Environmental Science Students Research Articles

From local bacterial communities to energy: application of microbial fuel cells in laboratory experimentation.

It is well known that bacterial communities are an essential component to maintain the balance of terrestrial ecosystems due to the functions and services performed by microorganisms in the environment. The research seeking on alternative energy sources has shown that bacterial communities can bioconvert the chemical energy of an organic substrate into electrical energy, within devices known as microbial fuel cells. For this reason, this class project allows students of Biotechnology, Environmental Science, and Microbiology to apply the appropriate methodology to develop a class project throughout an environmental bacterial community capable of generating electrical energy.

Student-Created versus YouTube Videos: Which Type is More Effective in Enhancing Biology Learning in a Virtual Classroom?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the adoption of remote online learning in higher education institutions worldwide, including Palawan State University in the Philippines. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of student-created and downloaded YouTube videos as tools for enhancing learning in a virtual biology classroom. A pretest-posttest control group design was used, with 46 first-year BS Environmental Science students randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group created their own videos on topics such as Plant Cell, Animal Cell, Mitosis, and Meiosis, while the control group watched downloaded YouTube videos. Both groups took a pretest and a posttest covering the same topics before and after the experiment. The study found that both student-created and downloaded YouTube videos were effective in improving academic performance. However, the use of student-created videos had a more positive impact on biology learning outcomes compared to downloaded YouTube videos. These findings suggest that educators should consider incorporating both student-created and downloaded videos into their teaching strategies to enhance student learning outcomes. The use of videos as a teaching tool can be a valuable approach to enhance learning outcomes and engagement in a virtual classroom, particularly when students create their own videos.

Toward Language Justice in Environmental Health Sciences in the United States: A Case for Spanish as a Language of Science.

Increasingly, marginalized communities are disproportionately facing the worsening effects of environmental hazards, including air pollution, water pollution, and climate change. Language isolation and accessibility has been understudied as a determinant of health. Spanish, despite being the second-most common language in the United States with some 41.8 million speakers, has been neglected among environmental health scientists. Building capacity in high-quality Spanish-language science communication, both for scientific and nonscientific audiences, can yield improvements in health disparities research, public health literacy, international collaborations, and diversity and inclusion efforts. In this article, we discuss the context of language diversity in environmental health sciences and offer recommendations for improving science communication in Spanish. English is currently the predominant language for scientific discourse, but Spanish and other non-English languages are routinely used by many environmental health science students and professionals, as well as much of the public. To more effectively conduct and communicate environmental health work in Spanish, we suggest that researchers and scientific institutions a) foster structural changes, b) train emerging scholars and support established researchers, c) tap into community ways of knowing, and d) leverage emerging technologies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12306.

Potentiometry, chemical equilibria, and flow injection analysis—three important topics taught with one experimental setup

In general, concepts such as chemical equilibria and classical analytical chemistry, as well as instrumental methods such as potentiometry and flow injection analysis (FIA), are taught separately in the curricula of chemistry-related degree programs. However, FIA provides an opportunity to connect all of these important topics. This article shows how simple experiments can be used to link the fundamentals of FIA and potentiometry to the fundamentals of chemical equilibria and teach them in a sustainable way. The experiments were designed for undergraduate environmental science students with basic knowledge of chemical equilibria and classical analytical chemistry and minimal knowledge of electrochemistry. However, they can also be integrated into various courses on instrumental analysis in chemistry-related degree programs.

Promoting Sustainable Development Goal 12 through no plastic policy implementation as perceived by environmental science students

Promoting Sustainable Development Goal 12 through no plastic policy implementation as perceived by environmental science students

Increasing equitable access to graduate education through competitive hiring in the life sciences

