INVESTIGATING STUDENT CONCEPTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS IN A FIELD-BASED UNDERGRADUATE COURSE

Little is known regarding student conceptions of complex environmental systems, and the literature regarding student understandings of biogeochemical cycles and eutrophication is limited. A holistic understanding of eutrophication requires the integration of knowledge of chemical cycling and speciation with knowledge of spatial and temporal heterogeneity. To promote this type of holistic understanding, we are developing a field course for upper level undergraduate Geoscience and Environmental Studies majors in which students will engage in problem-based learning, working collaboratively to investigate a real-world environmental system. The first offering of the course, which will focus on an urban lake with a history of eutrophication in Kalamazoo, MI, will be used to probe student conceptions regarding biogeochemical cycling.

Data collection during the initial offering of the course includes experience and attitude surveys, a course evaluation, two knowledge surveys, and a series of interviews with individuals representative of the overall population of students in the course. The experience survey examines students’ prior courses, research, and work related to environmental geosciences; the attitude survey assesses novelty space (comfort and preparation for working outdoors in connection with the course). Student feedback from the course evaluation will be used to improve the course for future offerings. The first knowledge survey, comprised primarily of multiple choice questions, serves as a pretest designed to assess student prior knowledge of limnology, biogeochemistry, and eutrophication-related content. The second content knowledge survey consists of open-ended, higher order, conceptual questions designed to elicit student thinking; these are asked at the beginning of many class periods, in homework assignments, or on exams. Finally, interviews will supplement responses to survey questions and serve to probe students for more detailed descriptions of their understandings of biogeochemical cycling, temporal and spatial heterogeneity, and eutrophication. We analyze written student work and interviews using qualitative coding methods to discern significant conceptions and misconceptions held by students both before and after completing the course.