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Evaluating STEM-Based Sustainability Understanding: A Cognitive Mapping Approach

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Listed:
  • Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers

    (RAND Corporation, Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department, Arlington, VA 22202, USA)

  • Christopher A. Craig

    (Arthur J. Bauenerfeind College of Business, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071, USA)

  • Emily Skonicki

    (Department of Social Science & Cultural Studies, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT 59101, USA)

  • Grace Gahlon

    (RAND Corporation, Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department, Arlington, VA 22202, USA)

  • Susan Gilbertz

    (Department of Social Science & Cultural Studies, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT 59101, USA)

  • Song Feng

    (Geosciences Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA)

Abstract

Management education holds promise for addressing deficiencies in interuniversity science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as sustainability curricula. Accordingly, we designed, developed, implemented, and longitudinally evaluated interdisciplinary STEM-based curricula in the United States. Students in five sections of business management courses and two sections of STEM courses received a STEM-based sustainability intervention (i.e., an interdisciplinary STEM and sustainability module). To assess student outcomes following the intervention and examine the feasibility of cognitive mapping as a student learning assessment tool, we implemented a pre- and post-course modified cognitive mapping assessment in treatment and comparison courses. To interpret the results, we ran descriptives, correlations, paired sample t tests, and principal component analysis. The t tests suggest that when all coding categories are considered, those participating in curricular interventions listed significantly more sustainability terms. The principal component analysis results demonstrate that treatment courses improved variability explained by 7.23% between pre- and post-tests but declined by 8.22% for comparison courses. Overall, linkages became stronger between parent code categories for treatment courses and weaker for comparison courses. These findings add to existing research related to cognitive mapping and demonstrate the ability of the method to capture changes in student outcomes after exposure to STEM-based sustainability curriculum.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers & Christopher A. Craig & Emily Skonicki & Grace Gahlon & Susan Gilbertz & Song Feng, 2021. "Evaluating STEM-Based Sustainability Understanding: A Cognitive Mapping Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-23, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:8074-:d:597480
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Uzma Omer & Muhammad Shoaib Farooq & Adnan Abid, 2020. "Cognitive Learning Analytics Using Assessment Data and Concept Map: A Framework-Based Approach for Sustainability of Programming Courses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Myria Allen, 2016. "Strategic Communication for Sustainable Organizations," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, Springer, edition 127, number 978-3-319-18005-2, May.
    3. Daniela Sellmann & Anne K. Liefl�nder & Franz X. Bogner, 2015. "Concept Maps in the Classroom: A New Approach to Reveal Students' Conceptual Change," The Journal of Educational Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 108(3), pages 250-257, April.
    4. Matthew D. Wood & Ann Bostrom & Todd Bridges & Igor Linkov, 2012. "Cognitive Mapping Tools: Review and Risk Management Needs," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(8), pages 1333-1348, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Juliana Fosua Gyasi & Lanqin Zheng & Yidan Zhou, 2021. "Perusing the Past to Propel the Future: A Systematic Review of STEM Learning Activity Based on Activity Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-27, August.

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