Author : Brett W. Cease
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 168 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (935 download)
Book Synopsis Examining Instructional Factors that Develop Environmental Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge by : Brett W. Cease
Download or read book Examining Instructional Factors that Develop Environmental Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge written by Brett W. Cease and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world that future generations are inheriting is one filled with approaching environmental decisions to make on a global scale with complex consequences (Heiberlein, 2012). In response, the development of higher education curriculum focused on humanity's relationship with their environment is one of the fastest trending areas within colleges and universities (Svanstrom, Lozano-Garcia, & Rowe, 2008). Uniquely within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) system, all four-year universities require students to enroll in a "People and the Environment" course that contains learning outcomes focusing upon "today's complex environmental challenges...[as well as] the inter-relatedness of human society and the natural environment" (MNSCU, 2010). In addition, many higher education institutions are utilizing more comprehensive methods in evaluating their curriculum's learning outcomes, marking the importance of and need for developing further evaluations in the effectiveness of designated "People and the Environment" courses in meeting student learning outcomes (Yousey-Elsener, Keith, & Ripkey, 2010). The current research examined these courses across three MNSCU universities through administering a pre and post-course instrument to students that measured growth in environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. The results indicate statistically significant differences between participants' pre and post environmental knowledge scores, especially when compared to a sample of Minnesotans. Additionally, a post-course instrument administered to the faculty regarding their instructional methods suggests that specific instructional methods, including team teaching, led to significant gains in student learning outcomes. Overall, the study reveals specific approaches in evaluating learning outcomes as well as best practices for future "People and the Environment" coursework.