TR
EN
The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of using a meteorological station as an out-of-school learning environment on the academic achievement of middle school students. The study preferred mixed methods research, which combines quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. The study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The research was conducted with 36 sixth-grade students from a middle school in Bartın, Turkey, with 18 students in the experimental group and 18 in the control group, with group equivalence ensured. The experimental group received instruction at the meteorological station and engaged in simple meteorological data analyses in the classroom, while the control group followed the regular curriculum. An achievement test developed by the researchers was administered to both groups as a pretest and posttest. Additionally, structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected students from the experimental group. Quantitative data were analyzed using Student’s t-tests, while qualitative data were evaluated through directed content analysis. The quantitative findings indicated a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group. Qualitative results revealed that students showed interest in both nostalgic and modern measurement instruments at the meteorological station and demonstrated improved understanding of concepts such as temperature graphs, precipitation graphs, and monthly and yearly averages through the integration of out-of-school experiences with classroom activities. Based on these findings, it is concluded that meteorology stations as out-of-school learning environments enhance students’ academic achievement and positively contribute to the teaching and learning process.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
The research is funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.
Ethical Statement
All the rules stated in the "Directive on Research and Publication Ethics of Higher Education Institutions" have been followed and none of the "Violations of Research and Publication Ethics" listed in the second section of the directive have been committed (E-23688910-050.01.04-2100121843). The ethical review of the study was conducted by the Bartın University Ethics Committee for Scientific Research and Publications in Social and Human Sciences and the study was approved as ethically appropriate under protocol number 2021-SBB-0446, dated 07/12/2021.
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Out-of-School Learning
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
April 30, 2026
Submission Date
June 15, 2025
Acceptance Date
February 4, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 55 Number: 1
APA
Barak, B., & Özakçil, H. (2026). The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 55(1), 652-682. https://doi.org/10.14812/cuefd.1719991
AMA
1.Barak B, Özakçil H. The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. 2026;55(1):652-682. doi:10.14812/cuefd.1719991
Chicago
Barak, Belma, and Helin Özakçil. 2026. “The Meteorological Station As an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study”. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 55 (1): 652-82. https://doi.org/10.14812/cuefd.1719991.
EndNote
Barak B, Özakçil H (April 1, 2026) The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 55 1 652–682.
IEEE
[1]B. Barak and H. Özakçil, “The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study”, Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 652–682, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.14812/cuefd.1719991.
ISNAD
Barak, Belma - Özakçil, Helin. “The Meteorological Station As an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study”. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 55/1 (April 1, 2026): 652-682. https://doi.org/10.14812/cuefd.1719991.
JAMA
1.Barak B, Özakçil H. The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. 2026;55:652–682.
MLA
Barak, Belma, and Helin Özakçil. “The Meteorological Station As an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study”. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 55, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 652-8, doi:10.14812/cuefd.1719991.
Vancouver
1.Belma Barak, Helin Özakçil. The Meteorological Station as an Out-of-School Learning Environment: A Mixed-Methods Study. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. 2026 Apr. 1;55(1):652-8. doi:10.14812/cuefd.1719991