Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors

Hongyan GENG; Mark McGINLEY; Ka Fai WONG; Paulina Pui Yun WONG; Yin Kun LAU; Bi Wei LOW; Tin Yan HUI; Ho LEE

doi:10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors

Hongyan GENG^*
, Mark McGINLEY
, Ka Fai WONG
, Paulina Pui Yun WONG
, Yin Kun LAU
, Bi Wei LOW
, Tin Yan HUI
, Ho LEE

^*Corresponding author for this work

Division of Science

Research output: Book Chapters | Papers in Conference Proceedings › Conference paper (refereed) › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Science general education for non-science majors has been a challenge in higher education. Experiential learning, which has been widely cited as an effective method to ground learning objectives and improve students’ learning motivation, however, has seldom been applied to general education science courses. To address this gap, this study introduces a hands-on experiment to a general education science course for non-science majors. We employed a handy, standardized instrument (an air quality meter), enabling students to undertake actual measurements on common environmental parameters. 57 students from different years of study/majors attended this project in 3 different academic terms. Pre-, post-test Likert scale questionnaire and focus group interview were conducted to collect students’ feedback. Our data reveals that hands-on experiments enhanced students’ academic performance, nurtured students’ independent learning and improved their learning motivation. A reflection summary was discussed to foster the potential implementation of experiential learning in general science education.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference
Editors	Anna Wing Bo TSO, Wendy Wing Lam CHAN, Steven Kwan Keung NG, Tiffany Shuri BAI, Noble Po Kan LO
Publisher	Springer Singapore
Chapter	11
Pages	189-203
ISBN (Electronic)	9789819975594
ISBN (Print)	9789819975617, 9789819975587
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11
Publication status	Published - 14 Dec 2023

Publication series

Name	Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook
ISSN (Print)	2524-4078
ISSN (Electronic)	2524-4086

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4 Quality Education

Keywords

General Education
Hands-on experiement
Learning by doing
Non-science majors
Science education

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

Cite this

GENG, H., McGINLEY, M., WONG, K. F., WONG, P. P. Y., LAU, Y. K., LOW, B. W., HUI, T. Y., & LEE, H. (2023). Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors. In A. W. B. TSO, W. W. L. CHAN, S. K. K. NG, T. S. BAI, & N. P. K. LO (Eds.), Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference (pp. 189-203). (Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

GENG, Hongyan ; McGINLEY, Mark ; WONG, Ka Fai et al. / Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors. Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference. editor / Anna Wing Bo TSO ; Wendy Wing Lam CHAN ; Steven Kwan Keung NG ; Tiffany Shuri BAI ; Noble Po Kan LO. Springer Singapore, 2023. pp. 189-203 (Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook).

@inproceedings{a2c76ae2b6564c4d98e592a4259c86c3,

title = "Cultivate Students{\textquoteright} Independent Learning and Improve Students{\textquoteright} Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors",

abstract = "Science general education for non-science majors has been a challenge in higher education. Experiential learning, which has been widely cited as an effective method to ground learning objectives and improve students{\textquoteright} learning motivation, however, has seldom been applied to general education science courses. To address this gap, this study introduces a hands-on experiment to a general education science course for non-science majors. We employed a handy, standardized instrument (an air quality meter), enabling students to undertake actual measurements on common environmental parameters. 57 students from different years of study/majors attended this project in 3 different academic terms. Pre-, post-test Likert scale questionnaire and focus group interview were conducted to collect students{\textquoteright} feedback. Our data reveals that hands-on experiments enhanced students{\textquoteright} academic performance, nurtured students{\textquoteright} independent learning and improved their learning motivation. A reflection summary was discussed to foster the potential implementation of experiential learning in general science education.",

keywords = "General Education, Hands-on experiement, Learning by doing, Non-science majors, Science education",

author = "Hongyan GENG and Mark McGINLEY and WONG, \{Ka Fai\} and WONG, \{Paulina Pui Yun\} and LAU, \{Yin Kun\} and LOW, \{Bi Wei\} and HUI, \{Tin Yan\} and Ho LEE",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4\_11",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789819975617",

