Transformative experience in an informal science learning program about climate change

Abstract

The Transformative Experience Questionnaire (TEQ) has previously been used only in formal science learning environments to examine how students' learning experiences extend beyond the classroom into their daily lives. In the present study, an example of how this tool can be useful to assess transformative experiences in an informal learning program is provided. The Lens On Climate Change (LOCC) program combined a place-based approach to learning with creative expression through storytelling, as middle and high school participants created short films about the impacts of climate change in their communities. Our findings suggest the LOCC participants had a transformative experience with regards to their learning about climate change as illustrated in greater post-program TEQ scores over a comparison group of research participants who did not engage in the LOCC program. The program was also transformative for both middle and high school students. Results are discussed within theoretical frameworks for designing informal transformative science learning experiences.