Abstract
The study presents the results of a project in which 360° videos were used for informing students about subjects related to environmental education. The target group was forty-four, nine- to ten-year-old students, who used three teaching tools, namely printed material, web pages, and 360° videos. The project lasted for twelve two-teaching-hour sessions (four for each tool), and data were collected by means of evaluation sheets and a questionnaire for recording their views and attitudes. It was found that the 360° videos yielded better learning outcomes compared to the other tools. The sense of presence was also greater in this tool. Then again, all tools were considered as equally motivating and effective. Moreover, the 360° videos were considered more enjoyable and easier to use only when compared to the printed material. Though the findings confirmed that 360° videos can be effective in raising students' awareness of environmental problems, they also point to the need of finding innovative methods and teaching frameworks that would allow educators to fully exploit their educational potential.
Highlights
Well-informed and sensitized citizens are expected to be able to understand and be actively involved in resolving environmental issues vital for our well-being, as well as for the planet's future
For testing the research hypotheses, a within-subjects experimental design with three treatments/conditions was applied, meaning that the study's participants were exposed to three different teaching tools
The questionnaire regarding the apps/360o videos included an additional openended question prompting students to report cases of motion sickness or any kind of discomfort when using the head-mounted displays (HMDs). As it was mentioned in the previous section, the sample was forty-four fourth grade students, who attended a total of twelve two-hour teaching sessions
Summary
Well-informed and sensitized citizens are expected to be able to understand and be actively involved in resolving environmental issues vital for our well-being, as well as for the planet's future. Such issues that seek our immediate attention are climate change, global warming, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity caused due to human activities. Again, the importance of understanding environmental concepts and the intricate inter-relationships of all the factors/parties involved, emphasizes the need for well-organized, innovative, and efficient educational frameworks and practices (Markaki, 2014) In this respect, Environmental Education (EE) should play a central role in educating people and in raising their awareness.
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