| Overall Rating | Platinum - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 88.31 |
| Liaison | James Gordon |
| Submission Date | May 31, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Thompson Rivers University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
James
Gordon Environmental Programs and Research Coordinator TRU Office of Environment and 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::
Pre- and post-assessment to the same cohort or to representative samples in both a pre- and post-test
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:
Here is a sample of questions from the 2015 TRU Sustainability Literacy Assessment (starting on page 11 of the above link):
Sustainability Knowledge
The following section includes general knowledge questions about environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Which one of the conditions below is a potential effect of climate change?
Expansion of habitat
Less severe weather
Expansion of deserts
Decrease in sea level
The best way to support a local economy, is to buy goods (groceries, clothing, toiletries, etc.):
At a large chain store
At farmer’s markets and stores that sell locally-produced goods
At locally-owned franchise restaurants
On the internet
Which of the following statements about water is true?
In some areas, inland lake levels are expected to decline
As polar ice caps melt, access to freshwater will increase
Many people in developing dry climates do not have access to clean drinking water; climate change will create more water in these areas.
Climate change does not threaten to decrease freshwater reserves
Which of the following is an example of environmental justice?
Urban citizens win a bill to have toxic wastes taken to rural communities
The government dams a river, flooding the land, to create a hydro-power for large cities
Indigenous communities are involved in setting a quota for the amount of wood that they can take from a protected forest next to their village
Corporations build factories in developing countries where environmental laws are less strict
Humankind is currently using _____ Earth equivalents to sustain our lifestyle:
Less than 1
1.5
3
5
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
The TRU Sustainability Literacy Assessment was developed to gauge students' level of knowledge and attitudes regarding sustainability, and was administered in 2015. It acts as a baseline tool to determine the progress of TRU students regarding sustainability literacy year-after year.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
Assessments were open to all TRU students to take. They were administered through online surveys (promoted through social media) and hard-copy surveys at student orientations. A representative sample of over 10% of the student population was achieved.
The follow-up assessment will take place during the Fall 2018 semester and will be fully complete and reported on by the end of December, 2018.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s), including a description of any measurable changes over time:
Results from the 2015 TRU Sustainability Literacy Assessment can be found at http://www.tru.ca/sustain/people/reporting.html (scroll down to 'TRU Sustainability Literacy Assessment — 2015').
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.