From polyps to politics: using a coral reef living laboratory in a politics of sustainability course

Abstract

Teaching Global Environmental Politics faces several challenges to meet student learning objectives. For one, the interdisciplinary nature of global environmental politics requires significant knowledge of environmental issues, as well as political science, economics, business, and science. Often students feel uncomfortable with the science undergirding the environmental issues, especially since a majority of the students are not science majors. Two, students struggle with making the various connections between the environmental issues themselves, e.g., how deforestation contributes to global warming. Three, students encounter problems taking the concepts and theories learned in the readings and applying them to case studies. To address these challenges and improve student learning, a faculty-student team integrated a coral reef living laboratory into a Politics of Sustainability course which focuses on Global Environmental Politics. This article provides empirical evidence of improved student learning outcomes by using pre/post assessment tools, student surveys, and faculty journals.

Appendices

Appendix I Rubric for sustainability

Sustainability

Students who complete the Sustainability requirement of the General Education program will be able to analyze and evaluate the impacts of societal practices on the environment and to analyze, evaluate, and develop alternative approaches which would support current human endeavors without compromising the ability of future generations to support their own endeavors.

Score	4	3	2	1	0
Description	Demonstrates excellence Fully addresses and completes	Demonstrates control Appropriately addresses and completes	Demonstrates competence Partially addresses and/or completes	Suggest lack of competence Irrelevant treatment of elements and topics and/or does not complete a task	Demonstrate lack of competence Does not complete the tasks and/or provides a mere restatement
Knowledge and evaluation Understanding of natural systems and principles	• Concepts are completely understood • Student provides evidence of thoughtful contribution adds new ideas, concepts, or information • Student can present an insightful position on the issue and form an opinion • Student demonstrates excellence when answering questions and shows ease at critical/reflective thinking • Significantly knowledgeable natural systems	• The main idea of the concepts has been very well conveyed • Student present a well-considered opinion • Student appropriately answers questions and at critical/reflective thinking with some supporting details • Showcases a working knowledge of natural systems aspects	• The main idea of the concept is to some extent clear • Student may provide evidence related to the main topic but with difficulties • Student may or not present a clear position on the issue, may or not form an opinion • Student has difficulties answering and shows minimal critical/reflective thinking with some supporting details • Knowledge of natural systems for the basic level exists superficially	• The main idea of the concepts is somewhat unclear even with supporting evidence • Student provides irrelevant and/or no evidence related to the topic • Student presents vague/limited or no position on the issue • Student lacks ability answering questions that refers to major concepts • Knowledge about natural systems for the basic level is vague or stereotypical	• Little or no effort has been made to understand the concepts • Little or no effort has been made to address the topic • Is unclear or seriously limited in developing a position • Student lacks ability and knowledge cannot answer simple questions • Student is largely uninformed of the principles of natural systems
Research and observation Ability to observe ecological systems in the built environment and how they interact with human activities	• Student makes detailed, accurate, and timely observations capturing both general trends and nuisance • Student fully understands how ecological systems develop within built environments	• Student makes detailed, accurate, and timely observations with only limited recording of general trends and nuisance • Student understands how ecological systems develop within built environments but omits supporting details	• Student makes detailed, accurate, and timely observations with no recording of general trends and nuisance • The main idea of the ecological systems is to some extent clear	• Student observations are incomplete • The main idea of ecological systems somewhat unclear even with supporting evidence	• Little or no effort has been made to record observations • Little or no effort has been made to understand ecological systems
Analysis Ability to analyze the environmental impacts of business and social practices and present their ideas in an paper	• Ideas are articulately presented and all information is correct • Ideas are well structured and all information correctly supports the concept • Fully understand the environmental impacts of the action including past, present, future, and cumulative impacts • Paper is very well organize and cohesive • Excellent command of codes of the written language (grammar structures, orthography, punctuation)	• Ideas are well presented and all information is correct • Ideas are well structured and most of the information correctly supports the concept • Fully understand the environmental impacts of the action including past, present, future, impacts • Paper is well organize and cohesive • Good command of codes of the written language (grammar structures, orthography, punctuation)	• Ideas are competently presented and most information is correct • Ideas are adequately structured and most of the information correctly supports the concept • Main ideas of the environmental impacts of the action are understood • Paper is organize and cohesive • Adequate command of codes of the written language (grammar structures, orthography, punctuation)	• Ideas are incomplete and/or information is incorrect • Ideas are poorly structured and/or most of the information does not support the concept • Environmental impacts of the action are not understood • Paper is not well organized or cohesive • Poor command of codes of the written language (grammar structures, orthography, punctuation)	• Little or no effort has been put into the paper resulting in ideas that are incomplete and/or information is incorrect • Ideas are missing and/or most of the information does not relate to the main idea • Environmental impacts of the action are not discussed • Paper lacks organization • Little effort has been made to follow codes of the written language (grammar structures, orthography, punctuation)
Application Ability to develop alternative practices that utilize efficiency, conservation, and use of renewable resources to support human endeavors using sustainable practices Ability to present the application of their ideas in a paper	• Integrates specific knowledge, observation, and analysis to present sustainable business practices which include detailed economic, social, and environmental impacts • Presents the ideas in a well-articulated paper	• Integrates knowledge, observation, and analysis to present sustainable business practices which include limited economic, social, and environmental impacts • Presents the ideas in a well presented paper	• Integrates general knowledge, observation, and analysis to present sustainable business practices • Presents the ideas in an adequately presented paper	• Integrates limited or incomplete knowledge, observation, and analysis to present sustainable business practices • Presentation of ideas is incomplete	• Is unable to present a proposal for sustainable business practices • Little or no effort has been put into the paper resulting in ideas that are incomplete

