There is a need for pedagogical approaches that foster creative interdisciplinary solutions to wicked problems. Conservation biology places a strong emphasis on problem solving as practitioners seek to preserve biodiversity for the future using the best available science now. Examples from conservation biology, can serve as an excellent framework for guiding students through the facets of problem solving. The goal is to integrate an evidence-based approach with an understanding of the real world context. I have successfully used three active learning approaches in my college courses: unstructured creative planning activity, what if scenario prompt, and a structured journaling exercise. Each is adaptable to available time, the students’ abilities, and different topics but also work well in combination. Students are asked to: make a plan with incomplete information (dealing with uncertainty); consider more than just the science (ecological, social, and economic environments); and provide a persuasive argument to support their ideas (written and oral communication). These activities are based on real examples, however the identities and locations are disguised to prevent students from seeking outside sources. Assessment of student learning occurs both at the conclusion of the exercise and with a related question or example on an exam.
Results/Conclusions
These activities can greatly improve student success in addressing similar problems. The peer-to-peer interactions while completing the activities and class discussions greatly enhance the quality of their answers, particularly in considering social, political and economic aspects. Students routinely cite these activities as very valuable in class evaluations and express a desire for more of these types of activities in other classes. In particular, students develop an increased comfort level with uncertainty and creative problem solving. The scenario with open-ended prompt is excellent for think-pair-share and introductory level, while the structured journaling exercise allows creative expression for a variety of skill levels. The what if case provides an excellent way to test development of strong defensible arguments. All of these are adaptable for within or across class periods. For improved learning outcomes I recommend providing only some of the critically needed information and to disguise the real identities of the examples. For students newer to the process, a worked example can prime the process effectively. These activities challenge them to think beyond the simple solutions by requiring them to think about the social, political and economic context and require that they can defend their answers to a non-scientific audience.