The Effect of Documentaries on Climate Change Awareness of 5th Grade Middle School Students

Gamze Siper Kabadayı; Duygu Sönmez

doi:10.37609/akya.3476

Yazarlar

Gamze Siper Kabadayı

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5827-4483

Duygu Sönmez

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7821-6344

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37609/akya.3476.c8385

Özet

Documentaries, by offering individuals visual and auditory experiences, provide opportunities for gaining insights beyond everyday life due to their inclusion of real phenomena and events. Especially in the field of science, documentaries are among the most effective teaching materials and can be preferred for teaching priority topics such as environmental issues. This study aims to determine the perspectives of 5th-grade students on climate change and examine the impact of using documentaries on students' awareness. As part of the study, the documentary "Critical Thresholds of Our Planet" was used as a part of teaching the "Human and Environment" unit, and 36 students in the experimental group watched the documentary. A total of 70 students participated in this study, which utilized a mixed-methods design. Data collection tools included the The Awareness of Climate Change Questionnaire, activity sheets, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that students in both the control and experimental groups had positive gains from the "Human and Environment" unit. Although no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups, it was observed that incorporating the documentary into teaching elicited an emotional response among the students. It can be said that the documentary had a positive impact on students' perspectives, helping them feel they are part of nature and the environment. Additionally, the documentary's problem-solving approach to the topic encouraged students to feel that they could make a difference in the future on the topic.

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