Critical Skills for Environmental Professionals: Putting Knowledge into Practice

✍ Scribed by Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 190
• Series: Springer Textbooks in Earth Sciences, Geography and Environment
• Edition: 1st ed. 2020
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This textbook focuses on a set of skills-based learning outcomes common among undergraduate environmental programs. It covers critical scientific skills and ways of thinking that bridge the gap between the knowledge-based content of introductory environmental textbooks and the professional skills students of the environment need to succeed in both their academic programs and professional careers. This emphasis on skills is gaining more traction among academic programs across the country as they shift focus from knowledge delivery to learning outcomes and professional competencies. The book features clear methodological frameworks, engaging practice exercises, and a range of assessment case studies suitable for use across academic levels. For introductory levels, this text uses guided practice exercises to expose students to the skills they will need to master. At the capstone level, this text allows students to apply the knowledge they have gained to real-world issues and to evaluate their competency in key programmatic learning outcomes.
A detailed answer key with rubrics customized for specific questions and sample answers at various competency levels is available to verified course instructors. Access to these answer key resources can be obtained by contacting the Springer Textook Team at [email protected]

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter ....Pages i-xv
Introduction: Mastering the Skills You Need to Be a Successful Environmental Professional (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 1-11
Problem Framing (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 13-21
Navigating Scientific Literature (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 23-33
Critical Thinking (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 35-44
Scientific Inquiry (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 45-56
Quantitative Literacy (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 57-65
Linking Cause and Effect (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 67-76
Environmental Problem Solving (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 77-85
Decision Support (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 87-98
Environmental Communication (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 99-111
Systems Thinking (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 113-127
Working Across Scales (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 129-141
Sustainability Science (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 143-156
Key Disciplinary Tools (Jennifer Pontius, Alan McIntosh)....Pages 157-165
Back Matter ....Pages 167-188

✦ Subjects

Earth Sciences; Environmental Science and Engineering; Environment, general; Ecosystems; Environmental Communication