Background

Rationale

Purpose

II. Review of Literature

Introductions

Summary

Research Questions

III. Methodology (Design of Study

Subjects and Setting

Instrumentation, Design, and Procedures

Survey One (Students)

Survey Two (Teachers)

Reliability

Design and Analysis

IV. Results

Results of Research Question Testing

Results of the Examination of Related Questions

V. Summary, Limitations, and Conclusions

Summary

Limitations

Conclusions, Discussions, and Implications

References

ADDENDUM (Student Language Arts Papers):

#1- What we can do to protect Coral Reefs

#2- How we can protect our coral reef

#3- WHY THE CORAL REEF IS IMPORTANT TO ME

#4- Why Coral Reef is Important

#5- What can we do to Protect our Coral Reefs

#6- WHAT WE CAN DO TO SAVE OUR REEFS

#7- Mind map for Ocean Pulse

GRAPHS

#1: Student Answers-Attitude(Retest)

#2: Teachers Answers-Attitude (Retest)

#3: Student Answers-Knowledge(Retest)

#4: Teachers Answer-Knowledge (Retest)

#5: All Student Answers-Attitiude

#6: All Teachers Answers-Attitude

#7: All Students Answers-Knowledge

#8: All Students Answers-Knowledge

The subject studied in this paper is the use of experiential education to instruct students in an eighth grade science class. Experiential education is not currently a core curriculum for the education system in Hawai'i. It is a challenge for educators who strongly believe that it is important to build and sustain quality experiential education programs to get students engaged in class work.

Why does environmental education have a troubled image? Why is this type of educational curriculum not used more widely in our schools? One reason is the logistical and economic difficulty of removing students from the classroom to an outdoor location. It is also very inconvenient to organize class excursions which can also add expense in times of tight budgets.

Is it worth it? Can the awareness gained from experiential education improve attitude and the students' interest in learning? Will the instruction of science in our schools be improved?

The education process needs to go outside the classroom for maximum effectiveness, and it would be a good idea to try alternatives to the traditional K-12 approach. Students need to see real uses for science and meet people who are actually working in the field to see how it can relate to their lives. This could show them a real world application of what they are learning in class. The act of learning then becomes important and relevant to them.

Young students are not always at their best in classroom situations where they are reciting back to the teacher in a prescribed manner. Do we need different methods for reaching more students? Currently, in some of our classrooms students are not being allowed the opportunity to learn in a manner that suits their learning style. A growing body of research is linking active and experiential learning to student achievement since it expands the types of teaching styles presented to the students.

Experiential education was studied in a local intermediate school on Kauai, with the implementation of a coral reef monitoring project called Ocean Pulse (Stepath, C. 1997). The variables studied are "applied environmental science" (coral reef monitoring) and the effect on the awareness (attitude) and learning of the students in an eighth grade class. The purpose of the study was to see if the studying of coral reef monitoring techniques increase the perceived awareness and learning of an eighth grade class.

The Ocean Pulse project incorporates 6 of the 7 multiple intelligences described by Gardner (1991, p. 12): language arts (reporting results of study), math (recording and analyzing data), kinesthetic (allowing the movement of students in a wide open area), spatial (the reef is observed to be a three dimensional situation), interpersonal (the students have to interact with each other), and intrapersonal (the students have to evaluate the situation). With the use of these additional intelligences the students have a greater chance to experience success and self-esteem outside the traditional math and language arts disciplines.

This study is needed because it is necessary to discuss the role of environmental education in the modern school setting. The stratified structures of learning in the classroom and the role of increased utilization of environmental (experiential) education in the schools is put under scrutiny. Although there are additional expenses and logistical problems involved in active outdoor experiential education, it is an important alternative to consider. This could be an opportunity to raise the caliber of education in our communities and get the students engaged in the learning process. The theoretical significance of this study is that it links student learning performance to environmental education.

There is great concern about the opportunity for students to learn science in the United States today. Lorson, Heimlich, & Wagner (1996) state that:

The lack of time for environmental education coupled with the lack of adequate time allotted for mathematics and science instruction suggests that integrating the three-mathematics, science, and environmental education-into one learning activity can be a productive use of educational time at any grade level" (p. 2).

The problem to be investigated in this study is -- whether experiential education produces a change in attitudes and knowledge of an eighth grade science class. The variables to be studied are "applied environmental science" (coral reef monitoring techniques) against the "platform of success" (performance modification of students in the class). In this study the relationship between the two variables may be cause and effect, but the design does not allow for these types of conclusions to be reached. The purpose of the study is to see if the learning of coral reef monitoring techniques increases perceived learning about and attitude towards the topic. The question is whether the study of a coral reef produces a change in perceived knowledge and attitude.

The purpose of this study is to observe whether the use of experiential education and environmental education courses are positive learning experiences for students. Did the attitude and knowledge base of these students change because of the coral reefs they studied?

