning through place-based education. ASCD.
Zimmerman, H. T. and Land, S. M. (2014). Facilitating place-based learning in outdoor informal environments with mobile computers. TechTrends, 58(1), 77–83.