AbstractMany professions necessitate a graduate‐level education, and research conducted by graduate students is integral in many fields, particularly those in the life science programs like ecology and environmental sciences. However, practices for recruiting and selecting graduate students are inconsistent among and within institutions. Although some institutions, departments, or faculty members hire graduate students through open and competitive graduate student hiring processes, graduates are frequently selected through inconsistent processes that limit the pool of applicants and do not maximize the potential for increasing workforce diversity. Here, we review and evaluate six approaches to graduate recruitment processes common in ecology and environmental science degree programs in the US to determine which approaches, or combinations of approaches, could increase equity in career development opportunities, promote workforce diversity, and provide clear justifications to funding bodies. We compiled our list of recruitment methods through informal interviews with recruiters, administrators, faculty, and graduate students in ecology, natural resources, and environmental sciences. We determined that three of the six approaches examined were most effective in supporting equitable graduate student hiring practices, and three were not. While life science fields were the primary focus of this review, our approach to evaluating graduate recruitment methods is widely applicable across disciplines where graduate students conduct research.Practical Takeaways There are six main ways graduate students are recruited in the life sciences: competitive recruitment, candidate pool, student‐driven, contact applicants, current employees, and preselected candidates. Three of the common recruitment methods for graduate students are more competitive (e.g., publicly announced, with clear instructions, a review committee or panel). Open and competitive graduate student hiring processes could increase equity in career development opportunities and promote workforce diversity.

Virtual Site Visits: Student Perception and Preferences Towards Technology Enabled Experiential Learning

Site visits are a key pedagogical tool within natural science and geographical education. Site visits provide an interactive experience to enable learning through the exposure to a real-world spatio-temporal environment. COVID-19 restrictions required the development of a virtual site visit for a landscape ecology course in North America. In this study, a series of digital tools were coordinated to deliver site visit information focusing on multi-sensory, multi-scalar, and multi-media information based on Kolb’s experiential learning model, particularly Step 1, the concrete experience. This research explored student’s perceptions and opinions of the digital tools provided to complete their ecological restoration management assignment and their effectiveness and usability. 4th year natural resource and environmental science students (n=52) reported predominately positive attitudes towards the use of the virtual site visit. Though students did not prefer the virtual site visit over a physical site visit, they noted that the virtual site visit digital tools did provide the same information as a site visit and that they felt they were able to understand all aspects of the physical site through the virtual site visit tools provided, particularly through the digital photographs and the 360-degree virtual reality imagery. Successful student assignments illustrated experiential learning outcomes were met.

The relationship between outdoor exposure and myopia on university students, measured by conjunctival ultraviolet autofluorescence (CUVAF)

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this study was to analyse whether outdoor (OD) exposure could exert a protective effect against the development of myopia and HM, in two different cohorts of university students that differ in the time of OD activities in their study programs. Moreover, CUVAF, as an objective measure of time spent outdoors, was also investigated in this cohort.Methods: A cross‐sectional observational study was carried out using two different cohorts of students, one of medical students (MS) and the other of environmental science students (ESS). All participants underwent an automatic objective refraction, axial length measurement, colour fundus photographs, and CUVAF area (BAF module on the Heidelberg Spectralis HRA + OCT). All the participants filled out a questionnaire of life style and myopia history. For all statistical analyses, corrected p values < 0.05 (two‐tailed) were considered statistically significant using SPSS 20.1 Software.Results: A total of 208 participants were recruited, 156 were MS and 52 were ESS. The data showed that 66.66% of the MS were myopic versus only 50% of the ESS (p = 0.021; OR 95 = 2.03 (95% CI 1.1–3.6). With regards to OD activities, ESS spent significantly more hours per week doing OD activities than MS (p < 0.0001), but with respect to near work activities, there was no significant difference between both cohorts. In this sense, it was found that high myopia MS spent significantly fewer hours outdoors than their controls (p < 0.05). The degree of myopia was inversely associated with CUVAF in all university students, and a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between spherical equivalent and CUVAF (r = 0.248 [95% CI 0.094–0.390]; p = 0.001).Conclusions: The results showed that OD activities could reduce the onset and progression of myopia not only in children, but also in young adults. In addition, CUVAF represents an objective, non‐invasive biomarker of OD exposure that is inversely associated with myopia, and can be useful to follow‐up myopic patients.

Computational Thinking to Learn Environmental Sustainability: A Learning Progression.

Current environmental problems are the primary focus for environmental science students and researchers. Sustainable environmental solutions require interdisciplinary thought processes, which pose difficulty to both students and the public. Computational thinking is an emerging term emphasized by progressive science curricula. Computational thinking and environmental science are both interdisciplinary by nature. Learning about sustainable environmental solutions requires students to partake in computational thinking. These ideas lend toward an expansive learning progression that encourages scaffolded and differentiated student progress in both computational knowledge and environmental knowledge. The learning progression, which emerges from the conceptual framework, emphasizes the spheres of sustainability, research, education, and economic perspectives to support environmental science learning through computational thinking. Computational thinking emphasized by the computational components (input, integration, output, and feedback) support learning about environmental solutions within the learning progression. The learning progression promotes application and implications for educators, students, researchers, and environmental scientists.