This review of literature discusses the systematic identification, location, and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem. This problem is whether the experiential study of applied environmental science techniques produces a change in the attitudes and knowledge of the students in a conventional eighth grade science class. The documents that deal with this situation include periodicals, abstracts, reviews, ERIC Digests, books, and other research reports. Experiential education is the process of actively engaging students in an experience that will have real consequences (Stevens, Richards, 1992, p. 1). Will this type of education have any significant impact on students in a natural setting?

The analyses of several of the studies suggest that experiential education is effective for certain groups of students. The problems confronting educators today are not new, as early as 1938 John Dewey states, "Conservatives as well as radicals in education are profoundly discontented with the present educational situation taken as a whole" (Dewey 1938, p.89). Many problems continue to exist in our education system in the United State today. Quite a few students are not at their best in classroom situations where they are reciting back memorized facts and concepts to the teacher. New methods need to be tried to reach more students and "...students seemed happiest and even seemed to learn best through doing" (Hendrikson, 1984, p. 3). "Despite the efforts of many would-be reformers, recent reports by researchers such as Goodlad (1984) and Sizer (1984) suggest that most teaching, particularly at the high school level, still involves the teacher as purveyor of knowledge and the student as passive recipient of it" (Stevens, Richards, 1992, p.1). We need to make sure we are providing the best education possible for our students.

An existing study that relates to the problem in the areas of research strategies and specific procedures is Project SPAN. Project SPAN (Social Studies Priorities, Practices, and Needs) The Future of Social Studies, 1982) criticized the traditional focus on facts and broad conclusions from history and other social science disciplines rather than on critical thinking skills, values and attitudes, social science concepts, and social participation. Clifford Knapp states (Aug 1992) that "Outdoor education--the instructional use of natural and built laboratories beyond the school to expand and enrich learning--developed, in large part, as a reaction to traditional classroom-bound teaching, in which students remained passive" (p. 2). What is the best way to achieve a better education for our children?

This review of literature reveals a number of related studies that have found differences in achievement concerning experiential education. An ERIC Digest article about outdoor education and troubled youth states that "Moving out of the usual environment sometimes serves to reduce defensiveness and change relationships with adult leaders" (Berman and Davis-Berman, 1995, p. 3). The environment or situation where the students learn is very important. These articles support the idea that these manipulations in classroom settings can help certain learners change from a pre-existing pattern. Experiential and environmental education may be more effective for certain academically challenged students. Crandall (1994) thinks that students, especially disenfranchised ones, can learn science, language arts, and social skills through interactive learning. "Integrated language and content instruction offers a means by which English as a second language (ESL) students can continue their academic or cognitive development while they are also acquiring academic language proficiency" (Crandall, 1994 p. 2). Outdoor education becomes exciting to them, and student skills are developed in a variety of ways. Crandall focuses on different types of learning and discusses task-based or experiential learning. According to Bonwell and Eison (1996) "...students actually prefer strategies promoting active learning to the traditional lectures" (p. 1). In this article the authors are focused on creating excitement in the classroom.

There seems to be a shortage of teaching time during a typical school day. This can be counteracted by integrating different disciplines simultaneously in experiential education. Such integration can be beneficial for the teachers and the students. "...lack of time for environmental education coupled with a lack of adequate time allotted for mathematics and science instruction suggests that integrating the three - mathematics, science, and environmental education - into one learning activity can be a productive use of educational time at any grade level." (Lorson, Heimlich, and Wagner, 1996, p. 2) This article advocates the integration of various subjects and discusses how environmental education is an excellent avenue for this integration. It also contains a number of research strategies, specific procedures, and measuring instruments that have been found to be productive in investigating the learning activity concerning experiential education. "Science, we thought, needed to be valued not just as a means for teaching English but as a way of knowing and thinking in its own right" (Rosebery, Warren, Conant, 1992, p.1). "We never educate directly, but indirectly by means of the environment. Whether we permit chance environments to do the work, or whether we design environments for the purpose makes a great deal of difference. "And any environment is a chance environment so far as its educative influence is concerned unless it has been deliberately regulated with reference to its educative effect" (Dewey 1966, p.20). The location and environment of the classroom can have a direct effect on the attitude and learning of the student.

The basic idea is to involve the students, in such a way that "They pose their own questions; plan and implement research to explore their questions; build and revise theories; collect, analyze, and interpret data; and draw conclusions and make decisions based on their research." (Rosebery, Warren, Conant, 1992, p. 1) This creates new learning avenues for the students. "By utilizing metaphor and experiential education, the learner can achieve the desired curriculum outcomes through discovery and comparison." (Horton and Haines, 1996, p. 8). Experiential education is very important since "Natural knowledge is much like expertise, in that natural knowledge frames the way in which we observe and perceive the world. That is why the objective of education must be the expansion of natural knowledge" (Caine and Caine, 1994, p. 110). "When students interact with the world around them, they become actively engaged in learning, says Holly Ivel, program associate at the National Society for Experiential Education in Raleigh, N.C." (Willis, 1997, p. 2). "One cannot overemphasize the importance of providing direct firsthand experience for students as they progress through their formal learning" (Kalinowski, 1991, p. 13). The presentation of information that seems real and useful to the students, can help improve their attitude, and create new ways for them to relate to learning knowledge.

