Post on 02-Jan-2016
description
Personalizing Environmental
Science Seeing the "I" in "Environment"
Matthew Laposata, Kennesaw State University
GOALSPropose a philosophy of teaching for intro environmental science courses
that emphasizes, when possible, personalizing experiences for students
•Rationale•Resources•Results
How big are your intro environmental science sections?
Answer Enrollment(a) < 30(b) 30 – 75(c) 75 - 125(d) > 125
In which formats are intro environmental science courses
offered at your institution?
Answer Format(a) Traditional(b) Trad/Blended (hybrid)(c) Trad/Blended/Online
Making the case for personalization
Advocating an approach that utilizes available strategies and resources
Applicable in traditional, blended (hybrid), and online courses
For non-majors, engagement isn’t tapped, it’s manufactured
Science isn’t my strongest
subject…
Normally, I hate science, but this doesn’t totally
suck…
But I’m not majoring in
science…
I’m taking this course because
I have to…
Disconnecting starts early and persists…
MillenialsEngaging
with non-majors science
What’s Your Generation?
Answer Generation Years(a) Silent < 1928(b) Greatest 1928 – 1945(c) Boomer 1946 – 1964(d) Gen X 1965 – 1980(e) Millenial > 1981
MILLENIALS
Raised in the era of “Information Saturation”
Highly adept at filtering for personally-
relevant information
Once a luxury, it’s now an
expectation
THE
Whenever possible, help them see the “I” in
“environment” with personalized experiences
BIGPICTURE
You already own the tools
Course
discussions
Personal response systems
(“clickers”)
Field trips and
service learning
Group
activities
GoalsCourse
Improved science literacy
Critical thinking
Engagement*Civic
Thinking scientifically
complements Approach
PERSONALIZATION
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
“Real-world” relevance
Abundant
existing resource
s Lifestyle choices
affect the environment
Personalization tackles “scale” issues in
environmental science
Regional & global impacts
seem unbelievably
large
Individual contributions appear negligible
Use “calculator “to quantify
each student’s unique
impacts…
MultiplicativeEffects
… then multiply to make scale manageable
Individual
Metropolitan area
University
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/
and
Human Population Growth
SCALE
Millions vs. BillionsYour crazy, old, rich uncle dies and wills you his fortune. But you can only have
the money once you’ve counted it all, at a rate of $1 per second for 8 hrs. a day.
How long would it take to count:
A MILLION DOLLARS:
A BILLION DOLLARS:
About 35 days
About 95 years
The Allowance ExampleA father complained that his daughter’s $20 a month allowance
was too much. She replied, “O.K. Dad, how about this? You give me a penny on the first day of the month and double it
each day until the end of the month.”
WOULD YOU TAKE THE DEAL?How much would he have to pay
out at the end of the month?
Let’s see…
0.01 0.02 0.04 0.320.160.08 0.64
Mon. Tue. Wed. Sat.Fri.Thu. Sun.
1.28 2.56 5.12 40.9620.4810.24 81.92
163.84 327.68 655.36 5,242.882,621.441,310.72 10,485.76
20,971.52 41,943.04 83,886.08 671,088.64335,544.32167,772.16 1,342,177.28
2,684,354.56 5,368,709.12 10,737,418.24
The Allowance Example
All values are in dollars
At the end of the month, he’d owe his daughter around $21,474,836 …
Approaches for introducing
personalizing experiences
COURSE ACTIVITIES
Do your intro environmental science courses have a laboratory
component?
Answer(a) No(b) Yes – “on ground”(c) Yes – “online”
Environmental “calculators”
GHGs
EXAMPLES
Ecological footprint
Home energy audit
http://esa21.kennesaw.edu
Environmental Science Activities
for the 21st Century (ESA21)
NSF # 0088723and
# 0231171
Over 50 activities created
Interdisciplinary team of
developers
Personalized lifestyle
calculators and simulations
Heavy emphasis on lifestyle
analysis and effects of changes
on personal impacts
http://simulator.down2earth.eu/#
Personalized-feedback coaching activities
You matched 4 of 6 words/phrases incorrectly. The total fertility rate has been decreasing in many nations in recent years, and in most cases, improvements in women’s rights are a contributing factor. For which description would bettering women’s rights have a large effect? Place total fertility rate in that sentence.
“CLICKERS”
“CLICKERS”Questions aimed squarely
at engagement
“Votes” on social/political issues
Draw out individual misconceptions
“Which of these methods of electrical production releases appreciable amounts of greenhouse gases”?
Solar
Natural gas
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Coal
“What is the biggest
component of the U.S. solid waste stream”?
EXAMPLE
GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Choose topics with HEAVY personal
component
Don’t avoid topics that can foster
great discussion
“My opinion” + FACTS
Experience incredibly “sticky” over time
You are the President and learn that U.S. crop production will decline by 50% over the next 20 years due to the effects of climate change and the emergence of numerous pesticide-resistant “super-pests”. You must propose socially-acceptable approaches to immediately and decisively slow U.S. population growth.
