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Abstract Course‐based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are an instructional strategy to help students learn the content and process of science by engaging students in authentic science research. The ESA‐endorsed 4‐Dimensional Ecology Education framework emphasizes engaging students in authentic ecology scientific practices, and uniquely foregrounds human dimensions as a core tenant of ecological literacy. Model‐based CURE instruction may help ecology instructors by giving students a scaffold to better orient their line of inquiry and develop more accurate conceptions of the broader socio‐ecological system through the integration of the CURE experimental data to known concepts within the system. We explored how student model accuracy changes throughout the course, what modeling practices students engaged in during collaborative modeling, and how students used CURE data along with social and ecological sciences in their models. We found that students created more accurate models as the course progressed, and all student groups exhibited expert‐like modeling practices during the summative collaborative modeling process. Importantly, we also found that students were able to integrate experimental data they generated through the CURE within their broader understanding of the study system. A major benefit of model‐based CUREs is to cultivate scientific thinking by helping students connect how individual pieces of research inform larger phenomenon.

Abstract An increasing population and demand for seafood have provoked a need to understand the factors affecting consumers' perceptions of aquaculture and wild‐caught seafood to ensure the sustainability of ocean resources. A survey was developed to assess Hawaiʻi's high school students' perceptions and preference for aquaculture and wild‐caught seafood using a cognitive mapping framework. The survey was administered to three high schools across urban, suburban, and rural areas of the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, and mental modeling techniques the following results from the survey indicated that most students had some knowledge of aquaculture. Residence and gender demographics of students make a difference in their preference for aquaculture and wild‐caught seafood. Overall, the students indicated a higher preference for wild‐caught seafood as compared to aquaculture in terms of taste and the reverse is true for environmental impacts. However, rural residents and male students showed a significant preference for aquaculture seafood. The implications of this study provide the information needed to improve public perceptions of aquaculture and promote sustainable seafood practices and consumption. Furthermore, education focused on aquaculture can be introduced into school curricula to enhance their knowledge of environmental, health, and nutrition impacts.