The summary of the review of literature starts with the fact that experiential education has been used in the United States educational system since the turn of the century, and it still is under-utilized. This type of education can be very effective in teaching certain subjects and types of students, and it creates a pleasant, happy learning experience where the students learn by doing and where there are real consequences.

Another approach to education could circumvent the criticism of traditional programs, and focus on critical thinking skills, values and attitudes, social science concepts, and social participation. In fact, learners could be helped to change from pre-existing patterns, and might even excel in an experiential setting. A number of the authors felt that experiential and environmental education may be more effective for certain academically challenged students. The outdoor or new situation might be more exciting to them, and open up new possibilities in learning. The location of the classroom has a direct effect on the student, especially their attitude and ability to learn.

The idea of integrating different disciplines simultaneously in this type of education was also discussed. It was suggested that such integration could be beneficial for both the teachers and the students. One of the ideas was that the teaching of science could be more than just a good way to teach a variety of subjects at the same time, but that this could be a superb way to teach thinking and knowing in their own right. The idea is to promote the process of thinking and discovering so that the student can achieve the targeted learning outcomes through discovery and comparison on their own. Experiential education is a very important way to expand the students natural knowledge and the way they interact with the world around them. The presentation of material that seems real to the students can help improve their attitude, and provide new ways for them to learn.

The problem to be investigated in this study is -- the effect of experiential education on an eighth grade science class. The variables to be studied are "applied environmental science" (coral reef monitoring techniques) against the performance modification of students in the class with respect to awareness and learning (platform of success). The purpose of the study is to see if the learning of coal reef monitoring techniques increases perceived attitude towards and learning about the topic. The question is whether the study of a coral reef ecosystem and coral reef monitoring techniques produces a change in attitude and knowledge of the students who were involved in the project.

The subjects are the eighth grade students at Kula High and Intermediate School, Kilauea, Kauai during the 1996-97 school year. The school is a private non-denominational school, two years old, and there are 17 students in the science class. The coral reef monitoring took place at Anini Reef, approximately 4 miles from the school, and the third largest reef flat area in the State of Hawaii. The format of the project was five one and one half hour lectures about the reef, with three two hour reef visits on an every other class basis. In other words, there was a lecture, reef visit, lecture, reef visit, and so on.

The students are white middle class in their early teens. They were transported to the reef by their parents or other rides. It was treated as a field trip by the school. The entire class arrived at the same time and left at the same time. The school was very cooperative and supportive of this project.

Permission was granted from the principal and board of directors of the school. This permission was received in writing before starting the project. The same reef was visited during a two hour class on a series of Thursdays, so no multiple teacher and class excuse permissions were necessary.

The science class was chosen because of the renewed interest in science in the media and because science is becoming more valued. "Science, we thought, needed to be valued ... as a way of knowing and thinking in its own right" (Rosebery, Warren, Conant, 1992, p.1). To define the scientific method the Holt Physical Science text (Cuevas, Lamb and Evans, 1994) was used. This book describes a portion of the scientific method as to: (a) identify the problem; (b) collect the information; (c) form hypothesis; (d) conduct experiment; (e) collect data through observation; (f) record data; (g) analyze data and make conclusions; (h) report results.

During the "Ocean Pulse" project the students were asked to do work in other classes that related to this science project. In math class they were taught how to read charts and predict high and low tides, as well as the use of triangulation. In their language arts class they were given writing assignments about the coral reef project, and they had to come up with a script for a skit that they were to perform at an environmental education conference. In drama class they learned this skit that they were to perform. In art class they did paintings and murals that reflected the information they were learning at the reef.

The "Ocean Pulse" (Stepath, 1997) program, a coral reef monitoring project of a local environmental organization, is used to evaluate the use of experiential education. This coral reef monitoring project is used to determine whether students really do learn differently in an outside environment compared to the traditional classroom setting. Does the experiential study of applied environmental science techniques produce a change in the knowledge (learning) and attitude (awareness) of the students in a conventional eighth grade science class?

The design was descriptive research and was done with the use of surveys. These surveys were filled out by the students and their teachers (along with the school administrators). An attempt was made to evaluate the impact of the program on the students and to judge their engagement. The students were also video taped during the process of the project to document the change in their approach to the coral reef (awareness) and their learning behavior.

The questionnaires were developed to motivate the subjects to respond, and the questions were directly related to the research questions. Once the surveys were answered, the questions were charted on a graph to observe the relationship of the answers.

These teacher and student surveys were developed from earlier surveys that were done with the eighth grade students and teachers at Kula High and Intermediate in September of 1996. With the use of, Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions: Skill Development Program (Hungerford, Litherland, Peyton, Ramsey and Volk, 1996), the questionnaires were evaluated. The first round of questions was used in September, then compared to the publication and modified to this final survey. All surveys that were used in this paper followed the same procedure.