series = "Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook",

publisher = "Springer Singapore",

pages = "189--203",

editor = "TSO, \{Anna Wing Bo\} and CHAN, \{Wendy Wing Lam\} and NG, \{Steven Kwan Keung\} and BAI, \{Tiffany Shuri\} and LO, \{Noble Po Kan\}",

booktitle = "Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference",

address = "Singapore",

}

GENG, H , McGINLEY, M, WONG, KF, WONG, PPY , LAU, YK, LOW, BW, HUI, TY & LEE, H 2023, Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors. in AWB TSO, WWL CHAN, SKK NG, TS BAI & NPK LO (eds), Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference. Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook, Springer Singapore, pp. 189-203. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors. / GENG, Hongyan ; McGINLEY, Mark; WONG, Ka Fai et al.
Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference. ed. / Anna Wing Bo TSO; Wendy Wing Lam CHAN; Steven Kwan Keung NG; Tiffany Shuri BAI; Noble Po Kan LO. Springer Singapore, 2023. p. 189-203 (Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook).

Research output: Book Chapters | Papers in Conference Proceedings › Conference paper (refereed) › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors

AU - GENG, Hongyan

AU - McGINLEY, Mark

AU - WONG, Ka Fai

AU - WONG, Paulina Pui Yun

AU - LAU, Yin Kun

AU - LOW, Bi Wei

AU - HUI, Tin Yan

AU - LEE, Ho

PY - 2023/12/14

Y1 - 2023/12/14

N2 - Science general education for non-science majors has been a challenge in higher education. Experiential learning, which has been widely cited as an effective method to ground learning objectives and improve students’ learning motivation, however, has seldom been applied to general education science courses. To address this gap, this study introduces a hands-on experiment to a general education science course for non-science majors. We employed a handy, standardized instrument (an air quality meter), enabling students to undertake actual measurements on common environmental parameters. 57 students from different years of study/majors attended this project in 3 different academic terms. Pre-, post-test Likert scale questionnaire and focus group interview were conducted to collect students’ feedback. Our data reveals that hands-on experiments enhanced students’ academic performance, nurtured students’ independent learning and improved their learning motivation. A reflection summary was discussed to foster the potential implementation of experiential learning in general science education.

AB - Science general education for non-science majors has been a challenge in higher education. Experiential learning, which has been widely cited as an effective method to ground learning objectives and improve students’ learning motivation, however, has seldom been applied to general education science courses. To address this gap, this study introduces a hands-on experiment to a general education science course for non-science majors. We employed a handy, standardized instrument (an air quality meter), enabling students to undertake actual measurements on common environmental parameters. 57 students from different years of study/majors attended this project in 3 different academic terms. Pre-, post-test Likert scale questionnaire and focus group interview were conducted to collect students’ feedback. Our data reveals that hands-on experiments enhanced students’ academic performance, nurtured students’ independent learning and improved their learning motivation. A reflection summary was discussed to foster the potential implementation of experiential learning in general science education.

KW - General Education

KW - Hands-on experiement

KW - Learning by doing

KW - Non-science majors

KW - Science education

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

DO - 10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

M3 - Conference paper (refereed)

SN - 9789819975617

SN - 9789819975587

T3 - Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook

SP - 189

EP - 203

BT - Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference

A2 - TSO, Anna Wing Bo

A2 - CHAN, Wendy Wing Lam

A2 - NG, Steven Kwan Keung

A2 - BAI, Tiffany Shuri

A2 - LO, Noble Po Kan

PB - Springer Singapore

ER -

GENG H , McGINLEY M, WONG KF, WONG PPY , LAU YK, LOW BW et al. Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors. In TSO AWB, CHAN WWL, NG SKK, BAI TS, LO NPK, editors, Critical Reflections on ICT and Education : Selected Papers from the HKAECT 2023 International Conference. Springer Singapore. 2023. p. 189-203. (Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook). Epub 2023 Dec 14. doi: 10.1007/978-981-99-7559-4_11

Cultivate Students’ Independent Learning and Improve Students’ Learning Motivation : Implementation of Hands-On Experiments in a General Education Science Course for Non-science Majors

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Keywords

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