Using Different Teaching Methods to Enhance Student Learning of Climate Change

Improving student learning in the classroom can be achieved by using multiple teaching methods in order to reach to students with varied learning styles.  Two general learning styles are visual and auditory.  In order to appeal to these learning styles, class materials on the climate change section of an environmental physiology class at the University of Georgia were presented via lectures,  assigned readings, discussion, and on-line materials.  Environmental physiology is an upper level class consisting mostly of juniors, seniors, and graduate students.  Three lectures were given within the broad topics of: 1) how current climate change differs from historical climate change; 2) predicted climate changes; and 3) how climate change will effect plant growth and production.  Eight short papers were assigned within the previously mentioned topics.  Students were asked to read these papers and develop questions for use in in-class discussions.  Discussions were led by student groups. Prior to covering the topic in class, a survey was given to the students to self-assess their knowledge of various topics related to climate change.  The survey asked students to rate whether they agreed or disagreed with a statement from 1 to 10.  The same survey was then given to students a week after the climate change section was concluded in class.  Students were also asked to rank the four teaching methods by how effective they felt the methods were in enhancing their knowledge of climate change. The self-assessment of the students indicated that their understanding of 10 of the 30 topics surveyed was significantly improved. The self-assessment also indicated better understanding of all other topics, although that improvement was not statistically significant for 20 of the 30 topics.  The two topics where students indicated their largest increase in understanding (response averages changed by 3) were: 1) You understand the physical process that causes increased CO₂ concentrations to raise the earth’s temperature and 2) There is much scientific controversy about whether climate change is actually happening.  Ranking of teaching methods found student preference to be: 1) lectures; 2) readings;  3) online materials;  and 4) in-class discussion.  However, rankings showed that each teaching method was preferred by at least one student.  This shows the benefit of using a variety of teaching methods to best meet student learning goals.