The original survey of November 27, 1997 was distributed to the survey groups at the beginning of a meeting session, the questions were answered, and the surveys were picked up. The retest of 1997 was given to members of the survey groups individually, the questions were answered, and the surveys picked up.

To consider validity is to determine whether the surveys used measure what they were developed to measure and, consequently, permit appropriate interpretation of scores. These questionnaires were developed to determine the effect of the project on the learning and awareness level of these students. They were validated by a survey of teachers and administrative personnel at the school that the students attend. The students were surveyed, and then the teachers and administration were also surveyed to check the validity of the students' answers.

This additional survey of teachers and administration was used to determine the degree to which their actual behavior is consistent with their self-reported behavior. To determine whether we were actually hitting the desired target and gathering appropriate information, the questions were analyzed to make sure that they came from the appropriate material.

In the following surveys of both teachers and students the questions that relate to attitude (awareness) are preceded with an A:, and the questions that relate to learning are preceded with an L:. These questions can be inspected in order evaluate their "content validity." For example the first 'teacher' question about awareness is "Do the eighth-grade students give any indication that coral reefs are more important to them than when they started the Ocean Pulse project?" and this follows the format of referring to the awareness of the student and relates to experiential education (coral reef monitoring) information. The questions all came from the material studied by the students, and related to either awareness or learning.

Constant attention was focused to insure that the test results measured the intended content area. Since content validity requires both item validity and sampling validity the questions were designed to come from the relevant material, books, and literature (Gay, 1996).

The questions referring to attitude and knowledge are all designed to reflect the feelings and opinions of the students. The surveys of the students and the teachers were done in conjunction with each other to get more than one perspective on the attitude and learning change in the students, and then observe whether or not they were consistent with each other. These steps were take to insure that the answers of the participants reflect an accurate change in awareness and knowledge of these students, and fulfill the "face validity" criteria.

To measure reliability the same questions were asked to a sample group (5 students, 3 teachers) two months later. The results of this retest are to be discussed later in this paper. This retest was done to see if the tests were reliable and ensure that there was consistency in the answers of both groups during both tests. According to the Test-Retest reliability protocol, the same questions were asked. Then the results of the two tests are compared to see if they are reliable and the answers are consistent (Gay, 1996).

The following questions from each survey that are marked "A" are related to attitude and the ones marked "K" relate to knowledge. Not all the questions were selected because they did not measure change over time, and they had been placed in the survey to evaluate the overall program for future modification.

Survey Questions for the students:

*A: [same as teacher 1] 1.) Do you feel that coral reefs are more important to you than before you started the Ocean Pulse project?

Yes No

2.) Do you think coral reefs are interesting?

Yes No

3.) Do you talk about the coral reefs while around your friends, since taking Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

A: 4.) Do you make an effort to help coral reef creatures, or discuss helping them more since Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

*A: 5.) [same as teacher 4] Do you care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

*A: 6.) [same as teacher 5] Are you more aware about coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

K: 7.) I learned to name 10 marine organisms in Ocean Pulse.

True False

K: 8.) I learned what a marine biologist does.

Yes No

9.) I talk about coral reefs more with my family and friends since the Ocean Pulse project.

T F

10.) I like environmental education classes.

Yes No

K: 11.) I learned about triangulation, transect lines, and coral reef monitoring.

Yes No

12.) Is coral reef ecology important to your future?

Yes No

*K: 13.) [same as teacher 15] Did you learn new things about science in Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

14.) I teach my family about coral reef ecology since Ocean Pulse.

Yes No

15.) Do you talk to your friends about coral reefs?

Yes No

A: 16.) Do you think Ocean Pulse was a worthwhile class?

Yes No

K: 17.) Did you get a chance to do new things in this class?

Yes No

*K: 18.) [same as teacher 14] Did you learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, etc.) in Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

Survey Questions for the teachers:

*A: 1.) [same as student 1] Do the eighth-grade students give any indication that coral reefs are more important to them than when they started the Ocean Pulse project?

Yes No

A: 2.) Do the eighth-grade students seem to think coral reefs are interesting?

Yes No

3.) Do the eighth-grade students talk about the coral reef while they are around you?

Yes No

*A: 4.) [same as student 5] Do the eighth-grade students seem to care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

*A: 5.) [same as student 6] Is the eighth-grade class more aware about elements of coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

K: 6.) Involving students in experiential learning activities (like Ocean Pulse) lead to better quality learning for students who are not the usually engaged or high achievers in the class.

True False

K: 7.) Does the experiential study of applied environmental science techniques produce a change in the traditional platform of success of the students in a conventional eighth grade science class?

Yes No

A: 8.) Are coral reefs more of a topic of conversation with your students since the Ocean Pulse project?

Yes No

9.) Are environmental education classes important for high school students?

Yes No

10.) Is coral reef ecology important to your students' future?

