UCDT

Global Change II

Winter 1997

Executive Summary

The purpose of the evaluation of Global Change II is to surmise the effects of the course and interpret the results in the context of course goals. The evaluation team focused their efforts on cataloging students' experiences and perceptions about the course and suggesting where curricular improvements might occur. This report only examined non-cognitive student outcomes associated with the Global Change II curriculum. The evaluation team used a multifaceted evaluation program which employed a variety of techniques, tools, and procedures.

Most students chose to enroll in the course because they needed to satisfy a curricular requirement, and they are interested in the course topics. Students hoped to learn about the impact humans are having on the environment as well as how they can do something to slow down the negative effects of human activity. Some students indicated that the course might help them with their future careers or it might help them gain insight into environmental law, policies, and issues.

Given that most students are affiliated with SNRE, it is not surprising that more that more than half the students responding indicated their career plans are connected to the environmental industry. Environmental law policy, management, research, and film were cited as possible career plans.

Students reported that the lab assignments were carefully chosen and intellectually challenging. They also reported that the labs helped them understand global change concepts and principles. Nearly all of the students reported that the lab instructor was excellent. The educational software used in the labs was well received by students. Students reported that ArcView helped them understand trends and relationships among important environmental variables. The vast majority of students reported that the Global Change II web site was well organized and made a significant contribution to their learning.

When asked about the lecture, most students reported that they learned a lot of factual material and improved their ability to debate as well as think critical about global change issues.

The data on team teaching was mixed. Although more than half the students reported that having several instructors contributed to their understanding of global change concepts and principles, some students indicated that having several instructors interfered with their learning. The most surprising results of the study is the apparent difficulty students are having seeing the big picture. When students were asked if it was difficult to understand how the topics covered in the lecture fit together the vast majority agreed. While the course may make sense for the professors and graduate student instructors, students are having difficulty making sense of their educational experience.

The curriculum development group has created a course that is intellectually stimulating and capable of engendering high levels of enthusiasm. Students have been exposed to a rich pedagogical environment where they are challenged to learn Global Change issues and concepts, web tools and techniques, and an important geographic information system called ArcView. The learning agenda is comprehensive and vigorous.

Student have responded to the challenges offered by the curriculum. They have learned critical knowledge and analytic techniques. They have utilized advanced knowledge generating engines to learn, to debate, and to act upon Global Change concepts and principles. Although the strengths in the course certainly weigh the weaknesses, there are areas where the curriculum development group can look to make improvements. These improvements include: create explicit student outcomes, explicate how the Global Change curricula will foster systemic change at the University of Michigan, redesign the web site to be more intuitive and interactive, and refine the team teaching approach.