Youths' Investigations of Critical Urban Forestry through Multimodal Sensemaking
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| Title: | Youths' Investigations of Critical Urban Forestry through Multimodal Sensemaking |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Blaine E. Smith (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Science Education and Technology. 2025 34(3):489-502. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: | 2241814 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education Elementary Education Grade 7 Grade 8 |
| Descriptors: | Climate, Urban Areas, Forestry, Junior High School Students, Grade 7, Grade 8, Learning Modalities, Intermode Differences, Place Based Education, Cooperative Learning, Public Health, Well Being, Student Attitudes |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10956-024-10127-7 |
| ISSN: | 1059-0145 1573-1839 |
| Abstract: | A growing body of research suggests that digital multimodal composing can provide students multiple points of entry for making sense of local climate change issues and sharing their voices through digital activism. Building upon this scholarship, this study examined the processes of 32 small groups (n = 55) of 7th- and 8th-grade students as they co-created a wide range of multimodal projects (e.g., videos, podcasts, infographics, posters, and cartoons) that explored the environmental, ecological, and sociopolitical impacts of inequitable access to urban tree canopy and greenspace in their city. In particular, scholarship on onto-epistemic heterogeneity, critical place-based learning, and multimodality were integrated to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of how digital multimodal composing mediated students' sensemaking about urban forestry impacts on community health and ecological well-being. Data sources consisted of field notes, audio and video recordings, survey data, student interviews, and students' final multimodal projects. Through qualitative and multimodal data analysis, five main themes emerged for how multiple modes mediated students' sensemaking about critical urban forestry: (1) embracing tree equity for compelling stories, (2) engaging authentic audiences through storytelling, (3) perspective-taking through multiple modes, (4) exploring affective dimensions of urban heat islands, and (5) developing solutions for critical urban forestry issues. These findings contribute new insights into how digital multimodal storytelling can provide a productive way for students to make sense of climate justice issues and gain agency by experiencing multiple ways of knowing. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1471778 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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