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Local leaders are essential for helping Michigan achieve its 30-year water strategy goals. The Michigan Water School is an Extension nonformal educational program to address the knowledge gap of local leaders. We evaluated programs conducted from 2017 to 2019. Results revealed program outcomes in knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of criticalness to work, and stewardship and behavioral intentions aligned to water quality, water quantity, and field experience units. Growth areas for program improvement include water policy, economics, planning, and finance as well as expanding the focus of the program for transformational leadership and to broaden recruitment efforts.

We use novel information about fixture-specific water lead levels (WLLs) in Portland, Oregon schools to explore inequalities in students' potential for exposure to lead in drinking water at school. We find that Black and Hispanic students were in classrooms with higher WLLs than white students primarily because they attended different schools. The elevated exposure of students with non-English first languages was also largely driven by sorting into different schools, although there were marginally significant differences between students within the same school. Our findings underscore the importance of broadly targeted remediation efforts like those implemented in Portland to address environmental injustices.

There is a consensus that the content of education for sustainability should be integrated into the curriculum, engaging students in activities that promote awareness and practice of sustainability. To achieve this goal, it is essential to adopt a student-centered approach that involves creative, stimulating, and challenging activities. This research reports a case study in which 8th grade students had the opportunity to develop these types of activities. Field activities were conducted on a local river combined with a game-based task focused on the role of benthic macroinvertebrates in ecosystems. These activities enabled collaborative learning and the social construction of knowledge, which are pivotal for more sustainable education. It should be noted that students learned how to collect, observe, describe, organize, and classify species to make inferences about water quality. The main issue we intended to address was how to improve and integrate scientific activities into the students' curriculum to foster a more sustainable education. The specific research questions were put forward: a) Do the implemented activities instigate collaboration for a more sustainable education? b) Do the implemented activities increase scientific curiosity and develop critical thinking and attitudes? c) Do the implemented activities increase students' knowledge concerning aquatic resources, such as benthic invertebrates? The results confirmed the important role of student-centred activities, in this particular case fieldwork and game-based tasks, in the development of knowledge and scientific thinking skills, which could be scaffolded through feedback, rewards and flow states. This study provides a more holistic perception of local river ecosystems, their role in improving environmental attitudes, and promoting a more sustainable science education.

During recent decades, educational reform in the U.S. has favored standards-driven curricula with the purpose of improving education. However, national assessments have not demonstrated significant improvements in educational outcomes, especially among economically disadvantaged and minoritized populations. To mitigate these outcomes, youth-serving organizations provide children from these populations with out-of-school time programs to enhance their academic and social skills. This study highlights the significance of programs offered by nonprofit organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs and the need to establish partnerships with universities to foster systematic collaboration. The program described in this article is a one-week summer science camp for students entering grades 4-7. The authors created an instructional unit that integrated literacy and mathematics into a science unit focused on water quality and related environmental issues, while also exploring student outcomes. The interdisciplinary project-based instructional unit focused on culturally responsive practices. Through these practices, students developed awareness of environmental issues and increased their understanding and use of scientific vocabulary related to water quality.

Continuous professional development is critical for Extension staff, and many agriculture-focused Extension employees are tasked with outreach related to a wide variety of natural resource topics. The purpose of this study is to help prioritize trainings needed by Kansas Extension agents and specialists based on their current level of knowledge and interest in staying up to date on 18 different natural resource topics. Responses to a statewide survey were analyzed using the Borich model. Results indicate priority professional development needs related to soil health; effects of climate; invasive species, harmful algal blooms; and groundwater, surface water, and air quality.

Agricultural and extension educators frequently employ a variety of methods to provide farmers with information about conservation practices. The introduction of virtual programming brought on in response to the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for analysis of farmer outreach preferences with respect to face-to-face (F2F) versus virtual outreach. Using survey data of individuals who participated in field days in Iowa, we segmented participants based on their F2F or virtual attendance. We compared the groups based on key variables such as water quality concerns, communication behaviors, outreach preferences, and demographics. Our work suggests that a broad and dynamic communication strategy, including both in-person and virtual events, offers greater opportunities for dissemination of ideas and increases access to content.

The New Culture of Water (NCW) is a catalyst for sustainable transformation between political agreements and the unsustainability of the real world, thus requiring an integral participation for an efficient water management where the academy will try to make a substantial contribution. Therefore, this study aimed to design, implement and evaluate four competencies: Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Practices (KAPP) of a formal program of Education for Sustainability (EfS) on the New Water Culture (NWC), addressing issues such as prevention of water quality, conservation and efficient use at home. To carry out the evaluation, a semi-structured survey of 47 items was conducted in three stages: at the beginning (diagnostic), during the development of the (EfS) (formative) and at the end (summative). A total of 103 nursing students participated in the (EfS), divided into two groups A and B, with the addition of group C as a control group. The results showed that group A had the best results, in general. Statistical tests to calculate the mean, standard deviation (SD) and a validation with the nonparametric Wilcoxon test showing a significant change in the participants of group A, which indicated an important impact of the (EfS). This study also provides an overview of the community situation that can help trigger early warnings to identify weaknesses in water management.

