This National Science Foundation (NSF) grant under the STEM Education (CFDA 47.076) program provides $993,988 to Northeastern University to conduct research on how students' intuitive beliefs about human-nature relationships impact their learning of environmental science concepts. The project aims to:
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Explore the relationship between "human exceptionalism" (the belief that humans are separate from nature) and how undergraduate environmental science students and non-majors reason about marine social-ecological systems.
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Chart changes in human exceptionalism and social-ecological systems thinking over time through a longitudinal study of environmental science undergraduates.
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Design and test interventions to mitigate human exceptionalism and measure impacts on social-ecological systems thinking.
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Investigate the developmental trajectory of human exceptionalism and social-ecological systems thinking in K-12 students.
The research seeks to advance the theoretical understanding of how intuitive conceptual frameworks shape science learning, and inform best practices in environmental science education. The award was granted on May 15, 2024 with an end date of April 30, 2028.
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