Appendix II

Please answer the following multiple choice questions as best you can by circling the answer. If you do not know the answer, you can leave it blank. This pre-assessment is not graded and remain anonymous. I will use this pre-assessment to help adjust this course and future courses to meet your needs and improve student learning here at Rosemont.

• 1. The tragedy of the commons:

  • a. Results from an inherent tension between collective and individual responsibility

  • b. Can always be resolves through privatization of the commons

  • c. Is independent of the carrying capacity of the common

  • d. All of the above

• 2. Realist approaches to environmental politics:

  • a. Emphasize the role of institutions in regulating the environment

  • b. Focuses on the questions of state power and interests

  • c. Emphasizes the role played by epistemic communities of scientists

  • d. Focuses on the dissemination of environmental norms

• 3. The ‘precautionary principle’:

  • a. Has been promoted by the United States

  • b. Advocates for a higher standard for environmental action

  • c. Has become less popular over time

  • d. Focuses on being cautious about what environmental regulations get implemented

• 4. The regime under which the production and trading of CFCs and other ozone depleting substances would be progressively phased out is:

  • a. The Montreal Protocol

  • b. The ChloroFlouroCarbon Treaty

  • c. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

  • d. None of the above

• 5. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:

  • a. Was set up in 1998 under the auspices of WMO and UNEP

  • b. Focuses on climate science, impacts, and economic and social dimensions of climate change

  • c. Has concluded that warming of the climate system is unequivocal

  • d. All of the above

• 6. What is the goal of sustainable development?

  • a. Using profits from industries to fund environmental projects

  • b. Restructuring industries so that they produce no pollution

  • c. Replacing industrial output with agricultural output

  • d. Meeting the needs of human beings without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

• 7. What economist predicted that population would grow at a rate that would outstrip humanity’s ability to feed itself, leading to famine and disease?

  • a. Karl Marx

  • b. Thomas Malthus

  • c. David Ricardo

  • d. Adam Smith

• 8. Which of the following agreements, reached in 1997, seeks to address global warming by reducing the level of greenhouse gases emitted by industrialized states?

  • a. The Montreal Protocol

  • b. The Kyoto Protocol

  • c. The Copenhagen Protocol

  • d. The Cancun Protocol

• 9. Which of the following are possible reasons why the United States withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol?

  • a. Developing countries are not bound by the protocol

  • b. The evidence on the causes of global warming is thought to be incomplete

  • c. The costs of reducing greenhouse gases are high

  • d. All of the above

• 10. The international regime that protects and helps restores coral reefs is:

  • a. Treaty on the Protection of Coral Reefs

  • b. Common Oceans Initiative

  • c. International Conference for Coral Reefs

  • d. There is no such regime

• 11. What makes coral reefs bleach?