This article explores the possibilities of a cheap one-dollar microscope, the Foldscope, for enhancing out-of-school science education. Developed by Manu Prakash and Jim Cybulski from Stanford University, these origami-type paper microscopes make it possible to provide all students with their own microscopes, due to the low cost. This provides students the opportunity to engage in science outside of the classroom, as amateur sleuths engaged in environmental inquiries, e.g., determining the levels of pollution of local water resources. In this article the authors share two sets of research data: an activity where school students engaged in authentic problem-based learning using the Foldscopes, as well as student teachers' experiences of engaging with Foldscope microscopes. The outcomes of the first research project indicate that affective outcomes and cognitive gains were achieved. Responses in the second research project included five categories: preparation and presentation; potential of the Foldscope; use of slideshow; energy/complements; and limitations. The conclusion reached was that Foldscopes hold possibilities for enhancing STS (science-technology-society) approaches inside and outside the classroom. One recommendation is that such frugal-science approaches are emphasized more in both pre-and in-service teacher education.

The incorporation of interdisciplinary education, a topic of significant global interest, is increasingly being recognized as a key aspect of educational innovation in Vietnam. This recognition extends to several fields, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. This research aims to design and implement a STEM situation associated with the context of water protection in Vietnam for 10th-grade students in which students mobilize the knowledge of Physics (specific gravity, Archimedes' principle) and Mathematics (volume) to design a salinometer. This device measures the salinity of the water. The research methodology is based on the observed increase in saline levels in the coastal regions of Vietnam in recent years, which has had a substantial impact on agriculture and the livelihoods of millions of people. This methodology aims to provide realistic scenarios for students to address and resolve these problems. A total of forty students in the 10th grade were involved in a teaching situation that consisted of five distinct phases. Forty 10th-grade students participated in a teaching situation conducted in five phases. The results showed that the situation helped students strengthen and connect their physics and mathematics knowledge, create a vibrant learning atmosphere, enhance communication, and develop problem-solving competency. Furthermore, the teaching situation also needs to be revised regarding the measurement practices of Vietnamese students. The situation contributes to educating students' awareness of current events, protecting Vietnamese water resources, and the importance of sustainable development. In addition, we can use the same teaching process as in this research to develop other STEM teaching situations.

This research explores the impact of integrating smart water monitoring with internet of things (IoT) into 7th-grade science education using the problem-based learning (PBL) model. A quasi-experimental research design with a post-test-only control group is employed to compare the effectiveness of two learning groups: one using the regular PBL model and the other incorporating smart water monitoring through IoT within the PBL framework. The study includes 7th-grade students from two different secondary schools as participants. The independent variables are the regular PBL model and the PBL model with smart water monitoring using IoT. In contrast, the dependent variable is students' critical thinking skills, with prior knowledge and learning interest as covariates. Students utilize an observation worksheet for Water Quality Assessment to observe different types of water and assess their suitability or water quality. The findings reveal that integrating smart water monitoring with IoT in the PBL model significantly positively impacts students' critical thinking skills. The group of smart water monitoring students demonstrated a more considerable improvement in critical thinking skills than those following the regular PBL model. The study highlights the essential role of students' learning interest in developing necessary thinking skills. Students with higher learning interest in the science subject tend to exhibit more significant improvement in critical thinking skills after participating in learning with smart water monitoring or the regular PBL model.

Project-based learning (PBL) empowers students to become active learners. In this work computational reverse osmosis (RO) projects developed from industrial case studies and research were implemented in several chemical engineering courses to enhance student learning experience. Students not only gained knowledge in water treatment, but also deepened their understanding of important concepts covered in transport phenomena, reactor engineering, process dynamics, and process design and refined their skills in using modern computing tools.

Natural resources provide a high quality of life for residents and are often one of a community's greatest advantages for workforce attraction, youth retention, recreation, climate resilience, tourism, and broader economic development. A better understanding of how nature and local economies function together is critical to fostering synergies between interconnected community needs, such as economic development and climate resilience. This paper first draws on literature to define the nature economy, which is similar to the outdoor economy but with a more holistic and interdisciplinary focus on the roles of nature in the economic, social, and ecological resilience of communities. Then, we applied the nature economy lens across three different initiatives in New Hampshire to identify transferable lessons at the intersections between the outdoor economy, community development, and environmental conservation. Finally, we discuss two common themes: the co-benefits of outdoor recreation as a community and development strategy and the challenges and opportunities of partnerships. Engaged scholars and practitioners, such as planners and community development/recreation directors in rural communities, should benefit from this approach.

