Pre-University Students' Perceptions about the Life Cycle of Bioplastics and Fossil-Based Plastics

Autor/inn/en	de Waard, Esther F.; Prins, Gjalt T.; van Joolingen, Wouter R.
Titel	Pre-University Students' Perceptions about the Life Cycle of Bioplastics and Fossil-Based Plastics
Quelle	In: Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 21 (2020) 3, S.908-921 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (de Waard, Esther F.) ORCID (Prins, Gjalt T.) ORCID (van Joolingen, Wouter R.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1756-1108
DOI	10.1039/c9rp00293f
Schlagwörter	Science Instruction; Sustainability; Plastics; Knowledge Level; Chemistry; High School Students; Foreign Countries; Secondary School Science; Grade 10; Grade 11; Recycling; Student Attitudes; Persuasive Discourse; Conservation (Environment); Energy Conservation; Netherlands + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Nachhaltigkeit; Plastisches Material; Wissensbasis; Chemie; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Ausland; School year 11; 11. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 11; Schülerverhalten; Persuasion; Persuasive Kommunikation; Conservation; Environment; Konservierung; Bewahung; Umwelt; Energieerhaltung; Energiespeicherung; Niederlande
Abstract	Sustainability has become a prominent theme in society and can be considered as an integral part of scientific citizenship. This study investigates to what extent the production, use and re-use of (bio)plastics initiates students' reasoning and to identify the kind of content knowledge students put forward. The structure of students' arguments was mapped according to Toulmin's model of argumentation, i.e., claim, data, warrant & backing and qualifier & rebuttals. Students (N = 27, grade 10 & 11) participated in groups of three. The students were introduced to the topic of the production, use and re-use of plastics by watching a video, answering questions, reading articles and having interviews and group discussions. Students were prompted to argue on the sustainability of bioplastics and fossil-based plastics. The results show that students frequently used arguments related to preventing pollution, designing to recycle and designing to degrade. However, themes such as avoiding waste, origin of energy and materials, energy efficiency and costs were rarely used or even absent in students' reasoning. Overall, the students' reasoning contained all of Toulmin's categories, and especially the increase in the number of qualifier & rebuttals is interpreted as an indication of awareness of the complexity of the issue at hand. This study underlines that students are able to bring in relevant scientific knowledge when confronted with a suitable sustainability issue, but also more societally oriented arguments enriched their perspective. Implications for the design of interventions aiming to engage students in life cycle analysis (on plastics) are discussed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01