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In designing computer environments to support the creation of arguments, a central issue concerns evaluating the quality of these arguments. This study uses one such computer environment, Convince ME, that uniquely uses a connectionist model, ECHO, to generate Model Fit values as a kind of measure of an argument's coherence. This study sought to triangulate these Model Fit values by comparing them to other measures, including a measure of the stability of views (from public opinion researcher Daniel Yankelovich) and the number of statements in participant's arguments. Two 17-year-old students and 1 scientist participated in pre- and post-surveys and interviews and used Convince Me to create arguments about policies that would ameliorate global warming. The pattern of positive correlations among these measures, coupled with results from a debriefing interview, illuminate cognitive and educational issues involved in using Convince Me (or programs like it) to support reasoning about public policy issues. (Contains 25 references.) (Author/SLD)

This study examined the effectiveness of an environmental science course for teaching college students about the ozone depletion problem. In the spring of 2000, students in the course, "Life in the Environment," were pretested and posttested with a 38-item questionnaire consisting of 3 sets of Likert-style statements plus multiple choice questions. The first set of questions focused on the results of ozone depletion. The second set focused on causes of ozone depletion. The third set targeted ways to lessen ozone depletion. Five of the multiple choice questions targeted factual information, and the last two focused on opinions. Overall, posttest scores were lower than pretest scores. Students showed a strong tendency to conflate cause and effect relationships between several different environmental issues which were really not related. This was especially pronounced for global warming and ozone depletion. The results reveal the difficulty in guiding students to construct proper concepts for complex subject matter by means of traditional, direct instruction methods. The questionnaire, which makes up the majority of the document, is appended. (SM)

The U.S. Global Change Research Program was established in 1990 to develop scientific projections of anticipated impacts of the changing biosphere on humans and social systems. As part of this program, the National Science Foundation created the Arctic System Science Program (ARCSS). This document describes the ARCSS Human Dimensions of the Arctic System (HARC) initiative to consider how humans interact with physical and biological environmental change in the Arctic. HARC cuts across traditional social, biological, and physical science disciplines; employs varied methodologies; collects data across a broad range of time and spatial scales; and involves local people and communities in research design and implementation. Five fundamental research questions address the impacts of human activity on arctic and global systems; types and sources of global change in the Arctic; effects of global changes on human societies in the Arctic; alternative approaches to current and future problems; and effects of arctic changes on people living outside the region. Ethical research issues include informed consent by individuals and communities, community involvement in research, the use and distribution of traditional indigenous knowledge, and intellectual property rights. HARC includes funding and guidelines for linking research with science education in arctic community schools. (Contains 51 references, other relevant publications, reviewers and participants in a related workshop, and photographs). (SV)

Students are currently exposed to world environmental problems--including global warming and the greenhouse effect--in science classes at various points during their K-12 and college experience. However, the amount and depth of explosure to these issues can be quite variable. Students are also exposed to sources of misinformation leading to misunderstanding and confusion. This study focuses on the idea that some student misconceptions may arise from incorrect understandings passed along by teachers. A questionnaire about the greenhouse effect was administered to 330 college students at a regional university from the colleges of Education, Pure and Applied Sciences, Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Liberal Arts. Only juniors or seniors were selected to ensure that a substantial portion of their science coursework had been completed. Analysis of college assignment found that science majors scored higher than education majors and there were no other significant differences between the colleges. No significant differences were found between elementary education students and other education majors (excluding the science education majors). Future research needs to examine teaching approaches that best promote solid understanding of these complex issues. The Environmental Issues Questionnaire is included as an appendix. (PVD)