Yes No

11.) Did you know that 1997 is the International Year of the Reef?

Yes No

12.) Do you think that the Ocean Pulse project was worthwhile for the eighth-graders?

Yes No

K: 13.) Do experiential education classes provide a chance for low achievers in you classroom to excel, or at least improve?

Yes No

*K: 14.) [same as student 18] Do students learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, etc.) in environmental education classes such as Ocean Pulse?

Yes No

*K: 15.) [same as student 13] Does outdoor education encourage students to be engaged, and in the process improve their incorporation and knowledge of science?

Yes No

K: 16.) Does experiential education offer more learning opportunities for all the students than traditional classroom teaching?

Yes No

The students' answers were gathered when the original survey was administered to the students on November 27, 1996. To substantiate these measured changes in attitude and knowledge, the teachers and administrators were also asked in a separate survey given at a staff meeting the same day.

The surveys were answered, the data was collected, and then the reliability of the surveys needed to be established. In order to do this a test-retest scenario was utilized. Once the tests were administered and the results collected, after a period of approximately three months, a retest was given to five randomly selected students, and the three teachers of the students' core subjects of science, math, and language arts. The retest dates for the students were February 14 to March 2, 1997, and for the teachers they were February 28 to March 3, 1997. These retests were given on an individual basis to all parties. This was done and then the data was scored in a yes-no scenario. The "sometimes" answers were scored as "yes," and the blank answers were scored as "no." There was one question answered sometimes and two left blank in the entire survey. The questions were then sorted to reflect either the changes in attitude or knowledge, and whether they were from the original test or the retest. The graphs reflecting the data collected from the test-retest procedure are displayed on the following pages.

The students selected for the retest were chosen randomly, and included four girls and one boy from the class. The area of analysis was split into to the two fields of attitude and knowledge. Once the retests were scored the results were graphed in four areas, students/teachers answers on the attitude portion of the two tests and then students/teachers answers on the knowledge portion of the two tests. This information is presented along with four graphs later in this section.

Once the answers were collected the participants were then examined to see how the students' and teachers' retest answers compared to their original answers. In the first situation the area of attitude is discussed. The questions to be answered by the students concerning changes in attitude were numbers 1, 4, 5, 6, and 16 on the student survey.

The first graph is entitled Student Answers - Attitude (Retest), and it shows the relationship of the answers to the original survey and the retest. As Graph #1 shows, the answers on the attitude questions were very similar for both the original and the retest. The first and second question (numbers 1 and 4 on the survey) were only one answer apart, and the only questions with a different score. On the rest of the questions in Graph #1 the answers are exactly the same. The teachers, as shown in Graph #2, had exactly the same scores in the attitude field of the retest as on the original test. This demonstrates that the tests were reliable.

The next situation to be charted is the retesting of this same group of students and teachers in the area of knowledge. The questions answered by the students concerning changes in knowledge were numbers 7, 8, 11, 13, 17, and 18. The retest demonstrates that these students answered the questions in a very similar manner. Only question 18 had one question answered differently. This question was answered more positively on the second test. The chart that demonstrates this is Graph #3, Student Answers - Knowledge (Retest).

As can be seen from Graph #3, the answers to questions 8 and 18 reflect the only change, so the test is reliable in this area. Question 2 is: Do you think coral reefs are interesting? Question 18 is: Did you learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, ...) in Ocean Pulse? The students answered in a more favorable manner to both questions the second time, indicating that they feel more positive about coral reefs and about learning more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, ...) in the Ocean Pulse program after being able to reflect back on it.

The knowledge questions selected from the survey for the teachers were 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, and 16. When the teachers took the retest concerning knowledge, their answers were the same except on question 6, which is "Involving students in experiential learning activities (like Ocean Pulse) leads to better quality learning for students who are not the usually engaged or high achievers in the class." The change was more positive on the second survey, indicating that felt more inclined to agree with question 6. Please check Graph #4 to observe this. The important part to note here is that the tests were reliable and the answers of the teachers did relate directly to, and support the answers of the students.

Chart #4, Teachers Answers - Knowledge (Retest), displays the relationship of the survey questions answered originally and then in the retest. In every category except the first, question number 6, the retest, is totally consistent with the first test, and the answers are extremely positive in all cases. Since the students' answers were also very positive and similar as depicted in Graph #3, we can conclude that the testing method is reliable.

The teachers were tested to discover if the students answers were valid, and consistent with what was happening in the program of education at the school. The results of this survey suggest that they certainly were. The following chart (Graph #4) of the teachers' answers shows that the teachers were unanimous in their positive feeling toward knowledge learned in this project, except on question 6 {Involving students in experiential learning activities (like Ocean Pulse) lead to better quality learning for students who are not the usually engaged or high achievers in the class}.

This study involved the use of the descriptive research technique, and it is presented in a qualitative manner. Once the data was collected from surveys, it was studied to determine the effectiveness of the program (Ocean Pulse) on the class. The paper reported whether there was a change in the students' attitude and knowledge because of the coral reef monitoring project. It was also noted whether the platform of learning was modified for academically challenged students in the class.

