A Method for Evaluating the Impact of an Introductory Environmental Studies Class on the Values of Students

This article discusses a method used for evaluating the impact of an undergraduate environmental studies class on the environmental values of students based on triangulation of method and using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The combination of methods was useful for examining changes in students values after taking the class and for determining the effectiveness of the class. The results of the questionnaire appear to echo the results of the interviews, perhaps showing that changes experienced by the interview respondents were also experienced by the broader sample. This shows how the different methods complement each other, in reinforcing and illuminating the conclusions. The triangulation approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the results; each method supported the others.