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of two different types of post-instruction concept interviews: one that did and one that did not embed a concept mapping process as means of eliciting students' post-instruction conceptual understandings about the nature of, source of, and problems caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The study also tried to determine any effect by the addition of the independent variable, student to expert Pathfinder Network Similarity Index (PFNSI) on the prediction of the criterion measure of accordance (ACCORD). The study also sought to elicit students' perceptions of the process instituted in the interviews to determine what they know. Data was collected from eighth grade physical science students and their teacher using open-ended interviews. Findings indicate an interview that embedded a concept mapping process (compared to an interview that excluded this process) did not affect statistically significant changes in the externalization of students' conceptual understandings. Another finding was that PFNSI had predictive validity for performance in the interview on the measure of ACCORD and proved to be a reliable confirmatory measure of the degree to which students held an ideal post-instructional understanding. Contains 67 references. (JRH)

Elementary and secondary students hold a variety of misunderstandings regarding environmental problems, some of which may arise from misunderstandings held by their teachers. This study used the Environmental Issues Questionnaire to examine understandings of the greenhouse effect held by elementary education majors and other college majors (N=330) to see if misunderstandings of grade school students are perpetuated at the college level. Demographic variables that were considered included gender, class level, college assignment, teaching background, grade point average (GPA), age, race/ethnic group, state residency, and highest earned degree. Results indicate that overall, males outscored females but there were no significant differences between male and female education and liberal arts majors. The science students and liberal arts majors scored significantly higher than the education majors. For class level, GPA, age, and highest degree earned, significant differences were found for education majors, but not for science and liberal arts majors. It was concluded that elementary education majors correctly recognized some of the major potential effects of global warming but confused this problem with other issues like ozone depletion, radiation pollution and nuclear bombs, acid rain, earthquakes, biodiversity, and water pollution. (JRH)

In June 1992, representatives of more than 170 countries met in Rio de Janeiro, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, to consider international cooperation aimed at preserving the sources of human life. This report presents Germany's involvement in that cooperative effort. The report is presented in six sections: (1) an introduction to the problem; (2) the German government's environmental policy aims and principles; (3) a survey of the successful responses to environmental problems involving air quality, protecting the climate and atmosphere, protecting surface and ground water, protecting the soil, waste disposal, reducing the risks of chemical pollution, and nature conservation; (4) the legacy of the former German Democratic Republic; (5) the effects of environmental protection efforts on the economy; and (6) an exhortation for increased international cooperation in combating environmental pollution. (MDH)

This guide discusses the global warming issue and offers a plan to facilitate a decrease in the emissions of the major greenhouse gases in the United States, including those under the control of individual citizens. A letter from the organization's president describes its involvement with the global warming issue. A brief overview presented in the foreword includes comments on political, personal lifestyle choice, ecological, and international considerations. In the foreword, the connection between global warming and U.S. consumer decisions and actions is made and the greenhouse diet plan is introduced. In chapter one, a description of "greenhouse" includes the identification of greenhouse gases, and their relationship to climate disruption. Chapters two and three identify national (industrial, transportation, residential, commercial) and individual (air conditioners, solvent cleaners, refrigerators, etc.) greenhouse gas emissions and a method for estimating contributions of carbon dioxide as a result of each citizen's energy consumption is discussed (includes a worksheet). Chapter four offers suggestions on how to decrease household greenhouse gas emissions via the CO2 diet. In chapter five, an example is provided on how an Audubon staffer implemented the diet plan. A discussion of how individual and governmental action can curb greenhouse gas emissions through improved energy policies, technologies, and investment is presented in chapter six. Appendices present a global perspective of greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide equivalences for other greenhouse gases, and the methodology for the carbon dioxide diet calculations. (Contains 51 references.) (MCO)

Preservice teachers' (N=200) ideas about links between vehicle emissions and global environmental issues were studied using a graphic questionnaire. Results indicated that most students understood that cars contributed to global warming, though many had misconceptions about certain specifics. It is recommended that environmental education be given some priority in teacher education. (SM)

Evaluates the latest glaciological and oceanological data and demonstrates a strict correlation between global changes of temperature and gas composition of the atmosphere over the last climatic cycle. Concludes that global warming may not create an environmental crisis but will alter drastically the life people lead. (MJP)