Haiti is among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world, and Haitian youth face disproportionate risks to their health and well-being. Yet, to date, few studies have partnered with young people to position them as agents of change addressing climate change impacts in their communities, particularly in Global South contexts. As a step toward addressing this important gap, the present study used in-depth interviews (N = 6) to explore the multi-faceted behavioral developmental impacts on Haitian students (ages 20-30 years) who took part in a participatory environmental education program focused on access to clean water in Jacmel, a coastal city in Southern Haiti. The program combined hydrology and ecosystem education with youth-led water quality testing, community surveys, and data mapping--enabling students to collect, analyze, and visualize locally-meaningful data with real-world significance. Thematic analysis (TA) of post-program interviews conducted with program staff (n = 2) and students (n = 4) resulted in three major themes describing program-based developmental impacts equipping youth to address climate-driven threats in their community: (1) learning and skills development: Youth gained a deeper knowledge of hydrological and ecological systems, as well as research, digital, and technology skills; (2) health and environmental behaviors: Youth were experiencing and advocating behavioral shifts associated with preventing waterborne illnesses and protecting local ecosystems; and (3) civic engagement: Youth were developing a critical mindset regarding power relations and social change and were simultaneously motivated to disseminate local data to raise community awareness and engage with local authorities to improve environmental conditions. Findings shed light on the transformative potential of environmental and civic science education to engage young people as key actors in building adaptive capacity and reducing climate vulnerability. Implications for developmental science are discussed.

Children are often denied science education that engages their emotions and multiple identities. This study focused on ways in which embodied arts-based experiences offer opportunities for such engagement in pedagogical efforts associated with justice-centered science. The conceptual framework that informed the study considers the body as a site of learning, embraces social justice in science education and engages with the dialectical relationship between various structures and children's agency, and frames the transdisciplinarity of imagination. The instrumental case study centered on a fifth-grade class of Latinx students in an urban public school, as they grappled with lead contamination and peoples' rights to clean water through an embodied, arts-based pedagogy in their science class. Analysis of video clips, student work, and other artifacts pointed to three findings on how children engaged with justice-centered science learning via arts-based embodied activities. Through perspective-taking in the dramatizing, children engaged with science ideas intertwined with sociopolitical understandings. Through centering emotions that drama afforded, children experienced empathy and solidarity with others affected by environmental injustices. Through imagined and enacted participation in struggles that the embodiments necessitated, children engaged in actions to resist injustices. These findings suggest that exploring children's arts-based embodied meaning making in science is a robust area of inquiry. Furthermore, the findings compel researchers and practitioners to consider emotions in performing arts, and how they can deepen engagement in, and exploration of, justice-centered science. Recommendations emerged for practitioners poised to explore justice-centered science with children through the arts.

This study explored how continuous diverse reflective exercises embedded in a Community Service Learning chemistry lab support science students' meaningful learning. The findings of this study are intended for those involved in teaching natural science in higher education, as well as those interested in Community Service Learning, self-directed learning, and reflective strategies. Fourteen students in a second-year Analytical Chemistry II lab participated in this study. Reflective exercises representing multiple modes of reflection were purposefully designed and embedded across the lab curriculum. Qualitative content analysis of data from reflective writings, scrapbook reflections, and reflective discussions demonstrates that students were able to articulate their self-directed learning from the perspective of academic enhancement, personal growth, and civic engagement in the different reflective exercises. Students indicated a high level of satisfaction, agreed that the integration of diverse continuous reflective strategies can enhance their transformative learning practice in an engaging way, and would like to continue this practice for other science laboratory courses.

This research focuses on the evaluation of the impact on students' attitudes towards the environment, fostered by their involvement in an educational citizen science project related to the monitoring of physicochemical properties and the detection of (micro)plastics in Portuguese coastal waters. We developed an attitude scale, comprising four dimensions (Collective, Personal, Recycling and Reuse and Microplastics), which was applied, as a pre-test and post-test, to 574 middle school students (aged 12-14): 442 in the experimental group and 132 in the control group. Initially, based on pre-test results, both groups revealed positive attitudes. In the experimental group, the post-test results revealed that significantly positive attitude changes were promoted in all dimensions, whereas, in the control group, this occurred only in the Personal dimension. The control group also exhibited significantly negative attitude changes in the collective dimension. Students' engagement in sustainability-related citizen science projects can enhance environmentally literate society.