  • a. They get too big

  • b. There are too many fish

  • c. The temperature and salinity in the water changes

  • d. They want to be camouflaged with the ocean floor

• 12. How much do coral reefs contribute to the world’s economy each year?

  • a. USD $375,000

  • b. USD $3.75 million

  • c. USD $375 billion

  • d. USD $375 trillion

• 13. What is a major threat to coral reefs?

  • a. Man-eating sharks

  • b. Global climate change

  • c. Pirates

  • d. Asteroids

• 14. What is a coral reef?

  • a. A fossilized remnant of rainforests that were once above the water

  • b. Foundation of stone with different types of marine growth covering it

  • c. Made from stony corals and discharged limestone skeletons

  • d. Marine plants that have died and fossilized

• 15. How does a coral reef contribute to the environment?

  • a. It buffers coastal areas from storms and powerful waves

  • b. It benefits tourist trade

  • c. It changes the pH of the ocean waters

  • d. It prevents global warming by absorbing CO₂ from the atmosphere

• 16. What is a polyp?

  • a. A protrusion from the reef

  • b. A single coral

  • c. Digestive gland of the coral

  • d. A host for the coral

• 17. What do algae gain from coral?

  • a. Algae feed on scraps of undigested fish bones

  • b. Coral supplies carbon, nitrates, and phosphates

  • c. Algae feed on plant growths that irritate coral

  • d. Algae gain nothing from coral

• 18. What is the substance the polyps secrete?

  • a. Calcium carbonate

  • b. Phosphate

  • c. Sodium chloride

  • d. Nitrogen

• 19. Global warming is causing coral to:

  • a. Become different colors

  • b. Bleach

  • c. Become bigger

  • d. None of the above

• 20. What percentage of marine fish species inhabits coral reefs?

  • a. 5

  • b. 10

  • c. 25

  • d. 40

• 21. Which of the following conditions is threatening coral reefs?

  • a. Increased levels of pollution in the water

  • b. Changes in salt water acidity

  • c. Global warming

  • d. All of the above

• 22. Acids are found on the pH scale between the numbers:

  • a. 0–7

  • b. 7–14

  • c. 14–21

  • d. 22+

• 23. What gas to most scientists believe causes temperatures in the atmosphere to rise?

  • a. Carbon dioxide

  • b. Hydrogen

  • c. Helium

  • d. Radon

• 24. How does ocean acidification affect coral reefs?

  • a. It reduces the food source for the corals

  • b. It dissolves their protective shells

  • c. It prevents them from moving freely in the water

  • d. It makes their protective shells too hard

• 25. How does land-based pollution affect coral reefs?

  • a. Increased nutrients in water (eutrophication) leading to decreased oxygen

  • b. Sediment deposited onto reefs smothers corals

  • c. Pesticides interfere with coral reproduction and growth

  • d. All of the above

For the following questions, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements by using the following scales: 1—strongly disagree; 2—disagree; 3—neutral; 4—agree; 5—strongly agree.

• 1. I can explain the difference between Mathusian and Cornucopian perspectives about environment. _______

• 2. I can explain why and how anarchy impacts international negotiations on environmental issues. ___________

• 3. I can explain what a veto state is and how a state becomes one. ______________

• 4. I can explain the difference between hard and soft laws. ________________

• 5. I can explain the tragedy of the commons. ____________

• 6. I can describe the domestic political factors that affect the strength of an international regime. __________

• 7. I can explain the tension between Global South and Global North over environmental issues. __________

• 8. I can describe a veto coalition and explain how it can be overcome. ______________

• 9. I can explain the positive and negative impacts of globalization on the environment. __________

• 10. I can explain the causes, sources, and potential solutions to the degradation of coral reefs. _____________

Please circle the appropriate response below:

• Male Female

• First Year Sophomore Junior Senior

• How many political science course have you taken in college (approx..)? ________________

• What is your current major? ____________________

Appendix III

Your thoughts are very important. Please take the time to think carefully about these questions. We will read all of your answers and use them to improve future courses and programs at Rosemont College.