A Cross-Sectional Observational Study of the Relationship between Outdoor Exposure and Myopia in University Students, Measured by Conjunctival Ultraviolet Autofluorescence (CUVAF).

Myopia is the most common refractive error worldwide. This cannot be explained by genetic factors alone, therefore, environmental factors may play an important role. Hence, the main objective of this study was to analyse whether outdoor exposure could exert a protective effect against the development of myopia in a cohort of young adults and to investigate ultraviolet autofluorescence (CUVAF), as a biomarker of time spent outdoors. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out using two cohorts. A total of 208 participants were recruited, 156 medical students and 52 environmental science students. The data showed that 66.66% of the medical students were myopic, while 50% of the environmental science students were myopic (p = 0.021). Environmental science students spent significantly more hours per week doing outdoor activities than medical students (p < 0.0001), but there was no significant difference with respect to near work activities between them. In both cohorts, the degree of myopia was inversely associated with CUVAF, and a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between spherical equivalent and CUVAF (Pearson’s r = 0.248). In conclusion, outdoor activities could reduce the onset and progression of myopia not only in children, but also in young adults. In addition, CUVAF represents an objective, non-invasive biomarker of outdoor exposure that is inversely associated with myopia.

Engaging Environmental Sciences Students in Statistics through an Inclusive Experience in a Spanish University

In Spain, the issue of people with disability’s access to adapted educational material is still unresolved in the university context. Other insufficiently addressed issues comprise actions to include students with intellectual disability in university classrooms, and the awareness-raising and sensitisation of undergraduate students regarding disability. These deficiencies persist despite the known benefits of these types of initiatives for all the agents involved. For this reason, we carried out an inclusive experience at the Pablo de Olavide University, specifically in the statistics subject. Educational resources were adapted, inclusion activities were conducted with students with intellectual disability, and we were in charge of awareness-raising and sensitisation of undergraduate students. The present paper describes the experience as well as its evaluation, which was performed using a survey. Furthermore, the work compares the achievement of students with a more engaging system that incorporates inclusive teaching versus one that does not. The results, which were statistically analysed, report high levels of satisfaction for all the involved agents, as well as improvements in the academic performance of the students. Recommendations directed towards both teaching staff and educational authorities are also provided on how to promote inclusion in universities and more specifically inclusion in science. These suggested educational policies aim to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, based on the Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The degree of representing of earth and environmental sciences students at Yarmouk University for Islamic environmental educational values

The study aims to identify the degree to which students of earth and environmental sciences at Yarmouk University represent Islamic educational environmental values, and to reveal whether there are differences in the degree of assimilation due to the variables of sex and academic year. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive survey approach was used, and a questionnaire was prepared consisting of (50) items, distributed into (7) areas, and was applied to a sample of (110) male and female students. The results showed that the degree of students’ representation of Islamic environmental educational values is high, and that there are statistically significant differences in the students’ representation of the Islamic environmental educational values due to the academic level and for the benefit of students of levels (second and fourth) compared to first-level students, while there are no significant differences in the degree that represents Students' environmental values are attributed to the student's gender, or to the interaction between gender and academic level. The study recommended the adoption of environmental values stemming from the Noble Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet, and include it in the plans and courses of university programs, and all institutions must play their role in spreading environmental awareness among members of society.

Mobile learning in higher education environmental science: state of the field and future possibilities

