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Situated learning in an Australian zoo's immersive habitat classrooms.

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Title: Situated learning in an Australian zoo's immersive habitat classrooms.
Authors: Preston, Christine M.1 (AUTHOR) christine.preston@sydney.edu.au, Patrick, Patricia G.2 (AUTHOR), Acharya, Parul2 (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement. Sep2026, Vol. 16 Issue 3, p388-410. 23p.
Subject Terms: *Situated learning theory, *Contextual learning, *School environment, *Experiential learning, *Science education, *Student engagement, Participation, Zoology
Abstract: Our exploratory case study examined how immersive teaching strategies in zoo-based classrooms support student learning through the lens of situated learning theory. Situated learning theory emphasizes four elements – content, context, environment, and participation – each present in the zoo's Immersive Habitat Classrooms: Rainforest, Woodland, and Desert. We collected 644 Year 7 students' (ages 13–14) drawings before and after their Immersive Habitat Classroom lessons and conducted non-participant observations of 15 lessons taught by five zoo educators. Drawing scores were analyzed using a rubric, a one-way ANOVA and 10 factorial ANOVA models. Most students showed improvement in habitat knowledge, with drawings reflecting more detailed representations of classification, adaptations, and environment-specific features. Observations revealed immersive teaching strategies, such as storytelling, animal handling, and dialogic discussion, that fostered engagement and conceptual understanding. Students responded emotionally to spontaneous animal behaviors, which anchored their learning in the authentic zoo context. The student's post-drawing scores increased from pre-drawing scores for all three immersive habitat classrooms. Overall, there was a positive, statistically significant effect on student learning, from experiencing a lesson in the immersive habitat classrooms. These findings underscore the potential of zoo-based instruction to support science learning through active participation, authentic experiences, and situated meaning-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 196416897
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Situated learning in an Australian zoo's immersive habitat classrooms.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Preston%2C+Christine+M%2E%22">Preston, Christine M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> christine.preston@sydney.edu.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Patrick%2C+Patricia+G%2E%22">Patrick, Patricia G.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Acharya%2C+Parul%22">Acharya, Parul</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+Education%2C+Part+B%3A+Communication+%26+Public+Engagement%22">International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement</searchLink>. Sep2026, Vol. 16 Issue 3, p388-410. 23p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Situated+learning+theory%22">Situated learning theory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Contextual+learning%22">Contextual learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+environment%22">School environment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experiential+learning%22">Experiential learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+education%22">Science education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+engagement%22">Student engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participation%22">Participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Zoology%22">Zoology</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Our exploratory case study examined how immersive teaching strategies in zoo-based classrooms support student learning through the lens of situated learning theory. Situated learning theory emphasizes four elements – content, context, environment, and participation – each present in the zoo's Immersive Habitat Classrooms: Rainforest, Woodland, and Desert. We collected 644 Year 7 students' (ages 13–14) drawings before and after their Immersive Habitat Classroom lessons and conducted non-participant observations of 15 lessons taught by five zoo educators. Drawing scores were analyzed using a rubric, a one-way ANOVA and 10 factorial ANOVA models. Most students showed improvement in habitat knowledge, with drawings reflecting more detailed representations of classification, adaptations, and environment-specific features. Observations revealed immersive teaching strategies, such as storytelling, animal handling, and dialogic discussion, that fostered engagement and conceptual understanding. Students responded emotionally to spontaneous animal behaviors, which anchored their learning in the authentic zoo context. The student's post-drawing scores increased from pre-drawing scores for all three immersive habitat classrooms. Overall, there was a positive, statistically significant effect on student learning, from experiencing a lesson in the immersive habitat classrooms. These findings underscore the potential of zoo-based instruction to support science learning through active participation, authentic experiences, and situated meaning-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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        Value: 10.1080/21548455.2025.2609238
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Experiential learning
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      – TitleFull: Situated learning in an Australian zoo's immersive habitat classrooms.
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            NameFull: Preston, Christine M.
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              M: 09
              Text: Sep2026
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              Y: 2026
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