Access to real data, geo-spatial tools, models, and field experience can improve environmental literacy

A fundamental goal of environmental education is to establish environmental literacy in students. Though there has been extensive research on the outcomes for environmental education, there is still a lack of insight as to which curricular components make an impact with students over time. Some researchers found that practicing science, collecting data, using geospatial tools, developing models, and participating in citizen science programs can lead to students establishing longer-lasting environmental literacy, linking this work to their community and complex decision-making. The researchers in this study used the Teaching Environmental Sustainability Model My Watershed (TES-MMW) curriculum from the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) framework to identify which curricular components contributed most to students' environmental literacy.

Watershed management is one of many complex topics in environmental education, but one of increasing importance due to water quality concerns and water shortages from climate change. The TES-MMW was developed for students aged 11 through 18 years in the United States using the MWEE framework, which focuses on four core elements: defining the issue, getting field experience, making conclusions, and acting sustainably. Specifically, the TES-MMW uses data, field studies, scientific modeling, and local knowledge to teach students about watershed management. In this curriculum, students use the same local and country-wide watershed information that scientists and professionals use each day in decision-making. For example, students can access databases from federal agencies like NOAA, USGS, and USDA to observe changes in land cover in their local watershed. Ultimately, this type of learning can lead students to make practical applications from the classroom to the real-world.

For this study, the TES-MMW was utilized in middle school science or environmental science classes, and the teachers were able to customize the activities outlined in the program by using images of their local area. In the program, the students followed the four core elements from the MWEE framework. First, the students used Model My Watershed, which is an online GIS tool, and paired using the tool with a satellite map on a walk around their school's grounds to identify the watershed features listed on the GIS tool. They then learned different water conservation practices for their local watershed. Next, the students collected data during this field experience. Then the students ran a runoff simulation for their watershed to compare how different land cover and soil types affected their local watershed during a storm. Finally, the students modeled different scenarios (i.e., installing rain gardens near the concrete parking lots or planting trees around the buildings) for their reimagined schoolyard to establish a healthy, local watershed.

The study took place over three years between 2016 and 2018. In total, 38 middle school teachers from 8 states in the United States were chosen to participate, and 1,263 students completed pre- and post-tests before and after experiencing the TES-MMW curriculum. Of the 1,263 students, 41 were interviewed at random and another 66 were split among 14 focus groups. The online pre- and post-tests included 15 questions on watershed knowledge, intention to act, and locus of control. The post-test also included three open-ended questions asking the students to describe a watershed action they have completed or could complete through a watershed plan (i.e., building a rain garden or adding rain barrels at their homes). The interviews and focus groups were set up to identify critical incidents using Critical Incident Technique (CIT) which is used to assesses the level of impact each curricular component had on the student. The researchers analyzed the pre- and post-test data alongside the interview and focus group data to determine which components were most impactful.

The pre- and post-test results from the 1,236 students showed the TES-MMW significantly improved student knowledge about watersheds and about actions to protect watersheds. However, the students did not exhibit any change in their locus of control nor their intention to act. The post-test open-ended questions revealed that about 37% of students had completed or outlined a plan to complete a watershed action. The two most frequent actions listed were installing rain gardens and rain barrels. From the 41 interviews and 14 focus groups, the researchers concluded the students who completed watershed actions were most frequently facilitated by their own desire to complete the action, by their school, or by a like-minded community group, respectively. Further, the students that were interviewed or participated in focus groups identified four main curricular components that encouraged them to care more about their watershed: 1) the GIS tool (69%); 2) field data collection (35%); 3) the online learning portal (33%); and, 4) the walking tour of their school's grounds using a satellite map (25%). Overall, the researchers found that although there was not an increase in the students' intentions to act, the students gained more knowledge about watershed management and pro-environmental actions that helped them formulate detailed plans to improve their local watershed.

There were limitations to this study. First, the study focused on one specific environmental topic (watersheds) for a specific age group (11 to 18 years). Second, it was not explicit which eight states were included in this study. There was not a clear depiction of the types of watersheds or socio-political circumstances that may have influenced the students' understanding of watershed management. Therefore, the results are not generalizable.

Based on the results of the study, the researchers suggested students in middle and high school can use data sets, geo-spatial tools, and models to immerse themselves in practical science in their local community and identify pro-environmental behaviors that benefit the issue being addressed. Further, field experience and access to data may encourage students to have a greater sense of scientific and environmental understanding. The key curricular components discovered in this study were the GIS tool, collecting field data, access to an online learning portal, and use of a satellite map while being in the field. For educators, the researchers hinted at implementing these types of experiences in other environmental educations topics, as well as watersheds, to help students enhance their environmental literacy.