In order to ensure the use, protection and sustainability of water, which is becoming more and more important for life, individuals need to develop their water literacy starting from the pre-school period. In this direction, it was aimed to improve the water literacy of 60-72 month old children who were in preschool education with online education. In the study, action research design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The study group was determined by criterion sampling method and consists of 36 children aged 60-72 months. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. In the study, Water Literacy Online Training was prepared and implemented in order to improve children's water literacy. Interviews were conducted with the children before and after the training. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the findings. As a result of the study, there had been improvement in the practical, living and social water literacy of the children. The results of the study showed that Water Literacy Online Training is effective in pre-school children's ability to recognize the importance of water, which is among the basic concepts for water literacy, for life, its limitations and the importance of its protection.

Immersive professional development is often used to provide teachers first-hand experience in developing place-based curricula. Knowing this, we had carefully crafted such a professional development for our participants to learn how to engage their students in local watershed research and ecology. However, following year one of a two-year grant-funded weeklong summer professional development opportunity for teachers in the Okefenokee Swamp, a shift to online instruction occurred due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions. Although the first summer in the swamp and the successive year of follow-up with teacher participants proved successful, the shift to online asynchronous instruction proved surprisingly successful as well. Qualitative and quantitative data compared across year one and year two indicated positive outcomes, such as a self-paced, engaging experience that required outdoor activities in participants' local area.

The Prospect Park Biodiversity Project was a SENCER collaboration project between the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Mathematics at the New York City College of Technology. The goal of this project was to enhance students' participation and learning in STEM disciplines through a civically engaged framework. The project utilized the eco-complexity of Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn, New York for an interdisciplinary study on the water quality. The project, which involved ten students and four faculty mentors, integrated microbiology, chemistry, and mathematics perspectives using active-learning pedagogies, including hands-on exploration and collaborative learning.

This research explored the power of dominant partnerships in promoting community development. Two local communities sited in a coastal West African town, recorded notable transformation as a result of their members' long-standing interaction with a famous close by higher education institution. With a sample of three hundred and seventy-two community members, the initial survey explored the physical influence of the university, on the lives of the studied communities. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used in the initial case to reach the respondents but the ensuing qualitative inquiry engaged four additional purposively selected participants to generate more data through structured interviews on education, transportation and health, as key emerging physical indicators, from the quantitative aspect. The SPSS, descriptive statistics and percentages facilitated the quantitative data analysis, but thematic analysis was used to make meaning from the gathered qualitative data. Efficient triangulation of gathered data from both approaches generated interesting findings regarding the research topic. As a result of proximity to the university, the natives presently enjoy pipe borne water, hydro-electric power, easy access to formal education, better transportation and modern-styled cement buildings. Further collaborations were recommended among the stakeholders to sustain the identified infrastructural changes that have taken place within the studied communities. Some counselling implications of the research were also drawn.

The economic importance of design, and design engineers to the success of a company has led to the exponential growth in the demand for qualified design engineers. To fill this demand, colleges and universities provide the best training available so that, after graduation these engineers will provide significant input from the first day of work. We live in a time known as industry 4.0 or the 4th Industrial Revolution, where computer power rules and takes on greater tasks, freeing up time for the design engineer to design more and more complex designs. Sometimes, it is good to stop, and take a breath to review our practices and remind ourselves of things we may have forgotten. It is true that we can design complex mechanisms and systems, in times past many of these would not be possible. But can we learn or be reminded of good practice by taking a journey through some of the design methods from the past. This paper will travel back to the 2nd century BC and look at cutting edge water pump design and the importance of a good literature review. It will highlight a serious gap in knowledge when comparing full-time and part-time students in our modern age. Airship design will be reviewed, the R100, R38 and R101 to remind us of the need to cross check design calculations. Looking at the beauty of Concorde design will remind us of the requirement in any design of good planning and regular meetings. This journey will finish by looking at the design process of the Boeing 777 commercial airliner, one of the first designs to use Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM). The use of Design Build Teams (DBT) with cross-disciplinary experts who can reside anywhere in the world will be considered. The reviewed historical examples may at first glance appear happen-stance but are in fact linked, and demonstrate a continuing growth in the ability, knowledge, complexity, and techniques of engineering design. This step back in time will remind teachers of some basic principles when teaching design to future design engineers. Designs have become more complex in this modern age, but it would be incorrect to say that complex design did not exist in times past. Before the internet, aircraft were built, global communication systems existed, men went to the moon.

A survey and exploratory study were conducted to analyze Lake Tempe as a resource for contextual learning (CTL). The first phase of the study included exploring the lake's potential through interviews with the people who live in the lake's coastal region. Quadrat transects were done to identify aquatic plants around the lake. A feasibility analysis was conducted to see the lake's potential as a learning resource. Field data were collected and compared to the environmental biology (EB) curriculum, responses, and learning outcome. The data were analyzed descriptively and tested using a paired sample t-test. The results showed differences in the three stations' physicochemical parameters and decreased quality of the water. It was found that anthropogenic activity had a significant contribution to the lake's pollution. Nine species of six aquatic plant families were found in the lake. The survey revealed that the lake was feasible as a learning resource with criteria easy to access, safety, time efficiency, costs, and the material's suitability for EB courses. The t-test showed a difference in the students' scores between before and after exploration practices. These findings suggest that Lake Tempe can serve as a resource for CTL in EB courses.

