Community Science, Storytelling, or Inquiry-Based Learning? Evaluating Three Technology-Enhanced Pedagogical Approaches in an Online Botany Course

Abstract

This study explored how the use of three different pedagogical frameworks (community science, storytelling, and inquiry-based learning) influenced learners’ awareness and appreciation of flagellate plants in an undergraduate online botany course. Students’ opinions, attitudes, and perceptions toward science were explored using the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience survey. Qualitative and quantitative results indicated that although most students appreciated all three activities, the storytelling activity produced the most positive perceptions of learning. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that gender and attitudes toward science influenced student perceptions of the activities. Positive science attitudes predicted positive perceptions of the activities, and female students were more likely to report positive perceptions. These results suggest that as a pedagogical framework for organizing learning activities, storytelling holds potential for promoting positive attitudes toward science and science learning, particularly with female learners.