Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DACIP (Developing Action Competence for Insect Preservation)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-08-23 bis 2023-08-22
The decline of insects is a significant environmental issue, since insects have important ecological functions, e.g. as predators and prey in the food web or as pollinators. Several studies show that the rates of this decline are alarmingly high. Scientists warn about the consequences of insect extinctions and highlight that halting insect decline is key for a sustainable future.
The “Developing Action Competence for Insect Preservation (DACIP)” project approaches the problem of insect decline from an educational perspective and aims to empower learners to deal with this issue. The project builds on the concept of action competence, which describes peoples’ ability to solve complex problems. Education based on action competence aims to build up action-oriented knowledge, encouraging the willingness to act and fostering learners’ confidence in own actions. DACIP is the first project that applies this concept of action competence to the issue of insect decline. The project has four main research objectives (ROs):
RO 1: Development of a new framework about peoples’ action competence for insect conservation
RO 2: Development of instruments to measure the self-perceived level of action competence
RO 3: Design of an intervention to foster learners’ action competence
RO 4: Measure how the self-perceived action competence changes through a designed intervention
These objectives are of high environmental and societal relevance. Knowing about citizens’ action competence builds the foundation to engage citizens more effectively in insect conservation actions. Measuring the self-perceived action competence makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of educational initiatives. Eventually, innovative educational designs can support learners’ competencies to sustain insect biodiversity and therefore contribute to sustainable behavior.
The “Developing Action Competence for Insect Preservation (DACIP)” project approaches the problem of insect decline from an educational perspective and aims to empower learners to deal with this issue. The project builds on the concept of action competence, which describes peoples’ ability to solve complex problems. Education based on action competence aims to build up action-oriented knowledge, encouraging the willingness to act and fostering learners’ confidence in own actions. DACIP is the first project that applies this concept of action competence to the issue of insect decline. The project has four main research objectives (ROs):
RO 1: Development of a new framework about peoples’ action competence for insect conservation
RO 2: Development of instruments to measure the self-perceived level of action competence
RO 3: Design of an intervention to foster learners’ action competence
RO 4: Measure how the self-perceived action competence changes through a designed intervention
These objectives are of high environmental and societal relevance. Knowing about citizens’ action competence builds the foundation to engage citizens more effectively in insect conservation actions. Measuring the self-perceived action competence makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of educational initiatives. Eventually, innovative educational designs can support learners’ competencies to sustain insect biodiversity and therefore contribute to sustainable behavior.
As a first objective, the framework “Action Competence for Insect Conservation (ACIC)” was developed based on an analysis of literature, initiatives, and an expert validation. This framework defines action competence in the field of insect conservation and summarizes relevant direct and indirect actions for insect conservation. The framework was published in May 2023.
As a second objective, a psychometric scale was developed that builds on the theoretical framework. The development process resulted in the “Self-Perceived Action Competence for Insect Conservation (SPACIC) scale“, which was piloted with 180 Swedish compulsory school students in spring 2022. The piloting data showed that the instrument has good psychometric qualities with both a high level of reliability and validity. A publication on this new instrument was submitted in spring 2023. In addition to this key quantitative instrument, qualitative interview guides were developed to investigate the development of learners’ competencies.
The third objective was to design a teaching intervention that fosters learners’ action competence, which finally resulted in an intervention called Actions for Insects. The educational design process built on the new theoretical framework. Actions for Insects educates about insects, insect decline, conservation actions, and shows how learners can track insect biodiversity as citizen scientists. Moreover, learners get the chance to plan and take their own real world actions. The full teaching design including all learning materials are published and available here: www.actionsforinsects.com. A publication on a sequence on pollination was submitted in spring 2023, and a scientific publication on the overall teaching design is in preparation.
The fourth objective was to measure the effects of the teaching intervention on learners’ action competence in a pre-post-design. Classes from four compulsory schools in a Swedish municipality took part in the Actions for Insects intervention that started in grade seven in May 2022. To measure learners’ self-perceived action competence for insect conservation, we applied the SPACIC scale (see above) in both an intervention group (190 students in pre-test, 137 students in post-test) and in a control group receiving regular biology lessons (99 students in pre-test, 86 students in post-test). The effects of the teaching intervention were also analysed qualitatively through interviews with students.
The results from the quantitative analysis show that the intervention group increased their self-perceived knowledge, confidence, and willingness to take actions significantly. In contrast to this, the effects in the control group were considerably smaller or even not significant. In summary, the self-perceived action competence in the intervention group increased with a large effect size, whereas the control group showed only a small effect. The qualitative data underscore the quantitative findings and show that students gained knowledge about relevant conservation actions and many students engaged in real world actions at home. A publication on the pre-post study will be submitted in the end of 2023.
In addition, several dissemination and communication activities were conducted during the project. The project was presented at many international scientific conferences. Moreover, a collaboration with Karlstad municipality was started, which made it possible to organize a large scale outdoor exhibition and an event week on pollinators to inform the general public. Finally, the project supported the municipality to create insect-friendly green spaces in public parks in 2023.
