Abstract:
This research compared the attitudes of 352 first-year students towards coarse woody debris (dead wood in forested ecosystems) following exposure to brochures and cooperative learning activities at a major southern university. Students from suburban backgrounds had more positive attitudes concerning the benefits of coarse woody debris to ecosystems and people following the cooperative learning activity. The attitudes of students from rural backgrounds towards the benefits of coarse woody debris for plants and animals were similar following the cooperative learning activity and brochure. However, rural student attitudes towards the value of coarse woody debris to humans were more positive following the cooperative learning activity. Male student attitudes were similar following the brochure and cooperative learning activity. However, the cooperative learning activity convinced more females (36%) that coarse woody debris poses little environmental hazard and should remain on all forestland than females who read the brochure (6%). The brochure convinced more females (64%) of the importance to educate landowners to manage for coarse woody debris on their property than the cooperative learning activity (33%). This study indicates that students of different gender and sociodemographic background responddifferently to educational techniques. Speculation on the potential influence of student learning styles is also discussed.
Keywords:
comparison, first-year student attitudes, coarse woody debris, cooperative learning activity
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