Environmental Awareness, Attitudes, and Actions: Examining Changes in Students and Determining Curriculum Needs

Overview: This qualitative study presents changes in students’ environmental awareness, attitudes, and actions while in a social work program and where students feel environmental content could strengthen the social work curriculum to increase their knowledge, values, and skills about environmental justice as deemed necessary by CSWE Competencies 3 and 5.Proposal text: PURPOSE
This poster presentation will highlight a qualitative study that explores the environmental awareness, attitudes, and actions of BSW/MSW social work students. The focus of the study is to understand to what extent students feel they have become more aware of environmental justice issues during their social work education. This study is used to assist in environmental justice curriculum development.

OBJECTIVES
To examine if students in the social work program have had an increase in awareness about environmental justice
To examine if students’ attitudes about environmental justice shifted since enrolling in the social work program.
To examine, if awareness and attitudes have shifted, if students are taking action to support the shift.
To examine if students have taken actions to promote environmental justice since enrolling in the social work program.
To examine students’ level of interest in environmental justice and where students feel it would fall best in the social work curriculum.

METHODS
This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured focus groups and a qualitative survey. Each focus group was conducted and recorded on Zoom. The sampling for the study was purposive BSW/MSW students completing their final semester. Students were recruited via email and announcements. A random drawing for a gift card was offered for participation. Participation was voluntary.

Each focus group was recorded in Zoom, then transcribed by the Primary Investigator. Next, the research team, Primary Investigator and two Research Investigators, individually analyzed each transcription using Taguette to code for themes. The qualitative survey answers were placed into an excel chart and reviewed separately by each team member. The research team then compared findings for similarities and differences. Through this analysis researchers were able to identify emerging themes as well as outlying information of interest.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
Three semi-structured focus groups in 2020 had a total of 11 BSW/MSW participants. In 2021, two semi-structured focus groups had 10 BSW/MSW participants. An average of 14% of graduating students participated each year. Researchers anticipated low participation since the roll out of the study happened at the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. During the 2021 focus groups participants suggested sending a qualitative survey to other students since many were unavailable for meetings beyond classes. The qualitative survey added 20 participants to the data collection increasing participation to 39%.

Student participation was rich and meaningful. Emerging themes included the importance of nature and resources, the role of the media, corruption in business and politics, and the need to increase knowledge of environmental impact in social work. Participants supported more environmental justice content in the social work curriculum, provided via an elective and/or immersion across the curriculum. This study also revealed that heightened awareness can result in heightened anxiety about environmental issues. By strengthening the environmental content in the social work curriculum, and well as equipping students with knowledge for taking action, student competencies are increased, and students are prepared to address the Grand Challenge on creating social responses to a changing environment.