The chlorination reaction of aromatic compounds is highly important for the synthesis of pharmaceutical products. As the most common chlorination reagent, chlorine is restricted from undergraduate laboratory experiment training due to its toxicity. In this work, we reported the chlorination of aromatic compounds with chlorine generated from the paired electrolysis of N-chlorosuccinimide. The chlorine in this reaction is produced and consumed in an on-demand manner, ensuring the safety of the reaction, workup, and purification. The reaction is evaluated with 5 undergraduate students with reproducible results and conveys the basic concepts of electrochemical organic synthesis and green synthesis to these students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for informal health science education, which traditionally involves face-to-face programming. We describe the adaptation of hands-on environmental health science kits for online and socially distanced informal education with diverse audiences. These hands-on science kits were traditionally used for in-person, whole group instruction. Because the kits include all the materials needed to complete the activities, they provide hands-on science experiences without the need for a science lab facility. We developed a logistics plan for online use of the kits, taking into account the use of technology, kit distribution, virtual instruction, and audience engagement. We also developed COVID-19-safe practices for in-person instruction that supported social distancing while engaging learners in hands-on science. The strategic adaptation and creative implementation of these kits allowed us to engage our community's youth in environmental health learning during the isolated and uncertain times of the pandemic. Lessons learned from this experience may inform future efforts to provide remote, interactive informal science education to respond to diverse learners' needs.

Historically, high levels of self-reported stress, anxiety, and depression are quite common among STEM students. Unfortunately, after multiple semesters of disrupted education due to COVID-19, these mental struggles among students, especially first-year (freshmen) undergraduate engineering students, have only been exacerbated. To mitigate these struggles, active and thoughtful engagement in learning can be implemented. The main goal of this study was to implement an engaging, teamwork building, service-focused Environmental Engineering activity in a freshmen Civil Engineering course (CE 101, Introduction to Civil Engineering) where students performed a water quality monitoring campaign using two commercially available low-cost test strips (2:1 and 5:1) while returning to campus. Additionally, the quality of the results obtained and the students' reception of this service-focused activity were evaluated. This activity (1) engaged the students, (2) had a positive impact on their environmental engineering knowledge, and (3) generated useful water quality data related to tap water and surficial water in northern Mississippi. Results highlighted the (1) overall good quality of the tap water collected, with the analyzed analytes significantly below the U.S. EPA maximum contaminant levels, (2) ability of low-cost test strips to generate trustworthy data (results obtained by the students were not statistically different, p > 0.05, compared to the quality assurance and quality control samples implemented) that can help local communities in assessing the quality of their water, and (3) ability to perform service-focused activity while teaching STEM courses. Students positively valued this service-focused activity, and they were enthusiastic about further experiencing this approach in other classes.

With water shortage and increasing demand for water, education may have an important role in promoting the sustainable management of water resources. Educational curricula are the key resources used by teachers for students' teaching and training purposes. This study assessed water culture and water education-related criteria and standards in programmes and school curricula for Primary, Middle and upper Secondary school education in Morocco. It also investigated teachers for suggestions and views regarding methods for water-related topics and concepts implementation. The main tools used consisted of a content analysis grid for programmes and educational guidelines. A questionnaire and interviews were administered to 95 teachers of different subject areas, belonging to the three investigated school levels. Findings showed that the occurrence of water education criteria and standards is weak in school curricula of the investigated school levels. They were explicitly or implicitly addressed depending on the subject areas. The main topics consisted of water cycle definition, water as a vital source, water pollution sources, water economy interest. However, no reference has been made to water law, its accessibility, aesthetics and water-related professions.

The promotion of positive attitudes towards science is an important goal of science education. This research aimed to identify students' attitudes towards science and whether their participation within a citizen science project has contributed to positive attitudinal changes. So, an attitudinal scale was developed, validated, and applied (as a pre and post-test) to 574 students aged between 12 and 14 years old. Positive attitudes towards science were recorded from the outset among children of both groups. Students' participation within the experimental group enhanced relevant positive attitudinal changes at the level of the critical analysis dimension, related to the perception of skills development such as questioning or critical thinking. Furthermore, positive attitudinal changes were achieved within the affinity dimension, related to perceived self-efficacy and appreciation of science and science classes. Positive attitudinal changes towards science among students indicate that citizen science contributes to enhance affective and attitudinal domains of their scientific literacy.

