Does teaching about solutions change how students think about ocean acidification?

With 94% of all peer-reviewed papers published since 2010, ocean acidification can be considered is a relatively new and active area of scientific research. While scientific knowledge of ocean acidification is expanding... [ view full abstract ]

With 94% of all peer-reviewed papers published since 2010, ocean acidification can be considered is a relatively new and active area of scientific research. While scientific knowledge of ocean acidification is expanding rapidly, the American public remains largely unaware of the issue despite efforts by outreach and education professionals. This suggests the need to raise public awareness; however, often implicit in awareness-raising efforts is the belief that “if people know about the problem, then they will take action to fix it.” Behavior change research has shown that knowledge is only a precursor to action. If knowledge will not lead students to action, can we at least provide information in a way that primes students for action?

Multiple psychological theories suggest that for someone to try to fix a problem they must i) perceive an issue as a threat to something they care about and ii) think that there is something they can do to fix the problem. While there are numerous teaching materials on ocean acidification freely available, very few emphasize solutions to the problem. This mixed-methods research project tests whether teaching students using a solutions-focused lesson changes their perceived threat and control over the problem, when compared to students completing a standard ocean acidification lab. We present findings from an experiment conducted in high school classrooms in coastal Lincoln County, Oregon with nearly 300 students. Our findings have implications for how scientists, educators, and communicators engage with the public about ocean acidification.