Authentic, place-based learning is essential for students of ecological and environmental sciences, providing connection to the discipline and building environmental literacy (O’Neil et al. 2020). In a COVID-affected world where opportunities to provide field-based learning may be limited, evaluating how mobile technologies may be used to enhance the field-based learning experiences of students is increasingly important.&#x0D; Advances in mobile technologies have seen a surge in customised applications for species identification, data collection and collation aimed at public users and citizen scientists (e.g. iNaturalist: Unger et al. 2020; eBird: Sullivan et al. 2009; FrogID: Rowley et al. 2019). With field-based learning central to ecology and environmental science disciplines, there is a clear opportunity for the expanded use of mobile tools in higher education. We evaluated recent projects through a systematic review of the use of mobile learning technologies and approaches in field-based environmental sciences within higher education over the last decade.&#x0D; Our search criteria terms encompassed mobile learning, mobile devices, teaching methods, field-based learning, undergraduate students and science disciplines and identified 1613 initial records. After removing irrelevant and duplicate records, 130 studies were identified that implemented mobile learning within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with engineering (32/130 studies, 24.6%), geology and geosciences (17/130, 13.1%) and natural/environmental sciences (17/130, 13.1%) the most common. Narrowing this search again to field-based studies, we identified 18 records, most of which (12/18, 66.7%) were in geology and geosciences disciplines.&#x0D; A range of mobile learning technologies were used in the field, spanning the SAMR continuum (Laurillard 2012) from the substitution of traditional field activities with species identification apps (Pfeiffer et al. 2009; Thomas and Fellowes 2017), and augmentation of field experiences with multimedia resources such as podcasts (Jarvis and Dickie 2010) and other apps and resources viewed on mobile devices (Welsh et al. 2015; France et al. 2016; Unger et al. 2018), through to the modification and reinvention of field-based learning by incorporating multimedia displays, visualisations, games and information hotspots (Habib et al. 2012; Fitzpatrick et al. 2012; Bursztyn et al. 2015), virtual field trips and augmented reality (Stokes et al. 2010; Howard 2011; Litherland and Stott 2012; Kingston et al. 2012; Bursztyn et al. 2017; Prietnall et al. 2019), and customised apps that allow student-generated content (Chang et al. 2012) such as data collection, analysis and reflection (Chatterjea 2012; Wang et al. 2016). Studies used both enterprise and custom-built tools, with most incorporating geolocation capabilities.&#x0D; Our review criteria only identified two studies in ecology disciplines, both of which utilised an existing enterprise application for species identification (Pfeiffer et al. 2009; Thomas and Fellowes 2017). There remains ample opportunity to develop collaborative mobile learning systems that use custom-built applications for field data collection and are integrated with the learning management systems, such as those in development in collaborative international projects (Bone et al. 2020). We strongly encourage the exploration of the potential for mobile learning in these contexts, and the publication of other projects that have incorporated mobile tools in ecological and environmental sciences curricula.

Pesticides in My Smoothie Bowl?

Teaching resources, especially active learning pedagogy, are scarce for toxicology compared to what is available for other disciplines. Ecological and human health risk assessment&nbsp;are important aspects of toxicology and are routinely used by government agencies to regulate the registration and usage of many chemicals. Most traditional toxicology classes do not cover how such risk assessments are carried out in real-world scenarios. We developed this case study to introduce concepts and processes of ecological and human health risk assessment in pesticide registration by the U.S. EPA. In Part 1, dialogues among three college friends introduce organic food, pesticides, and the concept of risk. Part 2 and Part 3 build on Part 1 and focus on ecological risk assessment and human health risk assessment, respectively. At the end of each section, students select appropriate exposure and toxicity endpoints to perform a mini-risk assessment and draw conclusions regarding risk. In Part 4, students examine real pesticide monitoring data in various foods and perform basic data organization and analysis. This case is appropriate for upper-level college students taking toxicology or other environmental science related courses. With modifications, the case study may also be suitable for introductory level environmental and biological science students. <em>Primary image:&nbsp;</em>Assortment of fruit. This image shows some common fruit and fruit drinks.

Information literacy skills and learning gaps– Students' experiences and teachers' perceptions in interdisciplinary environmental science

Despite the ease of accessing information in the digital age, environmental science students need information literacy (IL) to competently tackle complex problems and sustainability challenges. Students' experiences and teachers' perceptions of student IL skills in an environmental science program were investigated through student questionnaires and teacher interviews to identify students IL competence and eventual learning gaps in the program. Students expressed confidence in IL, more strongly in basic skills such as information search and source criticism than advanced skills; critical thinking and analysing, interpreting, and creating information. They found formulating problems and locating and assessing information to be challenging, despite repeated training in tutorial groups. Teachers similarly perceived students to be most competent in accessing relevant information while using information is more challenging. This could be linked to the complexity and interdisciplinarity environmental science. Findings suggest that IL learning gaps could be bridged by greater focus on systematic IL training, intentional training on advanced skills, and iterative training of both basic and advanced skills by strengthening faculty and librarians collaborative teaching.

