Using Case Studies and Other Methods in Teaching Environmental Science Do they foster understanding of the material as well as improve attitudes towards science? Penny J. Rodrick-Williams, Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Rock County Introduction Biological Aspects of Conservation of Natural Resources (BIO 107) discusses the management of our resources – water, soil, air, forests and wildlife – as well as the human interactions with our natural environment. With no prerequisite, the course draws interest from non-science majors, including a large percentage of non-traditional students. Many of these students are education majors fulfilling their state certification in Conservation and Natural Resources for teachers of science and social sciences. As a result of these features, the course has been attractive to students who may be apprehensive of science. At the beginning of each semester, students answer the following on a basic information questionnaire:  Why are you taking this course?  What do you hope to get out of this course?  Anything you would like me to know about you related to this course? Here are several responses: Approaching BIO 107 Given the attitudes towards science among many of the students in the course, I have been interested in not only fostering an understanding of environmental conservation and appreciation, but also an interest and confidence in science itself! There have been three main aspects to my approach:  Science is fun!  Science is everywhere!  Everyone can be trained to think like a scientist! I have attempted to include these ideas by incorporating case studies and small group discussions in addition to traditional lecture and content based approaches. This use of case studies has allowed students to:  Interpret real data to draw conclusions – using the scientific method  Use “real-life” situations that students experience and hear about every day  Move slowly through the process First, reading the stated opinions of interested “stakeholders” Next, “role playing” the opinions of stakeholders after researching each group Finally, debating and arguing their own opinions on student-suggested topics Questions Does this case study approach:  Improve overall performance and understanding of environmental science?  Improve attitudes toward science/biology?  Increase confidence in science/biology?  Increase preparedness for another science course? Additionally, are there other characteristics of the students that may be influencing their attitudes toward science?  Are there differences between males and females?  Are there differences between traditional and non-traditional students? Methods Surveys were administered to the students of BIO 107 on the second day of class and again on the final day of class during the summer session The data was analyzed using one way analysis of variance to detect differences between pre-class (n= 32) and post-class results (n=29). Univariate analysis of variance was used to detect the effects of gender and age on the results. Results: Changes in Concern for Environmental Issues and Natural Resources Question: On a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), which of the following environmental areas or natural resources do you agree are of concern? The following graph represents the changes between the pre-class survey and the post-class survey. Stars indicate significant differences between surveys (p<0.05) Results: Changes in Preferences of Methods for Learning Science Question: On a scale of 1 (not applicable) to 5 (always helpful), which of the following methods of teaching science do you find the most helpful in learning science? The following graph represents the changes between the pre-class survey and the post-class survey. Stars indicate significant differences between surveys (p<0.05) Results: Changes in Attitudes Towards Science Question: On a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), which of the following statements do you agree with? The following graph represents the changes between the pre-class survey and the post-class survey. Stars indicate significant differences between surveys (p<0.05) Results: Effects of Gender and Age on Attitudes Toward Science There were no differences in the overall attitude toward science between men(n= 26) and women (n=35). Additionally, gender did not influence changes between the pre-class and post-class survey results. There were, however, several differences between traditional (age 22 and under) students (n=37) and non-traditional (age 23 and above) students (n=24). Particularly, a significantly higher number of non-traditional students agree that “science useful in everyday life” and “science challenges me to use my mind”. Conversely, a significantly higher number of traditional students agree that “studying hard in science is not fun”. Age did not influence changes between the pre-class and post-class survey results. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people for their assistance in stages of designing, conducting and presenting this information: Dr. Dennis Carpenter, Dr. Kim Kostka, Dr. Bob McCallister, Dr. Christopher Williams, and the organizers of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Workshop. Most importantly, special thanks to the students of BIO 107/103 Summer Session  “find something I actually like about science”  “tried to avoid it [science requirement] as long as I could”  “biology and science are not a strong suit of mine”  “to understand science better”  “this will be my hardest class this semester”  “better understanding of what biology really is”  “not very fond of science”  “I am not a big science fan” Conclusions and Future Implications The use of case studies in BIO 107 appears to be an effective method to foster understanding of environmental issues. The students indicated methods such as case studies and class/group, discussions, debates and assignments, as well as quizzes and exams, were helpful methods for learning science. At the conclusion of the course, the students indicated a greater concern for all the environmental issues discussed throughout the semester. In particular, they demonstrated an increased concern over fossil fuels, pesticide use in farming and ground level ozone. While the results for the course and its methodologies did not indicate an improved attitude towards science with statistical significance, the overall trend indicates a more positive outlook. The results of this “pilot study” will be used as a guide for continuing the research during the fall 2003 semester. Questions or comments? Contact me at References Survey questions were adapted from the following: