Transcript Slide 1

Understanding Climate Change: Using Diagnostic Question Clusters (DQCs)
to Relate Student Belief in and Understanding of the Mechanisms Driving Climate Change
Holly A Petrillo1, Amy Arnett2, and Casey J Huckins3
1 College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point
2 Center for Biodiversity, Unity College, Maine
3 Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University
Hypotheses:
1.
Students with a better understanding of the mechanisms driving climate change are more likely to believe that climate change is a real phenomenon.
2.
Students with a better understanding of the mechanisms driving climate change are more likely to think humans are altering the global carbon cycle.
Introduction
According to a 2008 study of 2,164 adults, 69% of Americans believe that climate change is real
and already underway, while 62% believe it is caused by human activities, or a combination of
human and natural changes (Leiserowitz et al., 2009). Americans believe that there is a scientific
consensus on the reality of climate change (61%), and view climate change as a somewhat to very
serious problem (76%) (Leiserowitz, 2003). At the same time, however, Americans continue to
regard both the environment and climate change as relatively low national priorities (O’Connor et
al., 1999; Leiserowitz, 2003). Thus Americans paradoxically seem concerned about climate change,
yet view it as less important than other national or environmental issues. What explains this
paradox? Additionally, why do some Americans see climate change as an urgent, immediate
danger, while others view it as not a problem at all? We believe that one answer to this paradox
may lie in education. We hypothesized that the more knowledgeable a person is about the specific
biological processes of climate change, the greater their belief in climate change as a real
phenomenon, and thus a real threat. We also hypothesized that the more knowledgeable a
person is about climate change processes, the greater their belief in humans as a driving factor.
Methods
To test our hypotheses, we used a set of Biological Diagnostic Question Clusters (BIO-DQCs)
designed by a group of researchers at Michigan State University to test student understanding of
core biological concepts, in this case around climate change (D’Avanzo et al. 2007).
-We also designed a survey asking student about their “belief” in climate change as a real
phenomenon and as being caused by humans
-Thirty Undergraduate students in General Ecology courses from each of 3 Universities (University
of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (UWSP), Unity College in Maine (Unity), and Michigan Technological
University (MTU) completed BIO-DQC tests and surveys (including multiple-choice and written
questions) about their beliefs and understanding of climate change
-BIO-DQC test and surveys were completed prior to instruction of the topic
Analyses
-Regression analysis relating student ‘belief’ in climate change (scale 3-0) to test score (Fig. 1).
Students from all schools were pooled.
-Regression of student ‘belief’ that humans are altering the carbon cycle (scale 3-0) against their
test score (Fig. 2)
-Pearson’s Correlation analyses comparing student ‘belief’ and understanding in climate change, by
school and declared major
Climate Change Survey (sample questions):
a. strongly agree (0) b. agree (1) c. disagree (2) d. strongly disagree (3)
1. I believe climate change is a real phenomenon.
2. I believe that I have a good understanding of the processes causing climate change.
3. I believe that I have a good understanding of the long-term global changes associated with
climate change.
4. I believe that I human actions are influencing global climate change.
5. I believe humans are altering the global carbon cycle.
6. I am taking actions to limit my impact on climate change.
Climate Change Quiz (sample questions):
1. Power plants often burn coal to produce electricity. Where do the atoms in the coal go when it is
burned?
2. In the fall, the leaves on trees in a deciduous forest fall to the ground. Explain what happens to
the leaves after they fall to the ground. Do the changes in the dead leaves affect atmospheric
carbon dioxide levels? Why or why not?
3. Evidence indicates that the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere has been increasing
during the past 100 years (global warming). What is the major cause of this?
Results: Multiple choice questions
Figure 1
3= student strongly believes that climate change is a real phenomenon
2= student believes that climate change is a real phenomenon
1= student does not believe that climate change is a real phenomenon
0= student strongly does not believe that climate change is a real phenomenon
This figure shows that belief in climate change is not strongly predicted by student
understanding of the mechanisms (R2= 0.018, p= 0.229), yet students with the greatest
understanding of climate change (top scorers) tend to strongly believe in it.