As a second objective, a psychometric scale was developed that builds on the theoretical framework. The development process resulted in the “Self-Perceived Action Competence for Insect Conservation (SPACIC) scale“, which was piloted with 180 Swedish compulsory school students in spring 2022. The piloting data showed that the instrument has good psychometric qualities with both a high level of reliability and validity. A publication on this new instrument was submitted in spring 2023. In addition to this key quantitative instrument, qualitative interview guides were developed to investigate the development of learners’ competencies.
The third objective was to design a teaching intervention that fosters learners’ action competence, which finally resulted in an intervention called Actions for Insects. The educational design process built on the new theoretical framework. Actions for Insects educates about insects, insect decline, conservation actions, and shows how learners can track insect biodiversity as citizen scientists. Moreover, learners get the chance to plan and take their own real world actions. The full teaching design including all learning materials are published and available here: www.actionsforinsects.com. A publication on a sequence on pollination was submitted in spring 2023, and a scientific publication on the overall teaching design is in preparation.
The fourth objective was to measure the effects of the teaching intervention on learners’ action competence in a pre-post-design. Classes from four compulsory schools in a Swedish municipality took part in the Actions for Insects intervention that started in grade seven in May 2022. To measure learners’ self-perceived action competence for insect conservation, we applied the SPACIC scale (see above) in both an intervention group (190 students in pre-test, 137 students in post-test) and in a control group receiving regular biology lessons (99 students in pre-test, 86 students in post-test). The effects of the teaching intervention were also analysed qualitatively through interviews with students.
The results from the quantitative analysis show that the intervention group increased their self-perceived knowledge, confidence, and willingness to take actions significantly. In contrast to this, the effects in the control group were considerably smaller or even not significant. In summary, the self-perceived action competence in the intervention group increased with a large effect size, whereas the control group showed only a small effect. The qualitative data underscore the quantitative findings and show that students gained knowledge about relevant conservation actions and many students engaged in real world actions at home. A publication on the pre-post study will be submitted in the end of 2023.
In addition, several dissemination and communication activities were conducted during the project. The project was presented at many international scientific conferences. Moreover, a collaboration with Karlstad municipality was started, which made it possible to organize a large scale outdoor exhibition and an event week on pollinators to inform the general public. Finally, the project supported the municipality to create insect-friendly green spaces in public parks in 2023.
The project provides several outputs that go beyond the prior state of the art.
• The ACIC framework is the first to define action competence in the context of insect conservation. This framework can be used e.g. to create new research instruments or impactful educational interventions. By this, the framework can contribute to a transformational change in the society to create more sustainable environments that support insects and biodiversity in general.
• The SPACIC developed is the first scale to measure the self-perceived competence of people to contribute to insect conservation. The SPACIC scale can provide evidence to improve initiatives to foster people’s action competence more effectively. Hence, the SPACIC scale is an important output of the project that can be used for educational research and for the design of educational settings.
• Another key output of the project is the Actions for Insects teaching intervention (see www.actionsforinsects.com). The intervention builds on the ACIC framework and enables teachers to teach about the current issue of insect decline at various levels of the educational system. The pre-post study underscores that Actions for Insects significantly improves learners’ self-perceived action competence and empowers learners to take own actions.
• The project had a direct impact in the municipality in Karlstad. The project team initiated a large scale exhibition on pollinators (SURR exhibition) in 2023 together with the municipality. In addition, the project team provided expertise for the municipality to create more insect friendly green spaces.
• Finally, the project established contact to national organisations, which will be further pursued in a follow up project. The follow up project aims to further disseminate and exploit the various project outcomes (ACIC framework, SPACIC scale, Actions for Insects intervention) nationally and internationally.
• The ACIC framework is the first to define action competence in the context of insect conservation. This framework can be used e.g. to create new research instruments or impactful educational interventions. By this, the framework can contribute to a transformational change in the society to create more sustainable environments that support insects and biodiversity in general.
• The SPACIC developed is the first scale to measure the self-perceived competence of people to contribute to insect conservation. The SPACIC scale can provide evidence to improve initiatives to foster people’s action competence more effectively. Hence, the SPACIC scale is an important output of the project that can be used for educational research and for the design of educational settings.
• Another key output of the project is the Actions for Insects teaching intervention (see www.actionsforinsects.com). The intervention builds on the ACIC framework and enables teachers to teach about the current issue of insect decline at various levels of the educational system. The pre-post study underscores that Actions for Insects significantly improves learners’ self-perceived action competence and empowers learners to take own actions.
• The project had a direct impact in the municipality in Karlstad. The project team initiated a large scale exhibition on pollinators (SURR exhibition) in 2023 together with the municipality. In addition, the project team provided expertise for the municipality to create more insect friendly green spaces.
• Finally, the project established contact to national organisations, which will be further pursued in a follow up project. The follow up project aims to further disseminate and exploit the various project outcomes (ACIC framework, SPACIC scale, Actions for Insects intervention) nationally and internationally.