Science and society are inseparably linked, shaping each other in ways that define our world, emphasizing the need to teach science for empowering students capable of taking meaningful action toward building a sustainable and just society. Developing sustainability competencies in students is an important step toward this goal, with controversial…

Targeted agricultural education programs can play a role in solving complex water issues. This article applies importance-performance analysis to examine dimensions of water resources that may inform local water conservation campaigns in the United States. The purpose of this study was to generate a deep understanding of home irrigation users'…

The rising cost of textbooks is a barrier to higher education for many students. Open textbooks are one potential solution, though few open textbooks exist for agriculture and natural science disciplines. Here, I present a case study examining my selection of assigned reading material for a college course on soil and water conservation. Potential…

The city of Flint, Michigan switched its water source in April, 2014, and, to reduce costs, anti-corrosion agents were omitted from water treatment. Consequently, lead leached into pipes, contaminating the water supply and exposing Flint's children to lead well beyond safety standards. The event became known as the Water Crisis, and now dominates…

Purpose: Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises with tubes or straws have been widely used for a variety of voice disorders. Yet, the effects of longer periods of SOVT exercises (lasting for weeks) on the aging voice are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of a 6-week straw phonation in water (SPW) exercise program.…

Videoconferencing is a low-cost, high-reward tool for engaging stakeholders in participatory design and usability testing for online Extension products. This article details how we used the videoconference program BlueJeans to facilitate the redesign of the Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System database and highlights the…

Purpose: Small holder farmers are highly vulnerable to changes in climate, as they live on a marginal income, and the crops they depend upon are highly affected by climate. This paper seeks to investigate the impact of climate change on farmers' productivity and their adaptive responses to these impacts. Methodology: One hundred and fifteen…

We present ideas about concepts underlying climate change, held by students in years 9 and 10. Misconceptions about climate change are common among students, and may be due to misconceptions about underlying concepts. To investigate this, we developed the Climate Change Concept Inventory (CCCI), and trialed it with 229 students; corroborating…

This study examined the contribution of metacognitive guidance to the development of drinking-related nutritional literacy(DNL). Metacognitive awareness promotes meaningful learning. Active involvement of students in metacognitive activities develops deep conceptual understanding. Childhood food and beverage consumption affects growth and can be a…

This document describes resources to support the role of teachers in school safety efforts. The resources are organized into the following categories: (1) General Resources; (2) Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Development; (3) Educator Resilience and Self-Care; (4) Hazard- and Threat-Specific; and (5) Youth Preparedness.

Batteries are valued as devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. Unfortunately, the standard description of electrochemistry does not explain specifically where or how the energy is stored in a battery; explanations just in terms of electron transfer are easily shown to be at odds with experimental observations.…

In this field report from a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) study abroad programme, the author describes how students came to see collaboration -- a key component of arts practice -- as a buzzword, rather than a set of specific, tested, vital practices productive to a wide range of situations. The author argues that…

This paper explores the power of media in promoting lifelong learning in mobilising the citizenry against 'galamsey' activities in Ghana. 'Galamsey' connotes 'an illegal process of gathering mineral resources, especially gold, and selling them'. It is an activity engaged in by young adults resulting in destroying water bodies and posing…

In light of Australian policy and curriculum initiatives aimed to prioritize Education for Sustainability (EfS) practices, this article discusses a study that evaluated a smart meter program introduced by a local government of an Australian state/territory. The program aimed to provide teachers and students from 86 primary and secondary schools…

Wetlands are defined as areas of soil saturated with standing water. These areas are rich in biodiversity, containing numerous plants, animals and microorganisms. Wetlands act as natural filtering systems for runoff and can improve the water quality in an area. To demonstrate the importance of wetlands to a nonscience major introductory…