COS 256-5 - Impacts of an interrupted case study focused on urban prairie restoration on student knowledge and perspective of rangeland ecosystems

Background/Question/Methods

Engaging students in meaningful discussions can be a challenging task for science instructors. The case study method compliments other active learning methods and develops students’ critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills. We developed an interrupted case study focused on a real-world example of a 40-acre native prairie restoration in an urban park in Austin, TX. Our student learning goals were to (1) critically discuss how changing human perspectives about fire has influenced land management and cover; (2) graphically represent data and interpret scientific results; (3) evaluate the impacts of woody encroachment and prescribed fire on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and (4) evaluate the costs and benefits of restoration in urban ecosystems. During the fall semester of 2021, we used this case study in two sections of an undergraduate Environmental Science class at St. Edward’s University, which included 40 students total. Students were asked to fill out a survey before and after participating in the activity, which included questions about their knowledge of and attitudes towards rangelands, their ecosystem services, woody encroachment, grazing, and fire.

Results/Conclusions

Results from the surveys indicated that students’ knowledge of rangelands and the ecosystem services they provide increased after participating in this activity. Students reported having a greater understanding of what a rangeland is in the post-survey (averaging 3.2 on a scale of 1 to 5) compared to the pre-survey (averaging 2.1). They also listed more ecosystem services associated with rangelands in the post-survey (averaging 3.8) than pre-survey (3.1). In particular, an increased understanding of how rangelands can be important carbon sinks was evident, as only 30% of students checked off “carbon storage” as an ecosystem service that rangelands provide on the pre-survey compared to 80% on the post survey. Interestingly, there was no difference in students’ pre- and post-survey responses to a question about the value of rangelands to urban communities (averaging 3.3 versus 3.2) even though anecdotal evidence suggested that there would be, as students were clearly engaged in a lively discussion around this topic. We plan to use this case study during Spring 2022, collect and analyze more survey and course assessment data, and publish the case study in a pedagogical journal so other instructors may benefit.