From polyps to politics: using a coral reef living laboratory in a politics of sustainability course

Adam Lusk (), Lauren Profitt and John Ullrich
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Adam Lusk: Rosemont College
Lauren Profitt: Rosemont College
John Ullrich: Rosemont College

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2017, vol. 7, issue 2, No 5, 216-229

Abstract: Abstract Teaching Global Environmental Politics faces several challenges to meet student learning objectives. For one, the interdisciplinary nature of global environmental politics requires significant knowledge of environmental issues, as well as political science, economics, business, and science. Often students feel uncomfortable with the science undergirding the environmental issues, especially since a majority of the students are not science majors. Two, students struggle with making the various connections between the environmental issues themselves, e.g., how deforestation contributes to global warming. Three, students encounter problems taking the concepts and theories learned in the readings and applying them to case studies. To address these challenges and improve student learning, a faculty-student team integrated a coral reef living laboratory into a Politics of Sustainability course which focuses on Global Environmental Politics. This article provides empirical evidence of improved student learning outcomes by using pre/post assessment tools, student surveys, and faculty journals.

Keywords: Active learning; Teaching; Coral reefs; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s13412-015-0316-y

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