This study describes how 19 middle-school science teachers responded to an engineering design task in the context of water quality and environmental science professional development (PD). The study relies on teacher created prototypes, presentations, graphic organizers, and qualitative memos to illustrate the challenges and successes of the PD. In the findings, we discuss two major themes that emerged from the data sources regarding teachers' focus on resource management and pedagogical understanding. Finally, we include lessons learned as we move forward as science teacher educators in an era where teachers are challenged to continue to adapt to pedagogical paradigm shifts within science education.

Experiential learning is recognized as a high-impact educational practice. Fieldwork is an important component of the geographic tradition. When implemented using an inquiry-based approach, fieldwork can be a highly effective form of experiential education. However, many geography instructors are dissuaded from implementing inquiry-based fieldwork because of logistical challenges. Here, a modular, semester-long fieldwork design is presented, involving inquiry-based research on local streams. This framework has been successfully implemented twice in undergraduate classes. A total of 37 undergraduate students did physical habitat assessments and water-quality monitoring on urban streams in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. Quantitative and qualitative anonymous student evaluations and student work products provide preliminary support for the approach's effectiveness in enhancing student learning. The practical advantages of the presented fieldwork design are that it is less costly in time and money than fully field-based courses, it breaks up a large class into more manageable group sizes, and it alleviates some of the common concerns about accessibility, equity, and risk management. While still needing to be systematically assessed, the pedagogical benefits potentially include development of critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, interpersonal, and affective skills.

Coagulation is an important process in the context of water purification; and the seed protein of the moringa tree ("Moringa oleifera") is a remarkably effective coagulant. The laboratory course described here is designed to provide high-school students with a stepwise, hands-on experience in investigating the protein-rich coagulant found in "Moringa" seeds. First, the seed powder was applied to model polluted water containing fine clay, food dyes, copper sulfate, and bacteria. This treatment changed the polluted water into clear water via coagulation; all students were convinced that the coagulation-inducing agent was a thermostable cationic protein. Finally, basic biochemical techniques (e.g., chromatographic separation and electrophoresis) were used to show that the target coagulant is a dimeric protein composed of 6.5 and 4.5 kDa subunits. Overall, this made it possible for the students to gain a deeper understanding (more comprehensive than the information taught in formal classes) of protein structure and its real-world implications. This stepwise exercise can be applied to research-based learning programs in high school, as it is an effective learning tool.

H[subscript 2]O Heroes is an environmental education programme, which was piloted with primary school students aged 7-10 years in a rural community in Co. Cavan, Ireland. Environmental education is frequently aimed at children not just as an educational initiative but as a means of changing attitudes and behaviour. H[subscript 2]O Heroes brings children on a fun interactive 3 h classroom-based tour of a water catchment, focusing on the link between human activity and water quality. The goal of H[subscript 2]O Heroes is to inspire, inform and engage so that children become environmental ambassadors for water (H[subscript 2]O) protection and conservation. This study is centred on adding long-term value to a short-duration science outreach programme by looking at how its reach and 'message' can be transmitted to a wider audience through the ripple effect of intergenerational learning. This small-scale study employed a mixed-methods approach taking advantage of both quantitative and qualitative research tools. Targeted feedback from children, parents and caregivers demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme in promoting both environmental awareness and intergenerational learning. Findings indicate that participation in the H[subscript 2]O Heroes programme empowered children as agents of environmental change and successfully improved environmental awareness and effected behavioural change within their families.

This article recounts our field experience and research in TfD in the Ofabo community, Kogi State, Nigeria. Through socially engaged performance and participant observation, this study finds that the poor state of drinking water in the Ofabo community results from government negligence, inadequate awareness, and the inactivity of community stakeholders/representatives. TfD approach works for education, awareness creation, and community mobilisation but there is a need for multi-disciplinary, public, and private partnership-based engagement in the region to make water testing and water treatment possible and to maximise the community-friendly engagement medium that the TfD methodology creates for measurable rural development.

Purpose: This study aims to determine preference and concerns regarding tap vs bottled water and recommendations to increase tap water use in a US Midwest university. The authors propose interventions to increase tap water use based on survey results. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an online survey of the community of a regional comprehensive university in the St. Louis metro-east region (Illinois, USA). They analyzed 781 responses using mixed methods, and developed recommendations based on community-based social marketing principles. Findings: Black respondents reported higher bottled water use than White respondents. Undergraduate students reported higher bottled water use than faculty or staff. Most respondents were concerned about cost and environmental impact for bottled water and taste and water quality for tap water. Chemical and safety concerns were specific and location-focused for tap water only. Concerns were similar to Safe Drinking Water Act mandated public information, such as prior reports of lead (Pb) in campus drinking water. Tap water taste concerns may relate to proximity to the water treatment plant, resulting in high residual chlorine levels. To increase tap water use in this community, the authors recommend persuasive information campaigns, improvements to infrastructure and distribution that increase tap water convenience, more transparent public reporting on tap water lead levels, management of residual chlorine levels, and establishment of institutional norms favoring tap water over bottled water. Originality/value: The authors evaluate barriers to drinking tap water across multiple environmental and social systems. The methods used in this study combine mixed methods analysis and community-based social marketing. The findings integrate respondent demographics and concerns, local water quality, local and national contamination events, campus-specific sustainability initiatives and barriers, and national drinking water regulations.