Teaching Reform of Environmental Impact Assessment Course Focusing on Practical Ability Training

The environmental impact assessment course is a comprehensive and practical course for environmental science and engineering major. Environmental impact assessment is also an important employment direction for environmental science and engineering students after graduation. Continuous research on the teaching reform of this course is necessary for cultivating talents with strong creativity and practical ability. Based on the analysis of the current situation of the course teaching, it is proposed to update content of course, appropriately increase class hours, highlight the case-based practice teaching, clarify the teaching goals, highlight the direction of employment (environmental impact assessment engineers), focus on cultivating application and innovation capabilities, reform achievement assessment methods and other corresponding measures and solutions.

The Field Experience as a Potential Barrier to Underrepresented Minority Student Participation in Ecological Sciences

The Field Experience as a Potential Barrier to Underrepresented Minority Student Participation in Ecological Sciences

Engaging Students in the Development of an Atmospheric Science Course: A Discourse Analysis

Aims: With increasing emphasis on learners-centered approach in teaching and learning, engaging students in course development and refinement is crucial. This study aims to foster a participatory approach in course development by engaging students in meaningful discourse at the early stage of an atmospheric science course.&#x0D; Study design: This is a qualitative study which employed the grounded theory for data analysis.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in March 2021 in an international higher learning institution located in the Guangdong Province of China.&#x0D; Methodology: This qualitative study invited a year 3 cohort of environmental science students taking an atmospheric science and pollution course in an international higher learning institution in China to participate in a meaningful discourse about the course in week 2 of the semester. Their responses were transcribed and the transcripts analyzed with NVIVO based on the grounded theory. The transcripts were coded, the themes were drawn and the relationship was probed.&#x0D; Results: This study identified three overarching themes from the codes, namely assessment, course contents and learning activities, whose codes covered 4.5%, 17.8% and 23.1% of the text respectively. Codes for assessment comprise practical assignment and multiple-choice question, while those for course contents include black carbon, modelling, greenhouse gases, zero-carbon, and removal of Freon. Codes for learning activities include case studies, debate, field trips and quizzes. The words most frequently appeared in the transcripts are learning and field. The findings reflect expectations for interactive learning, simulation-based learning, authentic assignments and activities, experiential learning via field trips and problem-based learning. These are in line with the established pedagogies for environmental science.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study shifts the paradigm of students’ engagement in the increasingly learner-centered educational setting where students are proactively involved in course development in the early stage of teaching and learning instead of reactively involved through feedback collection at advanced stages.

Meteorological Pursuit a case study of Hafiz Hayat Campus, University of Gujrat, Pakistan

Being an important phenomenon “Weather Observation” or “Meteorology” is not only interesting for Meteorologists but also for environmentalists and geologists as well. So for this an internship program was held at University of Gujrat Hafiz Hayat Campus, in a newly maintained Met Office, where appointed Official Weather Observers supervised this work. So in this way this is a wonderful chance to become a part of Starting Weather observation at UOG, being the students of Environmental Sciences. A group of students worked as internees.

Introducing electronic circuits and hydrological models to postsecondary physical geography and environmental science students: systems science, circuit theory, construction, and calibration

Abstract. A classroom activity involving the construction, calibration, and testing of electronic circuits was introduced to an advanced hydrology class at the postsecondary level. Two circuits were constructed by students: (1) a water detection circuit and (2) a hybrid relative humidity (RH)/air temperature sensor and pyranometer. The circuits motivated concepts of systems science, modelling in hydrology, and model calibration. Students used the circuits to collect data useful for providing inputs to mathematical models of hydrological processes. Each student was given the opportunity to create a custom hydrological model within the context of the class. This is an example of constructivist teaching where students engage in the creation of meaningful knowledge, and the instructor serves as a facilitator to assist students in the achievement of a goal. Analysis of student-provided feedback showed that the circuit activity motivated, engaged, and facilitated learning. Students also found the activity to be a novel and enjoyable experience. The theory of circuit operation and calibration is provided along with a complete bill of materials (BOM) and design files for replication of this activity in other postsecondary classrooms. Student suggestions for improvement of the circuit activity are presented along with additional applications.