Effects of a Problem‐Based Learning Approach on Attitude Change and Science and Policy Content Knowledge

Two primary objectives of environmental education are to inform and influence opinion on the impact of human activities on the environment (Orr 1994; Bednar 2003). One methodology is the open-ended, problem-based learning approach, in which students are assigned a realworld environmental problem to critically evaluate. The problem is open ended in the sense that there is no universally accepted correct answer to discover. To successfully complete their evaluation, students must learn enough about the topic to read and understand the relevant research and apply this knowledge base to weigh conflicting expert opinions about the problem (Allen et al. 1996; Campa et al. 1999). Problem-based learning is becoming a popular pedagogical approach among advocates of reform in science education because it is purported to be more effective at motivating students to learn independently. When students learn independently, they discover the relevance of the content to real-world applications (D’Avanzo 2003a, 2003b; Hmelo-Silver 2004). Although this claim seems reasonable, there are little quantitative data to support the effectiveness of problem-based learn-