Question generating supported by blended learning platform: Issues of social justice for environmental education

Abstract

An element of social justice to be promoted through Environmental Education (EE) is that it questions some features of existing power relationships in education and community. In this paper, we describe an unusual and versatile assessment procedure supported by the blended learning platform that provides a wealth of insight into thinking. It has been trialed with secondary science students in the UK, and with STEM teacher educators in Uruguay and through Edmodo social learning platform under SEAMEO networking school project initiative. The study discovered that educators provide only a few questions, whereas younger participants provide many. We will also describe a session with Uruguayan STEM teacher educators learning to use this unusual method in their teacher training programs. In conclusion, the question generating that is proposed in this study was found to be a useful method for formative assessment both for pupils and for teachers in training especially suited when it is supported by blended learning platforms and digital tools. It provides insights into the way in which participants are thinking about a content area, giving information about the depth and security of understanding and potentially revealing misconceptions.