ESTACIÓN ATACAPI

The first theme revealed by student interviews was a high level of student apprehension and uncertainty regarding competency in learning about new topics in an unfamiliar setting. While students were excited to learn in an outdoor setting, many students questioned expectations and their competency. Jason asked, “Do big spiders, like tarantulas live in the marsh? Cause if they do, I don’t want to learn about that.” Carmen said she gardened with her grandmother, but she did not think “regular plants grow in the salt marsh.” She expressed concern that she may not be able to learn all the names of “weird” plants and animals. Mark expressed excitement about building a greenhouse and planting a garden; however, he asked if the trip to the salt marsh to transplant spartina alterniflora was required. He stated, “the marsh stinks” and he heard “people sometimes get lost there.” On the pre-survey, 10% of the students expressed confidence in their competency to “identify plants and animals in out lab, garden, and saltmarsh.” At the end of the place-based education treatment, 70% of respondents agreed it was “totally true” they can identify those plants and animals. Overall, students entered the From Seeds to Shoreline® program with excitement and trepidation in their ability to master some of the expected outcomes. Laura exclaimed, “I never knew so many kinds of different things live in the marsh, but it makes sense with the prey and predators, and the salt water that everything is where it is supposed to be. It’s easy to learn what lives there ‘cause it all makes sense when you think about it.”

A second construct of the Self Determination Theory (SDT) relating to student motivation for learning was relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2017). Relatedness, or

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connection, is the need to have close relationships with others (Ryan & Deci, 2017). Student participants responded to six questions to measure their relationship to the outdoor learning lab, school garden, the class, the school, their friends, and their future. Results were organized on Table 4.3 showing the percentage of responses 1 (not at all true) to 5 (totally true) to six questions concerning relatedness on the pre-survey and post- survey.

Table. 4.3: Relatedness Percentages

Statement Not at all true A little bit true Somewhat true Fairly true Totally true Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post I feel like a real part

of the outdoor lab and garden.

5 0 0 5 65 10 25 45 5 45

The outdoor lab, garden, and marsh are good places for students like me.

0 0 10 15 40 5 30 40 20 55

I feel like a real part of this school.

0 0 5 5 35 5 45 40 15 50

This school is a good place for students like me.

0 0 0 5 10 5 70 35 20 55

I need to learn a lot in school, so I can take charge of my future.

0 0 0 0 20 20 50 30 30 50

I feel close to my friends.

0 0 5 0 15 10 35 25 45 65

Representing the survey data by percentage depicts the change in student responses from pre-survey to post-survey. Responses noted on Table 4.3 show student participants felt a sense of connection to the class and school. Based on the item measuring student perception of being a part of the outdoor learning and garden

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community, students indicated a change from 30% affirmative on the pre-survey to 95% on the post-survey. Another response of interest was a change in feeling “like a real part of this school.” Students’ perception of being “part of this school” changed from 60% affirmative on the pre-survey to 90% on the post-survey.

Survey data of student self-assessment of relatedness was illustrated in Figure 4.2. Utilizing a bar graph was appropriate as it clearly depicts the student-reported level of relatedness regarding their sense of connection with classmates and the school. Changes in affirmative responses from pre-survey to post-survey are displayed in Figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2: Change in self-assessment of relatedness

Figure 4.2 revealed student feelings of relatedness increased from the pre-survey to the post survey in four of the six questions. The responses that indicated the greatest increase refers to Questions 1 and 2 which identify the level to which students felt a part of the outdoor learning lab and garden. Question 3 asked students to identify to what

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

I feel like a real part of the outdoor lab and

garden.

The outdoor lab and garden are good places for students like me.

I feel like a real part of this

school.

This school is a good place for students like me.

I need to learn a lot in school so I can take charge

of my future.

I feel close to my friends.

Relatedness

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degree they felt a part of the school. On the pre-survey, 60% of student response affirm they “feel like a real part of the school” and 90% of student response affirms on the post- survey. Student responses to questions 4 and 5 did not elicit an increase in positive responses on the post-survey. Students acknowledged there was no increase in their perception that this school is a good place for students like me and I need to learn a lot in school so I can take charge of my future. However, in four of the six areas of student academic and science relatedness measured, there was an increase in student academic and science relatedness after implementing the From Seeds to Shoreline® program.