Examining Instructional Factors That Develop Environmental Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge:

Future generations are inheriting a world filled with complex, environmental decisions to make on a global scale. In response, curriculum focused on humanity’s relationship with the environment is one of the fastest trending areas within higher education. Uniquely within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) system, all four-year universities require students to enroll in a “People and the Environment” course that contains learning outcomes focused on contemporary environmental challenges as well as the interconnectedness between the natural environment and human society. The current research examined these courses across three MNSCU universities through administering a pre- and post-course instrument to students that measured growth in environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. The results indicate statistically significant differences between participants’ pre- and post- environmental knowledge scores, especially when compared to a larger sample of Minnesotans. Additionally, a post-course instrument administered to the faculty regarding their instructional methods suggests that specific instructional methods—including team teaching—were correlated with significant gains in student learning outcomes. Overall, the study reveals specific approaches in evaluating learning outcomes as well as best practices for future coursework based on environmental education.