Purpose: This paper aim to propose a methodological mapping approach for the evaluation of dissertations and theses of graduate programs in the area of environmental sciences in Brazil in relation to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach: The research is characterized as exploratory with qualitative/quantitative approach. The proposed model was developed as a computational algorithm with a pilot being adopted as a professional master in national network for teaching in environmental sciences (ProfCiAmb) comprising associated courses from nine Brazilian public universities. 230 dissertations completed between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed. Findings: A total of 266 correlations were identified between the texts and descriptors of each SDG. Correlation values between 0.100 (minimum value -- Vmin) and 0.464 (maximum value -- Vmax) were observed. SDG 4 -- Quality Education (Vmax = 0.399) and SDG 6 -- Drinking Water and Sanitation (Vmax = 0.464) were those with the highest correlation values, followed by SDG 3 -- Health and Well-Being (Vmax = 0.299) and SDG 17 -- Partnerships and Means of Implementation (Vmax = 0.249). Practical implications: The construction of the computational algorithm provided consistent quantitative analyses with potential to contribute to the improvement of the multidimensional evaluation of graduate studies, as well as to support public policies related to teaching and research and strategic planning of the programs. Originality/value: The relevance of this study lies in the creation of a model that involves the creation of metrics and tools regarding the impact of graduate studies on society.

This study aimed to: (1) determine the effect of the problem-based service learning model based on the local wisdom of gugur gunung on the environmental concern of the students in Public Senior High School 1 Campurdarat; (2) determine the effect of problem based service learning models on the ability to write scientific papers at Public Senior High School I Campurdarat; and (3) knowing the students' impressions of the implementation of the problem based service learning model based on the local wisdom of gugur gunung in Lake Buret, Tulungagung. The method used in this study was quasi experiment. The research design used was the post-test control group design with 2 groups: (1) experimental group, which is students from class XI science 1; and (2) control group, which is students from class XI science 3 of Public Senior High School I Campurdarat, Tulungagung Regency, Indonesia. Data was obtained from post-test of environmental concern and ability to write scientific papers. From the Mann-Whitney test using SPSS, the Z count value was smaller than - Z table (-6.851 <- 1.960), and the significance value was smaller than [alpha] (0.000 <0.050), then the decision H0 was rejected which it meant there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group based on the measured score.

This study aims to: (1) test and analyze the role of knowledge management and competence in innovation, (2) test and analyze the role of knowledge management and competence on organizational performance, (3) test and analyze the role of innovation on organizational performance, (4) test and analyze the role of management knowledge of organizational performance through innovation, (5) testing and analyzing the role of competence on organizational performance through innovation, and (6) testing and analyzing the role of knowledge management and employee competence on organizational performance through innovation at PDAM Ketapang Regency. The research was conducted by PDAM Ketapang Regency employees, totaling 71 employees. The sampling technique uses saturated samples. Methods of data analysis using descriptive analysis and quantitative analysis with path analysis. The results showed that: (1) there was an influence on the role of knowledge management and competence on innovation, (2) there was an influence on the role of knowledge management and competence on organizational performance, (3) there was an influence on the role of innovation on organizational performance, (4) there was an influence on the role of knowledge management on organizational performance through innovation, (5) there is an influence on the role of competence on organizational performance through innovation, and (6) there is an influence on the role of knowledge management and employee competence on organizational performance through innovation at PDAM Ketapang Regency.

Young people's involvement in community-based research is a well-established interventional model, but not nearly as widespread as it should be. Although young people have valuable insights to share, their voices are often missing from the research process. To address this void, Youth Enrichment Services (YES) engages youth from under-resourced contexts and creates authentic learning experiences by connecting them to social issues that impact their lives. YES' most recent project is highlighted in this study, where teenage youth of color examined the social and environmental conditions that contributed to heightened lead exposure in a Pittsburgh Community. Using community-based participation research, students became the study's architects, data gatherers, and analysts thereby centering their critical perspectives in an adult-centric research regime. This study offers insight into how the employed peer-teaching, field-based learning model equipped students to facilitate their own geospatial learning to address toxic lead exposure. The results suggest that by harnessing and then channeling the varied interest and technical skill levels of students, peer-teaching models significantly enhanced technical learning outcomes when implemented in an applied, community-oriented research context. Integrating technical skills education with youth driven CBPR adds the critical dimension of youth experience into the research process and allows students to own their knowledge development.

