The effect of nature documentaries on students’ environmental sensitivity: a case study

Despite the potential educational value of nature documentaries, the contribution of such films to environmental education is largely unknown. In the present study, we attempt to delineate the role of nature documentaries to the environmental sensitivity of students when the films are simply introduced to the class. More specifically, the present study experimentally checks whether students who have been exposed to a nature documentary on insects develop a greater level of environmental sensitivity towards those animals compared to students who have not. Moreover, we explore whether nature documentaries of a distinct type (i.e., verbal vs. non‐verbal) have a different effect on the students’ sensitivity. The results suggest that traditional nature documentaries have a positive effect on students’ sensitivity, while the non‐verbal, less conventional documentary is more effective in the development of environmental knowledge and feelings about insects. However, the non‐conventional approach is equally effective in the change in attitudes and beliefs as the verbal, ‘traditional’ one. Finally, the study discloses that students in general report more positive emotional reactions to insects than perceived knowledge and understanding. Although nature documentaries seem to improve all components of environmental sensitivity, they do not subvert the predominance of emotion over knowledge about insects.     

Examining the Influence of Increased Knowledge About White-Collar Crime on Attitudes Toward It in the Undergraduate Classroom

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of exposure to information about white-collar crime among college students on changes, if any, in their opinion toward it. The research design employed a one-group pretest–posttest design. Undergraduate students enrolled in a college course on white-collar crime answered a survey that measured their level of knowledge about crimes of the powerful and general sentiments toward them both on the first and last day of the semester. With the notable exception of environmental racism, subjects’ knowledge about white-collar crime—which was already high at time 1—did not statistically increase during the course of the semester. Similarly, attitudes toward white-collar crime remained both negative and stable. Correlational analyses between knowledge gains and changes in sentiments revealed that better-informed subjects were generally more likely to consider white-collar crime a serious issue and to recommend tougher sanctions against its perpetrators.     

Beyond Survival

Abstract

Five surveys conducted in the United States, Australia, England, and Israel on the knowledge and beliefs of ninth- and tenth-grade students on environmental issues could be compared because respondents answered similar questionnaires. Where investigated, sex and general achievement level were correlated with environmental knowledge. Students' beliefs tended to be stronger than their factual and conceptual knowledge. In Australia, England, and Israel, where students' sources of knowledge were also investigated, the mass media were the most important source. This influenced students' judgement on the seriousness of different environmental issues.     

高职环境安全教育的现状分析及教育模式探讨

用一般的统计方法对安徽部分高职院校开展环境安全教育同卷调查.结果显示.大部分学生具有一定的环境基础知识,但是缺乏较系统深入的环境知识与环境感知.在此基础上提出了几种高职环境安全教育的模式.以供借鉴.     

What do final year engineering students know about sustainable development?

This paper presents data from a project that aims to determine the level of knowledge and understanding of engineering students about sustainable development (SD). The data derive from a survey completed by final year engineering students in three Irish Higher Education Institutions. This paper is part of a larger study that examines the relationship between students’ and teachers’ understanding of SD. The results from the survey show that final year engineering students’ knowledge is deficient. The majority of the participants fail to acknowledge the complexity of the concept and focus on environmental protection. Their knowledge of legislation relevant to SD and the social aspect of sustainability is particularly deficient.     

Evaluating Environmental Knowledge Dimension Convergence to Assess Educational Programme Effectiveness

One aim of environmental education is fostering sustainable environmental action. Some environmental behaviour models suggest that this can be accomplished in part by improving people's knowledge. Recent studies have identified a distinct, psychometrically supported environmental knowledge structure consisting of system, action-related and effectiveness knowledge. Besides system knowledge, which is most often the focus of such studies, incorporating the other knowledge dimensions into these dimensions was suggested to enhance effectiveness. Our study is among the first to implement these dimensions together in an educational campaign and to use these dimensions to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme on water issues. We designed a four-day environmental education programme on water issues for students at an educational field centre. We applied a newly developed multiple-choice instrument using a pre-, post-, retention test design. The knowledge scales were calibrated with the Rasch model. In addition to the commonly assessed individual change in knowledge level, we also measured the change in knowledge convergence, the extent to which the knowledge dimensions merge as a person's environmental knowledge increases, as an innovative indicator of educational success. Following programme participation, students significantly improved in terms of amount learned in each knowledge dimension and in terms of integration of the knowledge dimensions. The effectiveness knowledge shows the least gain, persistence and convergence, which we explain by considering the dependence of the knowledge dimensions on each other. Finally, we discuss emerging challenges for educational researchers and practical implications for environmental educators.     