The problem has been defined, the related literature has been reviewed, and the research questions stated. Careful thought has been given to sample selection and data collection. The appropriate sampling technique has been selected, and a data collection instrument developed. For surveys click here.

The survey research type was self-report, where the information was solicited from individuals with the use of questionnaires and interviews. These surveys' questions were selected to determine how the members of the class and the teaching staff feel about the students' learning opportunities, and their attitudes toward coral reefs (experiential learning). The surveys were to be answered after the project was completed, and the questionnaires then compared to see how the two groups felt with respect to the research questions.

The students and teachers had five attitude questions and six knowledge questions. These questions are designated with an (A) for Attitude, and a (K) for knowledge on the respective surveys. To measure the change in attitude, questions 1, 4, 5, 6, and 16 were chosen from the students' survey, and questions number 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8 were taken from the teachers' survey. Knowledge learned was established by questions 7, 8, 11, 13, 17, and 18 for the students and questions 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, and 16 for the teachers. These questions were picked because they not only measure attitude and knowledge learned, but also measured it with respect to the Ocean Pulse project. These answers were then separated into categories. Not all questions on the surveys were used since some had been asked for other purposes than this paper.

To answer the question about whether attitude changed, all students who took the original test and their answers are charted and the graph is named "All Students Answers - Attitude," Graph #5. The teachers' answers to the attitude questions were compiled and charted on Graph #6, "All Teachers' Answers - Attitude".

The next research question to be looked at is the question of whether the students experienced learning or gained knowledge from the "Ocean Pulse" program. There were six questions selected in this category from each survey to be analyzed. Graph #7 named "All Students Answers - Knowledge" and it shows the test results for the complete class in the knowledge category. The last chart of this series (Graph #8) is all teachers with respect to knowledge and displays a graphic representation of all the teachers and administrators who took the test (seven), and their answers to the six questions, "All Teacher Answers-Knowledge."

The results from the surveys are posted in this section in the form of graphs. The graphs are labeled, and the questions dealt with on each graph are listed below the graph.

These questions to be studied were chosen out of the surveys given, and are graphed according to survey, student or teacher; and topic, attitude or knowledge. They were analyzed and charted. Once this was done it was demonstrated that the students did have a positive change in their attitude, and an increase in their knowledge. Every question was answered in a positive way. In fact, one question in the attitude category was unanimous for the entire class. Only 15 surveys were submitted out of the 17 students in the project, because two were absent from class the day the survey was completed.

The question answered unanimously by the students was *S5.) "Do you care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse?" And *S6.) "Are you more aware about coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse?" only had two negative answers, with one student stating that they already were aware of coral reef ecology. Of course, positive results were hoped for, but such a good response from the students was not expected. Graph #5 (All Student Answers - Attitude) testifies to this statement. The teacher substantiated these answers by answering totally positive to the questions: "*T1.) Do the eighth-grade students give any indication that coral reefs are more important to them than when they started the Ocean Pulse project? *T4.) Do the eighth-grade students seems to care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse? *T5.) Is the eighth-grade class more aware about elements of coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse?" All three of these questions are the same for the students and teachers, and both groups were overwhelmingly positive in these three instances. For reference to this information use chart "All Students Answers - Attitude" Graph #5, and "All Teachers Answers - Attitude" Graph #6.

The questions analyzed for attitude as on the student survey were questions number: *S1.) Do you feel that coral reefs are more important to you than before you started the Ocean Pulse project? S4.) Do you make an effort to help coral reef creatures, or discuss helping them more since Ocean Pulse? *S5.) Do you care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse? *S6.) Are you more aware about coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse? The questions noted with a (*) represent questions that were asked to both students and teachers.

For the teachers the following questions were chosen for the attitude analysis: *T1.) Do the eighth-grade students give any indication that coral reefs are more important to them than when they started the Ocean Pulse project? T2.) Do the eighth-grade students seem to think coral reefs are interesting? *T4.) Do the eighth-grade students seems to care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse? *T5.) Is the eighth-grade class more aware about elements of coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse? T8.) Are coral reefs more of a topic of conversation with your students since the Ocean Pulse project?

The question numbers for the knowledge learned from the student survey were as follows: S7.) I learned to name 10 marine organisms in Ocean Pulse. S8.) I learned what a marine biologist does. S11.) I learned about triangulation, transect lines, and coral reef monitoring. S13.) Did you learn new things about science in Ocean Pulse? S17.) Did you get a chance to do new things in this class? *S18.) Did you learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, etc.) in Ocean Pulse?

One knowledge question was also answered positively by all the students, and that was S11.) "I learned about triangulation, transect lines, and coral reef monitoring." Another question, S13.) "Did you learn new things about science in Ocean Pulse?," had only one student answer in a negative manner. The common question with the teachers was *S18.) "Did you learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spatial relationships, etc.) in Ocean Pulse?," and the reaction was mixed as the students answered positively, but it was their highest amount of negative answers. It appeared that they did not quite understand the question. The teachers felt unanimously that the students had learned more than science in the project.

For the teachers the following questions were chosen for the knowledge analysis: T6.) Involving students in experiential learning activities (like Ocean Pulse) lead to better quality learning for students who are not the usually engaged or high achievers in the class. T7.) Does the experiential study of applied environmental science techniques produce a change in the traditional platform of success of the students in a conventional eighth grade science class? T13.) Do experiential education classes provide a chance

for low achievers in you classroom to excel, or at least improve? *T14.) Do students learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spatial relationships, etc.) in environmental education classes such as Ocean Pulse? T15.) Does outdoor education encourage students to be engaged, and in the process improve their incorporation and knowledge of science? T16.) Does experiential education offer more learning opportunities for all the students than traditional classroom teaching? In one question T7.) "Does the experiential study of applied environmental science techniques produce a change in the traditional platform of success of the students in a conventional eighth grade science class?," the answers of the teachers were not as positive as on the other questions. The teachers were positive in every instance, especially the question that was the same as the students'. As was noted earlier, the teachers were unanimous in their answer that students learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spatial relationships, etc.) in environmental education classes such as Ocean Pulse.

The data was reviewed, organized, and then charted on graphs. The graphs and the answered questions were analyzed to determine whether or not the research questions were answered. Student language arts papers about the project are also attached in the addendum. Did the study of a coral reef ecosystem and coral reef monitoring techniques, produce a change in attitude and knowledge of the students who were involved in the project?

The students who took the original test in November, at the conclusion of the coral reef monitoring program, felt an increased awareness and improved attitude toward the material. This is evident since the positive answers outweighed the negative in every question, with one question answered unanimously positively by all fifteen students. The test results show that the students responded with positive answers in all cases. On questions 1 and 16 only two students answered in the negative with only one negative answer on question 6. The students were unanimously positive about question 5. So the data supports the notion that these students felt a positive shift in their attitude and feelings toward the coral reefs and the monitoring of them.

It is very important to note that the highest positive scores for the students, which were on questions 1, 5, and 6, also occurred with the teachers on the overlapping questions common to both surveys. In other words both the students and the teachers gave their most positive responses on the same questions. These questions were from most positive to least: (S5.) Do you care more about the quality of the ocean water than before Ocean Pulse?, (S6.) Are you more aware about coral reef ecology than before Ocean Pulse?, (S1.) Do you feel that coral reefs are more important to you than before you started the Ocean Pulse project? The students were extremely positive about all three of these questions, with the highest answer being (5.), followed by (6.), then (1.). The teachers' data was analyzed in the same manner as the students' and their answers corroborated the students' responses. They were even more positive about the awareness and attitude improvement of these students than the students themselves. The teachers' answers were totally consistent with the students' answers concerning the positive attitude shift achieved by the students.

The next area to examine was whether or not the students learned and gained knowledge during the outdoor reef project. In Graph #7, "All Students Answers - Knowledge," the answers of all the students taking the test were entered and the answers were very positive. Of all six questions none were negative and one was unanimously positive (S11. I learned about triangulation, transect lines, and coral reef monitoring). When the answers of the teachers were compared, they were very consistent with the students' tests and verified the reliability of the test. With the teachers, see the chart #4, they unanimously answered question, *T14.) "Do students learn more than science (i.e.. math, language arts, spacial relationships, etc.) in environmental education classes such as Ocean Pulse." These answers re-enforce the importance of experiential education.

In summary, the data points to the fact that the students of this eighth grade class gained a heightened awareness and did learn during the "Ocean Pulse" coral reef monitoring project. This study points out that the students had a very positive experience in this experiential situation, and it contributed to their increased awareness and continued learning about coral reef ecology and monitoring.

The "Ocean Pulse" (Stepath, 1997) project involved students gathering data at a coral reef site over a ten week period. At the conclusion of the project, the class made an oral presentation to the HEEA (Hawaii Environmental Education Association), which was well received by the teachers and other adults in attendance. The results of the evaluation of the "Ocean Pulse" project by the participating students and their teachers have been explained in this presentation.

The purpose of the study was to observe if the learning of coral reef monitoring techniques increased perceived attitude towards and knowledge about the topic. Did the study of a coral reef ecosystem and coral reef monitoring techniques produce a change in attitude and knowledge of the students who were involved in the project?

Seventeen students in the eighth grade at a private school on the island of Kaua'i, Hawai'i were involved in the environmental education program. The program lasted for ten weeks and included classroom presentations, three on site coral reef excursions, and a presentation to a conference of educators about the classes' findings. The type of instruments used to evaluate the responses of the students were a questionnaire of their opinions with parallel polling of their teachers and administrators.

The design was descriptive survey research. These surveys were filled out by the students and their teachers (along with the school administrators). The impact of the program on the students and their engagement was noted.

