Professors aim to improve OU's environmental literacy
By Joe Lowe, Staff Writer
May 20, 2008 | noon
The concept of sustainability has found a natural home in Athens, Ohio. 'Sustainable' locally owned businesses and organizations seem to be everywhere. But has the idea found its way into the hearts of Ohio University's students? Some at the university think so but still see room for improvement. Here in Athens, Dr. Nancy Manring, a political science professor, has taken a leading role in developing an innovative plan to increase environmental awareness on campus.
The Kanawha project (pronounced Kanaw) is designed to improve student environmental literacy levels by bringing those issues into the classroom. Currently, 20 professors are revising their course curricula to reflect sustainability issues. These professors, chosen from a pool of 50 applicants, reflect a broad range of disciplines that include journalism, history, art and economics.
The Kanawha project began with a trip by Dr. Michele Morrone, an environmental science professor, to Emory University last year. There, Morrone had a chance to observe firsthand the school’s Piedmont project -- named for the region’s unique physiographic characteristics.
Morrone was impressed with what she saw. Nearly 80 percent of the faculty was participating in the project, and students were being exposed to environmental issues in a number of classes.
Wondering if OU could repeat the process, Morrone drew on her experience as an environmental educator and designed a survey to gauge students’ level of environmental literacy. She found that although many students felt the need to make sustainable choices in their private and professional lives, few had sufficient knowledge of environmental concerns to follow through.
With this information, Morrone teamed up with Manring, and the two successfully applied for an internal 1804 grant from OU. The $15,000 grant was enough to get the project running.
The project officially began in December 2007 when members spent a day learning the skills needed to incorporate environmental issues into their courses. “The idea was to provide a tool box, a set of options available for faculty members to incorporate environmental themes into their classes,” Manring said.
Since then, members have met once a month to continue the discussion. Several members of the Environmental Science department have volunteered to talk to the group about environmental issues.
Meetings also provide an opportunity for members to deepen their understanding of the issues by exchanging ideas. At the end of the school year, participating faculty members will turn in a revised syllabus.
Manring also said that professors don’t have to develop new syllabi. “This project really works because it doesn’t require taking time off, hiring new faculty members or creating new courses,” Manring said. The professors can easily change their syllabi by “slightly reframing or adding” to them.
One member, from the History department, revised an Asian history syllabus by dividing the course in two periods: pre- and post-industrial. A marketing professor added a component discussing phosphorescent lightbulb sales.
Manring sees the Kanawha project as the beginning of a larger trend.
“This project is really a model of what needs to happen in the world," she said. "We can’t solve problems if environmental scientists are the only ones with the information we need. This kind of knowledge needs to be widespread and applied in other fields too. Real environmental sustainability is only going to happen if everybody from all walks of life have some level of environmental literacy and can incorporate that knowledge into their daily lives.”
Making smart energy choices is only one aspect of sustainability, Manring said. “One of the central themes of the project is fostering sense-of-place and creating a sustainable place in which to live."
To do so, the group has been studying the local environment. (“Kanawha” refers to the bioregional area surrounding Athens.) Last week, a university biologist, Dr. Kelly Johnson, led the group on a tour of the Hocking River’s old riverbed, which was relocated in 1971. The new Baker Center sits atop part of the old bed.
Manring said she has been impressed with the efforts of the participating faculty members. “It’s a real privilege to work with them. It’s inspiring to see their commitment to the project.”
Earlier this year Loraine McCosker, Outreach Coordinator for the Environmental Studies department, applied for a $50,000 EPA grant, which would provide funds needed to continue the project for another two years.
In April, she received word that the grant had been approved and plans are underway to expand the project next year to include all of Ohio University’s five regional campuses.
“Next year we’ll have ten faculty members from the campus here in Athens and two members from each of the university’s branches,” Manring said. The following year would be dedicated to educating interested professors about ways to teach the course themselves.
“This will provide tools for replicating the project within their [participants'] departments or campuses,” Manring said.
To learn more, visit Kanawha’s Web site.
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