Columbia College

Environmental Literacythrough Science Instruction

and Leadership Development

Problem

Environmental awareness/literacy is missing from a curriculum infused with leadership and service development.

Like leadership, environmental literacy is a complex and context-sensitive outcome; and it is unclear how it can be promoted through the curriculum.

Context

Small, single-gender (women’s college) undergraduate institution – 1000 students

Curriculum infused with leadership and service themes through the entire 4-year experience (4 Cs)

Mixed racial profile

Research Question

To what extent does environmental science instruction promote environmental literacy development?

Research Methodology

Environmental literacy will be measured with an existing valid/reliable tool (generally includes both content inventory and survey type questions).

3 groups (approximately 20 students each) will be measured pre-post semester.

1) biology majors enrolled in an ecology course 2) biology majors not enrolled in an ecology course 3) non-biology majors not enrolled in an ecology course

Why Is This Interesting?

Course content knowledge is only one dimension of environmental literacy, which also includes measures of attitude and activity.

Is it possible that promoting environmental knowledge within an existing leadership/ service framework could instill greater environmental literacy?

Interactions with student demographics

Alignment

The three student groups represent three levels of science instruction.

Environmental literacy will be measured pre/post in the same way for each group

If instruction correlates with environmental literacy, then it can be offered in more contexts (gen-ed courses, first-year seminars, etc). If not, then co-curricular initiatives may be important.