Native bees of Central Texas: Evaluating a public engagement initiative in various teaching settings

Background/Question/Methods

: Public engagement conservation courses have multiplied in the last decade with little information on their impact. We designed the Native Bees of Texas course at The University of Texas at Austin and implemented it at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. In 2018, 2019, and 2021 we taught 61 Central Texas participants identification skills, ecology, and conservation of native bees in an active learning environment with slide-based lectures, indoor-outdoor practicum activities, and printed material. We evaluated course efficacy and participant learning outcomes with pre and post course tests and surveys.

Results/Conclusions

: Overall, test score means increased significantly from pre to post course; 60% (SE 0.05) to 87% (SE 0.03)(p< 0.009) in 2018 and 64% (SE 0.04) to 87% (SE 0.02)(p< 0.000) in 2019; with greater increases in ecological knowledge than identification skills. Participants' perceived gaining ecological and conservation knowledge (4.50 and 4.62 out of 5 in 2018 and 2019, respectively), and meeting their primary learning objectives (4.44 and 4.41 out of 5 in 2018 and 2019, respectively). 2018 and 2019 assessment results provided evidence that the course successfully taught participants basic bee identification, ecology, and conservation, and the 2021 hybrid course results will be incorporated to this systematic educational evaluation.