Marine environmental awareness among university students in Taiwan: a potential signal for sustainability of the oceans

University students are regarded as future decision-makers in society and have a high likelihood of becoming opinion-shapers in terms of the environment. Their awareness of the marine environment will therefore have a significant effect upon sustainable marine development. This study examines Taiwanese university students’ marine environmental awareness, focusing on environmental attitudes, understanding of marine and coastal issues, and environmental behavior. A total of 825 valid samples in a questionnaire survey are used for the analysis. Overall, respondents possess a highly positive attitude towards the marine environment and a moderate self-reported level of marine knowledge, but are not actively engaged in environmental protection endeavors, particularly ones involving spending personal income and taking legal or political action. Experience in marine-related activities and marine knowledge are important in fostering marine environmental awareness, particularly in regard to environmental behavior. This study addresses the gap between widespread environmental concerns and low engagement in environmental actions by proposing a multimodal approach: improving marine knowledge and experience in marine-related activities, creating safe recreational spaces at seasides, and reinforcing legal education. This study concludes by highlighting the importance of marine environmental awareness in the development of ocean citizenship as well as the sustainability of the marine environment.     

贵州高校大学生环境意识现状调查分析

增强大学生环境意识对可持续发展有重大意义。通过随机抽样法,抽取了贵州四所高校的427名学生,从环境知识、环境观念和环保行为三个维度调查学生的环境意识。结果表明:环境知识、环境观念与环保行为呈显著正相关;大学生的环境知识及环境观念有待增强;大学生环保意识淡薄受社会负面影响大。高校应开展环境价值教育、环境知识及法制教育;采取渗透式教育增强学生环境意识,各方面努力引导大学生积极参与环保。     

Environmental literacy of pre‐service teachers in Israel: a comparison between students at the onset and end of their studies

The adequate preparation of teacher education students in environmental education is a prerequisite for their future ability to design and implement effective environmental education. This longitudinal study compared the environmental literacy of 214 students at the onset and towards the end of their studies, in three academic colleges of education in Israel. A questionnaire and a paired pre‐test–post‐test design were used to explore environmental literacy variables and their perceptions regarding the contribution of their college studies to their environmental literacy and worldviews. Students towards the end of their studies reported increased involvement in most of the study’s environmental behaviour categories as compared to the beginning. Despite this, the pattern characterizing their environmental behaviour did not change: a negative relationship was found between the frequency at which they engaged in different behaviour categories and the environmental‐commitment‐level of the corresponding category. Overall, while their environmental attitudes were positive, both as beginning and advanced students, their level of environmental knowledge remained low. Advanced students noted the limited contribution of their studies to the development of their environmental literacy and worldviews. In spite of the improvement in students’ environmental literacy over the course of their studies, the levels of their environmental literacy towards the end of studies are still inadequate for educators. The findings from this study are of relevance to decision makers bringing environmental education into the policy of teacher education institutions, and for program developers, on effective directions for integrating environmental education given the structures and frameworks of current programs.     

Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease Among Norwegian Undergraduate Health and Social Care Students: A Survey Study

With an aging general population and a concurrent increase in the prevalence of dementia, health and social care professional students are increasingly exposed to this group of patients during their clinical placements and after graduation. A sound dementia-related knowledge base among health and social care students is important in providing high-quality dementia care. The present study assessed dementia-related knowledge in health and social care students. The Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) was utilized to measure the level of dementia knowledge. A total of 321 undergraduate students from various disciplines in their final years of study, but prior to graduation, participated in this study. The study identified a moderate dementia knowledge base (mean score: 23.51 out of 30) among health and social care students. The results revealed that the students were also ignorant of many facts and had many misconceptions pertaining to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In addition, significant differences in knowledge were evident between student groups. These results suggest that the current dementia curriculum should be evaluated in an attempt to improve the dementia knowledge base of health and social care students.     

衢州地区高职学生艾滋病相关知识认知状况调查

了解衢州地区高职学生艾滋病相关知识认知情况,为有效开展高职学生艾滋病健康教育提供依据。方法:按照分层整群抽样的方法对衢州地区2所高职院校502名不同专业学生进行问卷调查。结果:艾滋病相关基础知识,医药类专业学生总体知晓率80%,非医药类学生总体知晓率为65.5%。两者差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);艾滋病相关法律知识,医药类专业学生总体知晓率60.9%,非医药类学生总体知晓率为54.7%。两者知晓率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:衢州地区高职学生艾滋病基础知识认知水平总体良好,但相关法律知识认知情况不容乐观,应积极探索并构建艾滋病健康教育平台,有针对性地开展艾滋病健康教育。     

英语词汇学习中文化因素的实证研究

词汇学习的目的不仅是对字面意思的简单学习,还包括很多文化因素,为研究学生在词汇学习中对文化词汇的学习状况,笔者对长治学院的118名非英语专业大二学生进行了调查分析,研究采用了词汇测试和问卷调查的方法。测试发现：学生对文化内涵词汇的掌握总体水平较低;问卷调查表明：学生对词汇学习中的文化意识较高,能充分意识到文化对词汇学习的影响,但学生对实际学习中的文化知识积累较少。     

Combining formal education and citizen science: a case study on students’ perceptions of learning and interest in an urban rat project

Abstract

Citizen science is a valuable tool in environmental and formal education in creating scientific knowledge for the researchers and facilitating learning and fostering a positive relationship toward the environment and study species. We present a case study on the Helsinki Urban Rat Project in which students surveyed rat occurrence in their own near environments. According to our results, experientiality, involvement, meaningfulness, freedom to choose, ease of participation, and the rats themselves contributed to students’ increased interest in participation. Furthermore, students described diverse factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge that they acquired during their participation. In general, students described negative attitudes toward rats, but they less negative views on rats after participation. We reflect on the success of the citizen science project and implications of planning a future citizen science project and incorporating citizen science in formal education.     