Specifically, the paper outlined the coral reef monitoring project and detailed the response of teachers and students to the project. In the course of this program the students learned about the ecosystems surrounding their island, while they discovered what marine biologists do for a job. The students learned to monitor the reef using quadrats and transect lines. By the end of the project, they were able to identify many local reef organisms. The Polynesian Ahupua'a concept was introduced through local Hawaiian lecturers, while the students also learned from other reef specialists who spoke to them about environmental ecosystems. There is little written resource material available on the Island of Kauai about coral reefs. These students became very informed about the condition of a reef, possibly even more so than many adults living on the island.

The procedures in this study were to survey a population of students after the environmental education project to determine the effect of the project on them. Their teachers and administrators were also surveyed to monitor the validity of the students' answers. These surveys were written and required a true or false answer of the participants. Some questions were answered by both students and teachers to establish consistency. A retest was administered to both selected students and teachers to establish the reliability of the original questionnaire (survey).

The major results and conclusions indicate that a positive relationship was established between experiential education, improved student attitude, and increased knowledge of coral reefs. In every instance the survey results were positive, with some being unanimous. The questions that were the same on both the students' and teachers' tests had very similar outcomes, corroborating the findings that the students had a positive shift in attitude while increasing their knowledge in science and other subjects.

"Applied Research is concerned with the application of theory to the solution of problems, testing theory and evaluating its usefulness in solving problems" (Gay, 1996, p.8). The testing was not done as thoroughly as possible due to funding and staffing constraints. It was not possible to do more than a descriptive study. The main limitations were that only one group was studied at one place, and it is not possible to generalize from the existing data, but it is suggestive. A foundation for future work in this area was laid and the importance of the work was established.

The paper discussed an interesting area for experiential education, namely in reef neighboring communities. It has presented information that can serve as the groundwork for future investigations in this area. It would be very interesting to continue this investigation through an experiential approach using control and experimental groups. It would also be interesting to monitor the change over the period of the project. If funding becomes available. this is the goal of the people involved with the program.

The goal of the project was to measure the effectiveness of an experiential education program about coral reefs. There were many issues that were not covered by this study such as the relationship of the students as peer and community mentors and the long term effects of environmental education on a community. Did it raise the awareness of the students and associated supporters in a coral reef neighboring community? Does this type of project promote and improve the resource management potential of a reef neighboring community? These are questions that would be interesting to research in future papers.

Berman, D.S. and Davis-Berman, J. (Aug. 1995). Outdoor education and troubled youth. ERIC Digest (ED385425, RC020276)

Bonwell, C.C. and Eison, J.A. (Jun 1996). Creating excitement in the classroom. ERIC Digest (ED340272)

Caine R.N. and Caine, G. (1994). Making connections: Teaching and the human brain. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.

Crandall, J., (Jan.1994), Content-centered language learning. University of Maryland Baltimore County, ERIC Clearinghouse on Language and Linguistics (ED367142 / FL021841)

Cuevas, M.M., Lamb W.G. and Evans, J.E. Jr. (1994). Holt physical science. Austin: Holt, Rirehart and Winston, Inc.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: The Macmillan Company.

Dewey, J. (1966). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York: The Free Press.

Gardner, H. (1991). The unschooled mind. New York: Basic Books

Gay, L. R. (1996). Educational research, competencies for analysis and application. Englewood Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Hendrikson, L., (1984). Active learning. ERIC Digest No. 17 (ED253468, SO016166)

Horton, R. L. and Haines, S. (1996). Philosophical considerations for curriculum development in environmental education, ERIC, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, US Department of Education (RI-88062006)

Hungerford, H.R., Litherland, R.A., Peyton, R. B., Ramsey, J.M. and Volk, T.L. (1996). Investigating and evaluating environmental issues and actions: skill development program. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.

Kalinowski, W. (1991). A curriculum outline and rationale for outdoor/Environmental education. ERIC Digest (EJ 431789)

Knapp, C.E. (Aug 1992). Thinking in outdoor inquiry. ERIC Digest (ED348198).

Lorson, M. V., Heimlich, J.E. and Wagner, S. (1996). Integrating science, mathematics, and environmental education: Resources and guidelines. ERIC, Office Of Educational Research and Improvement, US Department of Education (RI-88062006)

Rosebery, A. S., Warren, B. and Conant, F.R. (1992). Appropriating scientific discourse: Findings from language minority classrooms, The National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning (Research Report: 3)

Stepath, C.M. and Chandler, K. (1997). Ocean pulse, coral reef monitoring project. Hanalei, HI: Save Our Seas.

Stevens, P.W. and Richards, A. (Mar 1992). Changing schools through experiential education. ERIC Digest (ED345929)

The Future of Social Studies: A report and summary of project SPAN. Boulder, CO: Social Science Education Consortium, Inc., 1982. ERIC Digest (ED 218 200)

Willis, S. (1997, Winter). Field studies-Learning thrives beyond the classroom. Curriculum Update, p. 1-2, 6-8.