The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of using a meteorological station as an out-of-school learning environment on the academic achievement of middle school students. The study preferred mixed methods research, which combines quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. The study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The research was conducted with 36 sixth-grade students from a middle school in Bart & imath;n, Turkey, with 18 students in the experimental group and 18 in the control group, with group equivalence ensured. The experimental group received instruction at the meteorological station and engaged in simple meteorological data analyses in the classroom, while the control group followed the regular curriculum. An achievement test developed by the researchers was administered to both groups as a pretest and posttest. Additionally, structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected students from the experimental group. Quantitative data were analyzed using Student's t-tests, while qualitative data were evaluated through directed content analysis. The quantitative findings indicated a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group. Qualitative results revealed that students showed interest in both nostalgic and modern measurement instruments at the meteorological station and demonstrated improved understanding of concepts such as temperature graphs, precipitation graphs, and monthly and yearly averages through the integration of out-of-school experiences with classroom activities. Based on these findings, it is concluded that meteorology stations as out-of-school learning environments enhance students' academic achievement and positively contribute to the teaching and learning process.