Freshwater, which is present on land, is covered in Hydrography issues within the field of Geography. Hydrography course helps students to understand and interpret the mechanism, importance, distribution, relationship with other earth systems and living life. The importance of freshwater resources, which have been affected by climate changes or climatic irregularities and which have dwindled as a result of the misuse of humans, is increasing day by day. Failed to reach a significant portion of the world's population with clean fresh water, hydroelectric power plants and dams negative impacts on the ecosystem of waste due to contaminated water, biodiversity could not be protected, drought-bound migrations, and wrong water use in agriculture, flood and water damage issues such as waste, water, depending on is one of the major problems facing our world today. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the awareness of the students taking Hydrography courses on the conservation of freshwater resources. To this end, it is designed with the method of qualitative research and as descriptive work. The working group consists of 40 students who take Hydrography courses at Karabük University Faculty of Letters Department of Geography. The participants were selected from Geography Department students whose knowledge of Hydrography course was fresh. The data was collected through an open-ended questionnaire and the findings were analyzed descriptive. According to the findings of the study, the students stated that the distribution of freshwater on the Earth is not stable and adequate, the species in the water is damaged, future investments in water should be planned in advance, and waste should be returned to the economy by recycling instead of pouring into streams and lakes. As a result of the study, it was found that students were aware of problems with freshwater, but believed that their ability to do so individually was limited, and generally expected the solution from the state. According to these results, it may be suggested that it would be beneficial for students to be encouraged to participate in social work practices, Non-Governmental Organizations and projects in which they can take an active role.

The chemistry laboratory is an impactful platform for introducing inquiry and developing science practice skills. We designed a short lab course to introduce incremental levels of inquiry, also to interconnect and integrate different domains of chemistry. Indigo dye was the central theme of this short course wherein students synthesized indigo, dyed the yarns, analyzed the generated wastewater, and, finally, devised a treatment plan. This article describes the implementation of this short course as an explorative case study with 12 first-year undergraduate participants (4 small groups). Our study aimed to understand how science practice skills could be developed through the incremental approach to inquiry levels. The lab task sheet, lab reports, and transcripts of the group discussion were used as the data for qualitative analysis. Additionally, responses in the questionnaire were analyzed to understand students' perceptions and their experiences in this course. The results indicate that introducing inquiry at an incremental level is a promising approach to help students develop science practice skills. The first two experiments helped students to learn to formulate a hypothesis. The third and fourth experiments helped students to learn to design experiments. The quality of the hypothesis and explanation offered for observations enhanced with the progress of the course. The lab report pointers helped students to communicate their results systematically and helped to establish a connection between the hypothesis, data, and explanations, favoring the engagement with science practice skills.

Traditional laboratory courses involve students following detailed weekly experimental procedures, culminating in either a laboratory report or handout at the end of each experiment. While this setup teaches basic laboratory skills, it usually does not encourage students to think critically or independently. Therefore, many laboratory instructors have begun incorporating project-based learning (PBL) in their courses instead, which involves instructors assigning short-term projects to their students to complete over several weeks. In fall 2021, a PBL experience was implemented in an upper-division Analytical Chemistry course to compare how efficiently different water filtration devices remove three analytes (fluoride, chloride, and hardness). This was accomplished using a two-tiered approach--in the first tier, students learned, practiced, and gained extensive experience using several hands-on laboratory skills, and in the second tier, the students were asked to use those skills and apply them to complete their research projects. For the PBL, each group had to select and justify their filter types and the type of water they wanted to test; however, each student was responsible for their own data analysis and weekly handouts. At the conclusion of the course, the students wrote a group research report and gave a group presentation. The students reported a increase in confidence in their laboratory, research, report writing, and presentation skills after completing the PBL. However, only half the students would recommend doing this exercise or a similar one again next year, suggesting that more student buy-in was needed when conducting this PBL.

As our population continues to grow, the demand of a more efficient agriculture system heightens. We work to produce the highest yield possible to cover demands. Are we compromising our water quality for mass food production? In past years, the West Coast growers had been facing increasing struggles to farm with their allotted water often turning to groundwater use. California had to adopt measurements to regulate groundwater usage to protect the environment. The East Coast rain on the other hand faces with increasing amounts of algal blooms product of agricultural runoff derived from the consistent amount of rain received in that part of the country. Different approaches are being used to help reduce agricultural runoff like studies maintaining increased microbial activity in the soil to increase phosphorus uptake and preventing it from reaching waterways. California has passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act as an effort to encourage more conscious planning of water available.