Please list the five most valuable things related to the coral reef experiments as you remember them now:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What were your expectations when you started the coral reef experiments?

What happened during the coral reef experiments? Did the experiments match your expectations?

How do you think the coral reef experiments helped your learning in this course?

How do you think the coral reef experiments hindered your learning in this course?

For the following questions, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements by using the following scales.

1—strongly disagree; 2—disagree; 3—neutral; 4—agree; 5—strongly agree

• 1. I can explain the causes, sources, and potential solutions to the degradation of coral reefs. __________

• 2. The Coral Reef experiments increased my interest in science. ___________

• 3. The Coral Reef experiments increased my interest in coral reefs. ____________

• 4. The Coral Reef experiments helped me understand marine ecosystems. _________

• 5. The Coral Reef experiments helped me understand global environmental issues. __________

• 6. The Coral Reef experiments helped me understand the importance of consistent and clear data management when conducting experiments. ___________

• 7. The Coral Reef experiments helped me make connections between theories learned in class and how they work in the real world. ____________

• 8. The Coral Reef experiments taught me about working as a team on a research project. __________

For the following questions, please use the following scale to compare this course to other courses taken:

A = much less than other courses, B = less than other courses, C = the same as other courses, D = greater than other courses, E = much greater than other courses

• 9. The amount that I learned in the course. ________

• 10. This course increased my interest in science. ________

• 11. This course helped me understand how to do scientific experiments ________

• 12. This course helped me make connections between theories learned in class and how they work in the real world. __________

Please circle the appropriate response below:

• Male Female

• First Year Sophomore Junior Senior

• How many political science courses have you taken in college (approximately)? _____________

• How many science courses have you taken in college (approximately)? ______________

• What is your current major? ____________________

Appendix IV

The first corpus is the open-ended section of the post-assessment survey completed by the students (first section of Appendix III). We ended up with eight master codes (with one of the master codes having three sub-codes):

• 1. Group work negative: “there were some issues in regards to group work”

• 2. Group work positive: “Team work helps the entire group understand the project”

• 3. Hard work/too much time: “it was a lot harder than expected”

• 4. Helped learning process: “helped me have a better understanding of environmental issues”

• 4a: Learned about scientific process: “always record the data/procedures how you do the experiment because different procedures between groups can cause problems”

• 4b: Learned about coral reefs: “I now know how delicate and difficult it is to just get coral to adjust to new environments”

• 4c: Active learning: “Doing the experiments, rather than simply reading about the coral reefs, made me more interested in this topic by actively participating”

• 5. Hurt learning process: “The coral reef experiment did not help me that much with learning in the course”

• 6. Fun/interesting: “The experiments helped me get in touch with the marine biology love I had as a child I lost growing up”

• 7. Support: “[Peer mentor] was a great help”

• 8. Location and laboratory setup: “Location—convenient”

The second corpus is the faculty/peer mentor journals. All three participants (two faculty members and the peer mentor) kept journals throughout the coral reef experiments. The two coders ended up with seven master codes (with four different sub-codes):

• 1. Student engagement: “Students are more engaged and getting it at this point”

• 2. Relationships/interactions: “[Faculty member and peer mentor] answered questions and stayed by the lab in case anyone needed help”

• 2a: Peer mentor relations: “I was excited that a couple of students asked me [the peer mentor] questions and sought me out for help and advice”

• 2b: Faculty relations: “Working with his class and getting to know his students from a capacity outside of their professor was very interesting from a teaching point of view. I felt and was treated more like a peer”

• 3. Active learning: “The team was really interested in this process and they took on to the procedure fairly quickly”

• 4. Effectiveness of assignments: “Team learned some new things”

• 4a: Applying learning: “In their summary, the group brought up a great question about ethics and science—is it okay for animals/living creatures to die for the public good?”

• 5. Faculty reflection: “This really allowed me to really understand what they know and don’t know so I can adjust my approach with teaching the material”

• 5a: Peer mentor reflection: “It’s been a pretty thrilling process getting these students involved and teaching them about coral reefs”

• 6. Drawbacks of the assignment: “Couple of issues with the teams”

• 7. Student reluctance: “Many looked a little nervous”