In her thesis titled “A citizen science water quality monitoring project’s contribution to environmental education, social learning and adaptive management”, Irene used citizen science as a platform for training science education students in the field of water quality monitoring.
Irene, in collaboration with public educationists at Rand Water, used the water storage dams on the campus in Vanderbijlpark as an experimental research field for teaching students to monitor and analyse water quality. In the process the students became aware of the campus’ social ecology and the potential anthropogenic environmental impact on water resources. Once the students had learnt the basics, they served as pre-service teachers at several schools in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area.
In the process there was extensive stakeholder participation and collaboration in knowledge dissemination and data gathering. Apart from empowering high school science learners to gain more insight into water quality and the environment, Irene and her students consistently engaged, monitored and shared knowledge with all stakeholder groups by using creative social learning strategies.
Examiners lauded Irene for making a substantial contribution to creating environmental awareness and the need for public knowledge dissemination on water quality. It is evident that social learning and project-based learning can make a substantial contribution to knowledge creation in the science curriculum at secondary education level.
A broad spectrum of stakeholders, directly and indirectly, have benefitted from the research project. A prime contribution of the study has been a useful three-tiered systems framework that can guide secondary and tertiary educational institutions to support environmental education through citizen science.
More about Irene Muller
Irene Muller (born Barrie) matriculated from Boshof High School in the Free State in 1982. She completed a BScEd degree, majoring in chemistry and botany, in 1986 at the University of the Free State.
After teaching physical science and mathematics for 23 years at various high schools, she accepted an appointment as junior lecturer at the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark. She obtained both a BEdHons in 2011 (Vanderbijlpark) and a master’s in environmental management in 2014 (Potchefstroom) cum laude.
Irene received the Institutional Teaching Excellence Award award in 2013 as best lecturer (Vanderbijlpark) and an award as best master’s student in environmental science (Potchefstroom) in 2015.
Subsequently, some of her research findings have been published in two accredited international journals. In 2015, she was appointed as lecturer in the School of Educational Science at the campus in Vanderbijlpark.
Prof Johan Tempelhoff was the promoter of this study and Prof Mary Grosser was the assistant promoter.
Irene Muller and the promoter of her doctoral study, Prof Johan Tempelhoff.
