Marine Science Literacy and Misconceptions among Senior High School Students

The purposes of this study were to examine the literacy of senior high school students regarding marine-science concepts by using the concept-map method (open-ended tasks) and an open-ended question, and to assess their misconceptions about marine science. A survey was conducted among students from five senior high schools in northern Taiwan. A total of 361 questionnaires were distributed and a validity count of 346 was returned. The results of this study were as follows: (1) The terms "warming," "earthquake," and "earth" were most commonly used by students to express marine-science concepts. (2) The terms "bioenergy," "Kuroshio Currents," and "Oyashio Currents" caused the most confusion among students. (3) The marine concepts described by the students were more in cognitive domain, than in attitude and affective domains. (4) The students' average correct response rate in the marine-science misconception assessment was 53%. (5) The term "Kuroshio Currents" received the lowest score (16% correct) in the marine-science misconception assessment of students. (6) Students typically misconstrued the following marine-science competence index: "Increases and decreases in sea levels during glacial and interglacial periods may influence global biology and the natural environment." The results of this study can assist marine-science researchers and senior high school teachers to improve the quality and effectiveness of marine-science education and promote marine-science literacy.