Asynchronous student engagement in analysis of climate data achieves learning objectives related to climate change understanding, statistical competence, and climate anxiety ...

• Main Authors: Meixner, T., Ciancarelli, B., Farrell, E. P., García, D. Silva, Josek, T., Kelly, M. M., Meister, P., Soule, D., Darner, R.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2023
• Subjects: Sociology; FOS Sociology; 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Biological sciences; Science Policy; ice core
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22354947.v2; https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Asynchronous_student_engagement_in_analysis_of_climate_data_achieves_learning_objectives_related_to_climate_change_understanding_statistical_competence_and_climate_anxiety/22354947/2

Learning in asynchronous online environments has gained importance over the last several decades, and educational environment shifts from the COVID-19 pandemic appear to have increased this need. Science educators and students need information about which approaches work in the asynchronous environment where informal feedback tends to be reduced, compared to other teaching modalities. In this study, we asynchronously implemented a learning module across 5 institutions that guided students (N = 199) from prescriptive data analysis through guided inquiry and eventually to open inquiry. The module focuses on the science behind climate change. Students work with the same authentic data sets used by professional scientists to examine geologic history and causes of climate change. By analyzing contemporary atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature data and then using the 800,000-year record available from the Vostok ice core proxy record of atmospheric properties, students identify the causes of climate change ...