TY - JOUR
T1 - Measuring student interest as a learning outcome
T2 - Assessing an introductory sustainability planning course
AU - Frederick, Chad Paul
AU - Pijawka, David
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Developing interest in sustainability is crucial for delivering a transformative education for sustainable development. Theory from the psychological sciences provides a framework for educators to consider interest development in students. This quasi-experimental research paper attempts to identify student characteristics that support increased interest in sustainability by analyzing a series of course evaluation surveys given to a large, introductory, undergraduate urban planning course. While there are many strategies for delivering an education for sustainable development and various ways to construct an introductory urban planning course, there are no empirical studies that measure change in interest or illustrate student attributes and classroom elements that generate the interest necessary to promote further enrollment in advanced sustainability courses. This study offers an exploration of an exemplifying case study with the goal of spurring reflection in planning and sustainability instructors. Results of statistical tests and simple analytic techniques are used to identify evidence of interest development. We find that various course elements, including certain lecture formats, lecture topics, and student attributes, such as students’ academic majors, combine to impact student interest in sustainability.
AB - Developing interest in sustainability is crucial for delivering a transformative education for sustainable development. Theory from the psychological sciences provides a framework for educators to consider interest development in students. This quasi-experimental research paper attempts to identify student characteristics that support increased interest in sustainability by analyzing a series of course evaluation surveys given to a large, introductory, undergraduate urban planning course. While there are many strategies for delivering an education for sustainable development and various ways to construct an introductory urban planning course, there are no empirical studies that measure change in interest or illustrate student attributes and classroom elements that generate the interest necessary to promote further enrollment in advanced sustainability courses. This study offers an exploration of an exemplifying case study with the goal of spurring reflection in planning and sustainability instructors. Results of statistical tests and simple analytic techniques are used to identify evidence of interest development. We find that various course elements, including certain lecture formats, lecture topics, and student attributes, such as students’ academic majors, combine to impact student interest in sustainability.
KW - Course development
KW - Education for sustainable development
KW - Interest
KW - Pedagogy
KW - Urban planning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84923253133&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84923253133&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.18848/2325-1212/CGP/v11i01/55319
DO - 10.18848/2325-1212/CGP/v11i01/55319
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84923253133
SN - 2325-1212
VL - 11
SP - 11
EP - 28
JO - International Journal of Sustainability Education
JF - International Journal of Sustainability Education
IS - 1
ER -