Environmental Concern: A comparative analysis between students in Recreation and Park Management and other departments

Dunlap and Van Liere (1978) indicated that a paradigmatic change has evolved in which the general populace has shown a genuine level of concern as they have realized that ecological problems faced by the world today are the results of societal values, attitudes and beliefs. Based on this idea, Dunlap and associates offered the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale, which is a general set of beliefs or attitudes towards the environment. To verify this change in thinking, this study employed the NEP scale among a sample of undergraduate students in the United States. The analysis revealed a support and a sympathetic attitude towards the environment, although this support was not overwhelming. Also, students seemed to express the importance towards environmental issues but lacked awareness. Finally, this study showed that Recreation and Park Management students show more favorable attitudes, give more importance to and are more aware of environmental issues than students from Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, and Science, Technology and Society departments, respectively.     

谈高等美术教学聋人学生创造性思维能力的培养

21世纪中国高等美术特殊教育要加强对学生创造性思维的培养。具体培养的方法如下:创造性思维能力是一种高水平的思维能力,是在一般思维品质基础上形成的,因而要加强聋生一般思维品质的培养;要加强文化基础知识学习;要重视聋生的个性,开展多种多样的创造活动。     

深度学习的影响因素与策略研究——基于蓝墨云班课分析

“互联网+”时代,“深度学习”对高校教育教学的重要性日益凸显。采用描述性分析、线性回归分析、因子分析等方法,对高校学习者深度学习的影响因素进行分析。研究表明：影响学习者深度学习的主要因素包括师生反馈与评价、学习者反思与知识加工水平、环境资源建设以及教师的任务驱动法教学。提出以多元评价促进反思为根本,以促进学习者知识建构与加工水平为目标,以提供丰富合理的环境资源为需求,以任务驱动法促进教学为重要抓手的策略模型。     

A Cross–Cultural Environmental Education Model

Abstract

This study assessed the level of scientific and natural resource knowledge that fourth-, eighth-, and eleventh-grade students in Maine possess concerning acidic deposition. A representative sample of public school students (N = 175) was interviewed on twelve concept principles considered critical to a full understanding of the acidic deposition problem. These included geological, meteorological, ecological, political, and economic concepts. Student knowledge was rated for each concept principle on a scale of complete, high partial, low partial, or no understanding. Common misconceptions were also noted. Generalized correct concept statements of current student knowledge are reported, as well as generalized missing concepts. Our conclusions have implications for teaching about acidic deposition and the design of environmental education curriculum materials based upon student knowledge. This information can help teachers better instruct students about current environmental problems and thus help learners gain an appreciation for the complex and multidisciplinary nature of science and the environment.     

Environmental literacy components and their promotion by institutions of higher education: an Israeli case study

The recognition of the key role and moral responsibility of higher education institutions (HEIs) in cultivating the environmental literacy (EL) of their students is growing globally. The current research examined the contribution of HEIs to their students’ EL by focusing on an Israeli college as a case-study. A survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1147 students from all departments in four phases of their academic studies. A moderate level of EL was found. The college’s green agenda attracted more pre-environmentally literate students, but its contribution to the development of students’ EL throughout the learning years was minor. Variation in pro-environmental behavior was better explained by students’ environmental values and attitudes than by their environmental knowledge. It seems that a combination of knowledge, values, and attitudes is needed in order to instill EL among students in HEIs. Commitment to environmental education must be translated into effective contents (what) and ways of teaching and learning (how) EL, which should be adapted to the varied populations of HEIs’ students in the various faculties and departments. Some recommendations are detailed.     

How do general knowledge and reading strategies ability relate to reading comprehension of high school students at different educational levels?

The study examines the relationship between general knowledge, skills in applying reading strategies, and reading comprehension for ninth‐grade students at varying educational levels: academic, semi‐academic, vocational and learning disabilities. Two hundred and five students received a battery of tests evaluating their general knowledge, skills in applying four reading strategies (summary, self‐questioning, clarification and prediction), and two reading comprehension tests. The findings revealed differential contributions of general knowledge and strategy application to reading comprehension. Compared with the academic students, semi‐academics have deficient strategic skills. Vocational students, in addition to deficient strategic skills, have poor general knowledge, which further impedes their reading comprehension. The deficiency of students with learning disabilities goes beyond these two components. These results led us to recommend different foci of comprehension intervention for each group.