Using Environmental Justice Materials in Large Classroom Settings
Explore the successful integration of Environmental Justice (EJ) materials in a large classroom environment teaching Introduction to Environmental Science to non-majors and majors. Discover student engagement, results, and connections made to real-world issues like water injustice in El Paso and Mexico.
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Using Environmental Justice Material in Large Classrooms Introduction to Environmental Science 100-120 non-majors and 10-20 majors (2 TAs) No pre-requisites, many students not required to take lab Taught in 1hr 20 min block (15-20 min. mini-lecture following by activity) Arrange for classroom with fixed tables but moveable chairs Break into groups of 3-4 students who work together entire semester
Materials Used (over 2 week period) Did not use Google Earth in class due to class size and wifi bandwidth problems Unit 1 (Introduction to EJ), presentation/reflection (1.2, 1.3, 1.4*) in 30 minutes (prior to an exam) Units 2 & 3 (Hydrologic Cycle, Surface Water) assign water footprint as homework, students complete 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4* in class Unit 5 (Love Canal) assign video and timeline as homework, complete 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 in class, students have especially difficult time with calculations in 5.3 Unit 6 (Groundwater) assign USGS water wells as homework, complete 6.1 and 6.2* in class *=modified to reflect El Paso issues
Main Results Out of 29 activities in class in 2015 (10 InTeGrate based), 52% liked InTeGrate activities best, with 50% of these considering EJ- freshwater materials the best Of particular interest was the water footprint activity (and its connection to water issues in the El Paso area) Over 1/3 students made direct connections between EJ movement and people of color like themselves They readily (>90%) could give examples of injustice in the El Paso community and they expressed particular concern with issues of EJ in Mexico
