Collaborative Projects Increase Student Learning Outcome Performance in Nonmajors Environmental Science Course

Between 2007 and 2010, three types of semester research projects were assigned in BIO 140 Humans and Their Environment, a nonmajors introductory course at Salve Regina University. Specific environmental impact-type assessments were used to foster scientific inquiry and achieve higher scientific literacy. Quantitative and qualitative measurements were conducted and science-based policy recommendations were made through both written and oral presentation. The focus of this article is primarily on the success of the semester in which students were invited by the director of the campus library to specifically address, and make recommendations to mitigate, the carbon footprint of the library. Students in the class that worked on the collaborative project scored higher on the project grade and on course exams and received a higher overall grade, on average, for the semester. Students in semesters during which individual projects were assigned scored lowest, on average, in all three categories. This validates the importance of collaborative learning in science courses, especially in gateway courses that will improve the scientific literacy of all graduates and encourage more students to pursue careers within the STEM majors.