Results: Written questions
Sample question and student answers:
The graph below shows changes in concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over a 47year span at Mauna Loa observatory at Hawaii.
a. Why do you think this graph shows atmospheric carbon dioxide levels decreasing in the summer
and fall and carbon dioxide levels increasing in the winter and spring?
b. Why do you think the levels of carbon dioxide have increased from 1960 to present?
Example student answers
Complete (27% of students for part A, 91% for part B):
a.
Photosynthesis is occurring in summer/fall, not during winter, no CO2 sink.
Figure 2
The CO2 levels decrease in summer and fall because the CO2 is in the leaves of the deciduous
plants in the northern hemisphere. In the winter and spring it is put back out because the
leaves have fallen.
b.
Population has increased, we drive more cars, use more energy from power plants
Less trees and more pollution
Common answers revealing a lack of understanding:
a.
People use their heaters more in the winter which releases more CO2 .
In winter/spring people tend to walk or ride bikes less than drive, and people use more heat
for homes.
3= student strongly believes that humans are altering the global carbon cycle
2= student believes that humans are altering the global carbon cycle
1= student does not believe that humans are altering the global carbon cycle
0= student strongly does not believe that humans are altering the global carbon cycle
This graph shows that even though test scores were poor predictors of student belief
in the fact that humans are altering the global carbon cycle (R2= 0.005, p= 0.521),
students with the most complete understanding of climate change mechanisms were
more likely to believe in human influence on the carbon cycle.
Descriptors:
Average BIO-DQC test scores:
UWSP, 46%; Unity, 53%; MTU, 57%
Declared majors of participating students:
Unity College & MTU: 100% biology/ecology
UWSP: non-biology majors (social science, music, etc.)
Grade level:
UWSP, freshman-seniors; Unity, sophomores; MTU, juniors-seniors
References
D’Avanzo, C., A. Anderson and A. Griffith. 2007. Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Student Reasoning and
Understanding in General Biology Courses. NSF CCLI Phase I grant (0736943).
Leiserowitz, A. 2003. Global Warming in the American Mind: The Roles of Affect, Imagery, and Worldviews in Risk Perception,
Policy Preferences and Behavior, Environmental Science, Studies and Policy, University of Oregon.
Leiserowitz, A., E. Maibach, and C. Roser-Renouf. 2009. Climate change in the American mind: Americans’ climate change
beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences, and actions. Yale Project on Climate Change and George Mason University Center for
Climate Change Communication.
O’Connor, R. E., R.J. Bord, R. J., and A. Fisher. 1999. Risk perceptions, general environmental beliefs, and willingness to address
climate change’. Risk Anal. 19, 461–471.
Results/ Discussion
Undergraduate students in these three ecology courses varied broadly in their understanding of
climate change mechanisms, yet these data reveal that their level of understanding, as reflected by
their test scores prior to any instruction on the topic in these courses, was not a good predictor of
how strongly they believe that global change is a real phenomenon. This likely resulted from the
fact that most students believed in climate change regardless of extent to which they understood
the mechanisms (i.e., this group of students showed the greatest variation in their understanding
of climate change mechanisms). In contrast to the general US public, 94% of the students
reported they believe that climate change is real and 90% of students thought humans were
involved in these changes. It is curious that although 95% of the students reported they “believe
humans are altering the global carbon cycle”, a lower 91% of the students verbally expressed the
view that human activities were responsible for global CO2 increases since 1960. In addition, only
62% of the students expressed their understanding of the importance of burning of fuels and
deforestation as causes of increased CO2 levels. This study revealed that students do not have to
fully understand the mechanisms of climate change to believe strongly that it is a real
phenomenon. Yet, the highest score students received in each belief category decreased as belief
in climate change decreased, suggesting that as student understanding increases, these highest
scoring students are more likely to believe in climate change. Clearly students are being educated
in global climate issues and carbon cycles prior to entering our classes, yet continued research and
education is warranted to reveal and correct student misconceptions, and enhance understanding
of the reality of global climate change and the driving mechanisms.