Peer-reviewed research2017–2026 update
Learning about invertebrates, outdoors: effects of teaching program outside the school premises in Brazil
A short park visit built on a German teaching programme improved Brazilian students' attitudes, emotions and biological understanding about invertebrates compared with a control group.
What's new
The researchers adapted an outdoor teaching programme on invertebrates, first designed by Drissner et al. (2014) for German students, for use in Brazil. Twenty-six students visited an Ecological Park and 30 students formed a control group. The researchers compared students' attitudes before and after the visit. After a short time in the park, students in the intervention group showed better attitudes, more positive emotions towards small animals and more biological understanding than the control group.
Why it matters in Aotearoa
Misconceptions about small animals can work against efforts to conserve biodiversity. The study suggests that a short, focused outdoor visit can shift how students feel about invertebrates, and that such visits can be fitted into a school curriculum without much difficulty.
Putting it into practice
Plan a short, structured visit to a local park or reserve to study invertebrates. Check students' attitudes towards small animals before and after the visit so you can see whether they change.
How strong is the evidence
This is a comparison of an intervention group and a control group, with a small sample of 56 students in one country. The abstract reports results from a single short visit and does not report long-term follow-up.
What to read
The description of the teaching programme and the before-and-after attitude comparison.