Friday, December 2, 2011

Teaching Environmental Issues and the Affective Domain


This article, by Karin Kirk of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College, offers a great step by step guide to engaging students with environmental science topics that might be controversial.


Her recommendations:
  • Teaching the science first
  • Teach with data
  • Use active learning techniques
  • Controversy, ambiguity, and topics with incomplete or missing evidence can be used constructively (but need to be introduced judiciously)
  • It's not all doom and gloom
  • Clearly define your role and your teaching approach
  • Lead by example, but don't preach
The site also offers selected literature, teaching methods, and activity collections.

Visit her page here.


Compiled by Erin E. Anderson