| Using an assessment tool, tailored to the Colorado academic science standards, a study was conducted to evaluate the environmental literacy of postsecondary, nonscience majors. Data were collected from 144 students taking an introductory environmental science class. A 16-item, multiple-choice question, environmental knowledge assessment instrument covered environmental content across three subdomains in the Colorado academic science standards: Physical Science, Life Science and Earth Systems Science. Population total mean scores were compared to sub-domain scores to assess students' overall environmental literacy as well as to identify the populations' weaknesses between the sub-domains. Results showed that the total mean score for the class was 52.18%, which indicates that the population as a whole does not have a strong foundation in environmental science nor high levels of environmental literacy and need further assistance in one or more of the three sub-domains. Statistical analysis revealed that on average the students scored a 67.8% in Physical Science, 53.4% in Life Science, and 37.8% in Earth Systems Science. Given that the findings were limited to environmental knowledge within the Colorado science standards, an assessment of environmental knowledge in social science standards, including measures of behavior, attitudes and dispositions toward the environment is warranted. |
