Investigating groundwater: Middle school students’ mapping data-driven, computer-based models to socio-hydrologic phenomena

Towards water literacy: an interdisciplinary analysis of standards for teaching and learning about humans and Water

“…Water literacy is key to support understanding and sustainable management of these systems. Research has shown the importance of water education in developing awareness and promoting behaviors which are consistent with water conservation efforts across PK-12 education (Amahmid et al, 2019;Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;Bodzin, 2008;Çoban et al, 2011;Davis, 2005;Endreny, 2009;Fremerey et al, 2014;Gunckel et al, 2012;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Pan & Liu, 2018;Simonds et al, 2018;Spellerberg et al, 2004;White et al, 2022), as well as undergraduate education (Halvorson & Westcoat, 2002;Owens et al, 2020;Petitt & Forbes, 2019;Sabel et al, 2017;White & Forbes, 2021). Nevertheless, the disparate and discipline-specificity of standards and their translation across the curriculum present challenges for students and teachers alike (Çoban et al, 2011;Covitt et al, 2009;Dean et al, 2016;Martínez-Borreguero et al, 2020;NRC, 2012;Pan & Liu, 2018;Sadler et al, 2017;Shepardson et al, 2007;UNESCO, 2015).…”

“…Education about natural and human dimensions of Earth's water systems is critical to help students develop knowledge, skills, and values that promote sustainable water resource use (Barab et al, 2007;Bodzin, 2008;Çoban et al, 2011;Covitt et al, 2009;Davis, 2005;Endreny, 2009;Halvorson & Westcoat, 2002;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;King et al, 2012;McCarroll & Hammann, 2020;Moreno-Guerrero et al, 2020;Pan & Liu, 2018;Roth & Lee, 2004;Sammel, 2014;Simonds et al, 2018;Spellerberg et al, 2004). Prior research has investigated teaching and learning about water and its relationship with human systems in very young children (Davis, 2005), the elementary grades (Bodzin, 2008;Endreny, 2009;Gunckel et al, 2012;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Shepardson et al, 2007;Simonds et al, 2018), middle school (Amahmid et al, 2019;Belland et al, 2015;Çoban et al, 2011;Gunckel et al, 2012;Pan & Liu, 2018;Shepardson et al, 2007;Simonds et al, 2018;Spellerberg et al, 2004;White et al, 2022), secondary levels (Amahmid et al, 2019;Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;Fremerey et al, 2014;Gunckel et al, 2012;…”

“…Prior research has investigated teaching and learning about water and its relationship with human systems in very young children (Davis, 2005), the elementary grades (Bodzin, 2008;Endreny, 2009;Gunckel et al, 2012;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Shepardson et al, 2007;Simonds et al, 2018), middle school (Amahmid et al, 2019;Belland et al, 2015;Çoban et al, 2011;Gunckel et al, 2012;Pan & Liu, 2018;Shepardson et al, 2007;Simonds et al, 2018;Spellerberg et al, 2004;White et al, 2022), secondary levels (Amahmid et al, 2019;Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;Fremerey et al, 2014;Gunckel et al, 2012;Pan & Liu, 2018;Shepardson et al, 2007;Spellerberg et al, 2004), and undergraduate classrooms (Halvorson & Westcoat, 2002;Owens et al, 2020;Petitt & Forbes, 2019;Sabel et al, 2017;White & Forbes, 2021). These studies provide collective evidence for approaches to teaching and learning through which students can develop a better understanding about coupled human-natural water systems, including incorporation of sustainability topics about water (Çoban et al, 2011;Davis, 2005), use of visualizations and representations (Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Pan & Liu, 2018), place-based inquiry (Endreny, 2009;Halvorson & Westcoat, 2002;…”

“…However, this same research also documents and highlights challenging aspects of socio-hydrologic systems for students, as well as teachers. Although water-focused teaching and learning can help students develop a more comprehensive understanding of water systems (Çoban et al, 2011;Davis, 2005;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;McCarroll & Hamann, 2020), research indicates that students exhibit fragmented or incomplete understanding about socio-hydrologic systems posing them difficulties for making connections between water and its natural and human components (Çoban et al, 2011;Covitt et al, 2009;Gunckel et al, 2012;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Martínez-Borreguero et al, 2020;McCarroll & Hamman, 2020;Pan & Liu, 2018;Sadler et al, 2017;Shepardson et al, 2007;White et al, 2022), including those that are most pertinent to them (Fremerey et al, 2014;Gunkel et al, 2012;Shepardson et al, 2007). Water education experiences may not provide students sufficient opportunities to build upon prior knowledge and consider the location and social environment, nor their inherent values and ethical dimensions (Amahmid et al, 2019;Belland et al, 2015;Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;Covitt et al, 2009;Dean et al, 2016;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Littledyke, 2008;McCarroll & Hamann, 2020;Martínez-Borreguero et al, 2020;Shepardson et al, 2007).…”

“…Water education experiences may not provide students sufficient opportunities to build upon prior knowledge and consider the location and social environment, nor their inherent values and ethical dimensions (Amahmid et al, 2019;Belland et al, 2015;Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;Covitt et al, 2009;Dean et al, 2016;Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2011;Littledyke, 2008;McCarroll & Hamann, 2020;Martínez-Borreguero et al, 2020;Shepardson et al, 2007). When students investigate these relations, they seem to overemphasize the human components with which they are most familiar (Ben-zvi-Assarf & Orion, 2005;White et al, 2022), or have difficulties linking different concepts of water systems with practical aspects occurring within their own context (Shepardson et al, 2007). These gaps can also be reflected at the undergraduate level (Petitt & Forbes, 2019;Halvorson & Westcoat, 2002;Johnson & Courter, 2020).…”