Evaluating a dialogue-based approach to teaching about values and policy in graduate transdisciplinary environmental science programs

Abstract

This article discusses a formal evaluation of new curricular materials and activities designed to foster understanding of three key issues–expertise, risk, and sociopolitical constraints–related to values and policy in transdisciplinary environmental science. We begin by describing the three issues, along with current thinking about the most appropriate ways to address them in the context of transdisciplinary environmental science. We then describe how we created curricular materials and activities focusing on these three issues that could be tailored for use in a wide range of graduate environmental science programs. The curriculum was adapted by instructors for use in five graduate classes at two US universities, and we used a pre-test, post-test mixed methods design to evaluate its effects on students’ ethical reasoning about values and policy. The results of this evaluation suggest that our semi-structured, dialogue-based curriculum enhances student awareness of and reasoning about values and policy in environmental research. We close with several educational recommendations for transdisciplinary environmental science programs that are grounded in our experience with this curriculum.

Promoting transdisciplinary learning through a summer course on climate, water, and agriculture

“…Learning opportunities should be framed around challenging or wicked problems that demand transdisciplinary approaches and make knowledge more relevant to solving real‐world challenges (Pohl et al., 2017). Including an examination of the issues within the social context can help participants increase their understanding of the complexity of issues and understand how values, attitudes, and social relations underpin these problems (Eigenbrode et al., 2014; Hall et al., 2018). Presentations, readings, websites, and discussion of methodologies from a mix of disciplines can challenge thinking and help students integrate new concepts and ideas.…”

“…Not surprisingly, this work takes considerable time and effort, requiring a shift from disciplinary thinking, building trust and cooperation among group members, integrating different perspectives, dealing with tensions, and establishing common frameworks by which to develop goals and engage in effective action (Klenk & Meehan, 2015;Lang et al, 2012). Transdisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity often are used interchangeably, as both approaches involve the integration of knowledge across disciplines, with differences identified in transdisciplinarity's emphasis on inclusion of non-academic partners, application of knowledge, and use to address highly complex problems (Hall, Piso, Engebretson, & O'Rourke, 2018;Knapp, Reid, Fernández-Giménez, Klein, & Galvin, 2019;Lang et al, 2012;Pohl, 2011;Tress, Tress, & Fry, 2004;Wright Morton, Eigenbrode, & Martin, 2015).…”

“…Students gain experience with essential components of transdisciplinary work as they examine complex issues, theoretical and stakeholder perspectives, research methods, interconnections between the natural and social sciences, governance structures, values, controversies, and tradeoffs associated with environmental problems. Case studies of specific problems allow students to practice new skills and apply concepts to real-world situations (Basche et al, 2014;Chang et al, 2020;Francis et al, 2008;Hall et al, 2018;Lawrence-Dill et al, 2018;Monroe et al, 2015;O'Neill et al, 2019;Read et al, 2016;Roy et al, 2020). Additionally, participation in…”

“…Students gain experience with essential components of transdisciplinary work as they examine complex issues, theoretical and stakeholder perspectives, research methods, interconnections between the natural and social sciences, governance structures, values, controversies, and tradeoffs associated with environmental problems. Case studies of specific problems allow students to practice new skills and apply concepts to real‐world situations (Basche et al., 2014; Chang et al., 2020; Francis et al., 2008; Hall et al., 2018; Lawrence‐Dill et al., 2018; Monroe et al., 2015; O'Neill et al., 2019; Read et al., 2016; Roy et al., 2020). Additionally, participation in transdisciplinary grant projects enables students to work directly with faculty from diverse disciplines, receive mentoring, improve leadership skills, and develop a greater appreciation for transdisciplinary work, including its benefits and challenges (Basche et al., 2014; Eigenbrode et al., 2014; Monroe et al., 2015).…”

Leveraging integrative research for inclusive innovation: urine diversion and re-use in agriculture

“…In any of these contexts, active learning is better than passive absorption of content. Expertise in technical, ethical and policy domains necessary for transformations of our infrastructures is best seen as cumulative, collectively constructed, and elaborated in conversation (Hall et al, 2018).…”