| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.63 |
| Liaison | Yaffa Grossman |
| Submission Date | May 19, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Beloit College
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 4.00 |
Lindsay
Chapman Sustainability Coordinator Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students (i.e. an assessment focused on student knowledge of sustainability topics and challenges)?:
Yes
Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
The entire (or predominate) student body, directly or by representative sample
Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
Standalone evaluation without a follow-up assessment of the same cohort or representative samples
A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
A sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
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A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
Beloit College's Sustainability Literacy Survey was developed by the Sustainability Steering Committee. After review of other college's assessments, the steering committee decided that it wanted Beloit Students to not only know national issues, but also to understand local and regional issues, as many of our students are from all around the U.S. and internationally as well. During the spring 2015 semester the steering committee thoughtfully crafted questions that would help the college identify areas of improvement as far as sustainability content in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities and work opportunities within the sustainability department.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
The Beloit College Sustainability Literacy Assessment was administered anonymously through SurveyMonkey, an online survey tool. Student Residential Assistants agreed to promote the survey during their floor meetings and house meetings. We also promoted the survey in the dining locations on campus, as well as through student email.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s), including a description of any measurable changes over time:
Results of the survey found that, generally, seniors had a richer knowledge of sustainability issues than freshman. There was widespread knowledge of what can and cannot be recycled, with less knowledge about ballpark figures on the college's impact in regards to energy, water, and trash. Science majors had better knowledge of threats to local waterways. Knowledge and perception of food issues was equally distributed between the four classes of students.
Some of the answers have sparked additional questions from the steering committee. These additional questions will be addressed during the spring of 2016 in the form of student focus groups to understand the answers in a deeper way. Most of the additional questions deal with social sustainability, for example: why is involvement in sustainability perceived to be from white female students, and how can we attract a more diverse students into sustainability initiatives? Another question revolves around student activity levels--why do students not prioritize their health through regular exercise? The Sustainability Steering Committee intends to conduct this literacy survey every year for the foreseeable future in the fall semester just for freshman, and then each spring semester for the larger student body.
Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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