| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.36 |
| Liaison | Allison Maxted |
| Submission Date | Feb. 17, 2022 |
Mohawk College
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Nicolai
Strabac Sustainable Programs and Services Coordinator Sustainability Office/Facilities Services |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students?:
Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
A list or sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
• Sustainability is a guiding principle which informs operations at Mohawk College. Which phrases below describe the term sustainability?
• In 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an urgent call to action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership to create a sustainable future. Which of the following themes is NOT covered by the Sustainable Development Goals?
• What is the difference between weather and climate?
• What does the term “greenhouse gas effect” mean?
• What are some of the known negative impacts caused by climate change?
• In 2019, Canada released 730.3 megatonnes (MT) of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Which two sectors released the highest percentage of GHG emissions according to the Canadian Emissions Profile?
• True or false? Coffee cups can be recycled in the Paper bins.
• True or false? Along with food scraps, greasy pizza boxes and food stained paper can be disposed of in Organics (Compost) bins.
• True or false? Plastic containers must be cleaned of food and other residues in order to be properly recycled.
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
This assessment was developed by Mohawk Sustainability and vetted by The Institutional Research Department. Content was determined by examining best practices used by other institutions. Participants were posed a number of knowledge based questions surrounding challenges facing the environment, economy and the associated social impacts. A comprehensive social media and email campaign accompanied launch. The survey went live October 28th, 2021. Mohawk Sustainability intends to offer this survey annually. Therefore, this survey can be considered a pre-assessment for students starting semester 1 during Fall 2021.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
This survey was administered digitally and received 1188 unique responses - of which 812 were from students, 350 from employees and 26 self-described "other". A representative sample was reached as the distribution of responses generally match the enrollment and employment demographics of the College (see attached results). Student responses were highest in the academic divisions with the most enrollment, matching demographic trends. Similarly, employee responses match demographics.
Please note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital engagement proved difficult. Achieving 1188 responses during a time period where participation saw a marked decrease was deemed a success and a representative sample.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s):
Notable findings from the survey include:
•95% of respondents able to define the “Greenhouse Gas Effect”, an increase in 5% from the 2018 results.
•99.75% of respondents were able to identify at least 1 impact of climate change
•95.4% of respondents were aware that plastics needed to be cleaned to be properly recycled.
Website URL where information about the sustainability literacy assessment is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.