The use of clay modeling to increase high school biology vocabulary learning

PurposeThe paper explored the benefits as well as the concerns of vocabulary learning with clay modeling in terms of practical and pedagogical implications for creating positive learning experiences.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods design was conducted to examine the effectiveness of vocabulary learning with clay modeling practices in lower socioeconomic status schools.FindingsAlthough test results showed no statistically significant differences between the groups, the clay modeling group did improve vocabulary acquisition similar to the sentence writing group. The students were actively engaged with hands-on activities using the clay and also demonstrated positive emotional, behavioral and physical experiences.Research limitations/implicationsThe addition of the clay modeling provided an opportunity for kinesthetic learning but created a high extraneous cognitive load with the challenges incurred through the use of clay.Practical implicationsThe challenges can be reduced by 1) adopting appropriate instructional strategies to design and implement effective clay modeling activities for students and teachers, 2) providing training or professional workshop development for teachers and 3) ongoing practical support and assistance for students.Social implicationsExploring the use of kinesthetic instructional practice at the high school level may prove beneficial since clay modeling is frequently used effectively at lower grade levels.Originality/valueThe current study explores the added value of clay modeling for high school students’ biology vocabulary learning in a lower socioeconomic status school from practical and pedagogical perspectives.