| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.18 |
| Liaison | Daimon Eklund |
| Submission Date | Oct. 12, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Washington, Seattle
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Claudia
Frere-Anderson Director UW Sustainability |
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)?:
Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
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:
We use questions that are part of the Sulitest question set. A sample includes:
Ozone forms a protective layer in the earth's upper atmosphere. What does ozone protect us from?
What is the name of the primary federal agency that oversees environmental regulation?
What is the primary benefit of wetlands?
What is the most common cause of pollution of streams and rivers?
Over the past three decades, what has happened to the difference between the wealth of the richest and poorest Americans?
Which of the following is an example of an environmental injustice?
Which of the following is the most commonly used definition of sustainable development?
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
In the past, UW has offered several different campus-wide assessments including a survey associated with our Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2014 and surveys of First Year students and all residence hall students 2015-2017.
In 2017, UW Sustainability staff worked with students and faculty to develop the Sustainable Choices Survey to assess sustainability knowledge, opinions, and choices. The survey is made available twice each academic year, summer & autumn quarters (which represent the beginning of the academic year) and then again in spring quarter. Students, faculty, staff and non-UW guests are invited to take the survey during the survey availability windows through several communication channels including campus-wide emails that go out autumn quarter (in association with our SustainableUW Festival) and spring quarter (in association with Earth Day). Although not all survey participants will complete both of the semi-annual surveys, many will. In addition, some participants will complete the surveys over multiple years allowing us to track responses over a time period. The survey allows us to track knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors changes over the course of the academic year and multiple years.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
The Sustainable Choices Survey is made available twice each academic year, summer & autumn quarters (which represent the beginning of the academic year) and then again in spring quarter. Students, faculty, staff and non-UW guests are invited to take the survey during the survey availability windows through several communication channels including campus-wide emails that go out autumn quarter (in association with our SustainableUW Festival) and spring quarter (in association with Earth Day). Social Media, listservs, and several other communication channels are also used to invite participants to take the survey during the two availability windows. The Sustainable Choices Survey was conceptualized in 2017 and launched in the 2018-2018 academic year starting with the summer 2018 quarter. The sample size for summer quarter 2018 will become available in September 2018.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s), including a description of any measurable changes over time:
Although previous surveys have been used on campus, the Sustainable Choices Survey was conceptualized in 2017 and launched in the 2018-2019 academic year starting with the summer 2018 quarter. The sample size for summer quarter 2018 will become available in September 2018.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.