Immigration made our country what it
is, but in light of continued
population growth and its associated
environmental impacts, should the
United States modify its existing
immigration policies?
http:
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Enga
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Field trips & service learning
Student impressions of personalized approaches
SA or A(%)
N(%)
D or SD(%)
The laboratory exercises were about issues that affect me. 60
(26)20 (36)
20 (37)
The laboratory program helped me to understand the environmental issues addressed.
68 (50)
21 (30)
10 (20)
The laboratory program made me realize that I have a part in solving environmental problems.
58 (43)
28 (29)
14 (28)
Participating in this laboratory program has caused me to change the way I do some things.
29 (17)
39 (31)
32 (53)
SA=strongly agree : A=agree
N=neutral : D=disagree : SD=strongly disagree
STUDENT SURVEY (KSU): ESA21 Exercises
(Traditional Exercises)2001
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Science Education for
New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities
(SENCER)
Design content around socially-relevant issues that engage students and promote civic
action
Voting
Political involvement
Environmental volunteering
Discussion of science issues
Lifestyle Changes
1= Not more likely
2 = A little more likely
3 = Somewhat more likely
4 = Much more likely
5 = Extremely more likely
Not Applicable
Mean(SD)
Engagement with Science Issues
Discuss a science-related issue informally 11 15 30 27 15 03.22
(1.21)
Discuss a civic or political issue informally 7 19 23 34 16 03.34
(1.17)
Read a science-related magazine not required by class
11 24 29 25 11 03.01
(1.17)
Political Action
Vote in elections 12 10 12 19 35 103.61
(1.45)
Write a letter or email to a public official about a science-related issue
40 20 15 15 7 12.26
(1.33)
Talk with a public official about a civic or science-related issue
34 21 21 16 7 02.41
(1.29)
Attend a meeting, rally, or protest about a civic or political issue
39 25 16 12 4 22.14
(1.20)
All table values are percentages, rounded to the nearest whole number (n = 92-103)
After finishing this class, I am more likely to…
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTSScience, Society, and the Environment I, Fall 2005
Online SALG pre-survey (first week) and post-survey (end of semester)
All table values are percentages, rounded to the nearest whole number (n = 92-103)
After finishing this class, I am more likely to…
1= Not more likely
2 = A little more likely
3 = Somewhat
more likely
4 = Much more likely
5 = Extremely
more likely
Not Applicable
Mean(SD)
Participatory Activities
Participate in science-related civic education 45 28 12 9 4 11.95
(1.14)
Join a science-related civic organization 52 25 10 7 4 11.82
(1.12)
Participate in one-time civic events such as walk-a-thons
33 23 20 15 7 02.39
(1.28)
Personal Lifestyle Changes
Actively recycle waste products in my house 7 14 19 30 27 23.57 (1.24
Buy a more efficient vehicle 12 12 25 24 26 13.42
(1.32)
Buy a more efficient home or repair the one I have to make it more efficient
10 15 21 30 19 33.37 (1.25
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS
Science, Society, and the Environment I, Fall 2005
Confidence Decrease
No ChangeConfidence
IncreaseMean
Difference
Discuss scientific concepts with my friends and family 10 32 59 0.79
Think critically about scientific findings I read about in the media
10 35 56 0.73
Determine what is – and is not – valid scientific evidence 15 31 54 0.63
Make an argument using scientific evidence 7 27 67 0.93
Determine the difference between science and “pseudo-science”
8 21 67 1.16
Understand how scientific research is carried out 16 28 57 0.59
Understand scientific processes behind important scientific issues in the media
8 25 65 0.98
Presently, I am confident I can…
Scale 1 = Not at all confident to 5 = Extremely confident
Pre-survey vs. Post-survey by student
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS
Science, Society, and the Environment I, Fall 2005
All table values are number of students
Confidence Decrease
No ChangeConfidence
IncreaseMean
Difference
Discussing science with friends and family 12 39 49 0.55
Reading about science and its relation to civic issues 16 29 56 0.60
Taking additional science courses after this one 16 35 50 0.55
Majoring is a science-related field 16 59 20 0.15
Exploring career opportunities in science 16 55 28 0.26
Joining a science club or organization 12 65 21 0.18
Teaching science 6 68 24 0.30
Scale 1 = Not at all interested to 5 = Extremely interested
Presently, I am interested in…
Science, Society, and the Environment I, Fall 2005
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS
Pre-survey vs. Post-survey by student
All table values are number of students
CAVEAT[a HUGE caveat]
Which of these topics do your students find the least interesting?
Answer(a) Nature of science(b) Human population growth(c) Biogeochemical cycles(d) Climate change(e) Food production
matthew.laposata@kennesaw.edu
Please drop me an email for URLs, to “talk shop”, and to
share your approaches