Sustainability survey to assess student perspectives

Bibliographic Data

ID21720946
AuthorsJames H Speer (0000-0003-1188-0552, Indiana State University), Virgil L Sheets (0000-0002-7333-7515, Indiana State University), Virgil Sheets, Tina M Kruger (Indiana State University), Stephen Aldrich (0000-0002-0492-2841, Indiana State University), Stephen Peter Aldrich, Nicholas McCreary (Indiana State University)
Year2020
Volume21
Issue6
Pages1151-1167
Publication date2020-07-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1467-6370 • E-ISSN: 1758-6739
PublisherEmerald (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1108/ijshe-06-2019-0197
OpenAlexW3042891488
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited12

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess environmental concern at a Midwest university, analyze trends in concern over time and determine the effect of the development of a campus sustainability office. Design/methodology/approach A multi-question survey was administered through peer-to-peer recruitment from an undergraduate environmental science class each fall from 2010–2017. This exercise was originally developed as a pedagogical exercise on the scientific method. Findings Over eight years, incoming freshmen have expressed more concern that humans are harming the environment and students also express greater concern as they progress through college. Research limitations/implications The first year of the survey (2010) and the year that the lead PI was on sabbatical (2014) saw reduced response rates (∼1%–3% of the student population) compared to 6%–9% of the student population in other years. Practical implications Responses to all of the questions in the survey provide guidance for university administrations and sustainability offices about the concerns of the campus community, awareness about campus efforts and support for sustainability activities on campus. Originality/value Few studies have been published on students’ perspectives on environmental concern and sustainability activities on university campuses. These data provide an overview of environmental concern, perceived government action and empowerment to action over an eight-year period. This approach is recommended as a technique to teach the scientific method in introductory classes and as a means to collect data about student perspectives on sustainability

Environmental education · Higher education · Medical education · Originality · Pedagogy · Political science · Population · Public relations · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Sustainability · Educational Environments and Student Outcomes · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Medicine · Psychology · Sustainability in Higher Education

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