Assessing the effect of systems simulations on systems understanding in undergraduate environmental science courses
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2010
Publication Title
28th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society
Abstract
This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of system dynamics simulations on systems understanding in undergraduate environmental science courses. The performance of 298 students in four sections was measured at several points during the semester. Half the students used system dynamics simulations in their assignments; the other half did not. Results of regression analysis show that performance on systems questions immediately following the intervention was significantly better for the experimental group than the control. The study also highlighted some problems in the assessment framework we used and led to suggestions for improving both the systems interventions and the assessment tools.
Keywords
Ecology -- Study and teaching; Ecosystems -- Study and teaching (Higher); Environmental management -- Study and teaching (Higher)
Disciplines
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Environmental Sciences
Language
English
Permissions
Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or use interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the article. Publisher copyright policy allows author to archive post-print (author’s final manuscript). When post-print is available or publisher policy changes, the article will be deposited
Repository Citation
Stave, K. A.,
Skaza, H.
(2010).
Assessing the effect of systems simulations on systems understanding in undergraduate environmental science courses.
28th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/sea_fac_articles/194