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Knowledge of Indonesian University Students on the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

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Listed:
  • Sebastian Koch

    (Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Biology Education, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Waldweg 26, Göttingen 37073, Germany)

  • Jan Barkmann

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen 37075, Germany)

  • Micha Strack

    (Georg-Elias-Müller-Institute of Psychology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Gosslerstr. 14, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Leti Sundawati

    (Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Management, Jalan Lingkar Akademik, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), PO Box 168, Bogor 16680, Indonesia)

  • Susanne Bögeholz

    (Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Biology Education, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Waldweg 26, Göttingen 37073, Germany)

Abstract

Graduates of university programs addressing sustainable resource management are likely to shape strategies for natural resource use in the future. Their academic training needs to foster student knowledge of the multiple dimensions of natural resource management. This paper investigates university student understanding of such challenges. We differentiated situational, conceptual, and procedural types of knowledge, and three domains of knowledge (ecological, socio-economic and institutional knowledge), and sampled beginners (third semester) and seniors (seventh semester) of seven natural resource related programs at the leading Indonesian institution of higher education in the field of natural resource management (IPB Bogor; n = 882). The questionnaire consisted of multiple choice and rating scale items covering ‘locally’ relevant open-access resource use issues. With a confirmatory tau-equivalent LISREL model, construct validity was assessed. The ability to extract relevant information from problem descriptions provided (situational knowledge) did not differ between third and seventh semester students. While it was high for ecological and socio-economic items, it was markedly lower for institutional knowledge. Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts (conceptual knowledge) increased in the ecological and socio-economic domains but the effect was small. Conceptual knowledge in the socio-economical and institutional domains tended to be lower than ecological knowledge. Although there was certain improvement, student judgments on the efficacy of resource management options (procedural knowledge) differed strongly from expert judgments for beginners as well as for senior students. We conclude that many of the university students in the sampled programs displayed substantial gaps in their capacity to solve complex, real-world natural resource management problems. Specifically, the socio-economic and institutional knowledge domains—and their integration with ecological knowledge—may require attention by educational planners.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Koch & Jan Barkmann & Micha Strack & Leti Sundawati & Susanne Bögeholz, 2013. "Knowledge of Indonesian University Students on the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:4:p:1443-1460:d:24655
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pet-Soede, L. & Erdmann, M.V., 1998. "Blast fishing in southwest Sulawesi, Indonesia," Naga, The WorldFish Center, vol. 21(2), pages 4-9.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
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    Cited by:

    1. Janna Niens & Lisa Richter-Beuschel & Tobias C. Stubbe & Susanne Bögeholz, 2021. "Procedural Knowledge of Primary School Teachers in Madagascar for Teaching and Learning towards Land-Use- and Health-Related Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-36, August.
    2. Lisa Richter-Beuschel & Susanne Bögeholz, 2020. "Knowledge of Student Teachers on Sustainable Land Use Issues–Knowledge Types Relevant for Teacher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Janna Niens & Lisa Richter-Beuschel & Susanne Bögeholz, 2020. "Land-Use and Health Issues in Malagasy Primary Education—A Delphi Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-31, August.
    4. Attila Lengyel & Sándor Kovács & Anetta Müller & Lóránt Dávid & Szilvia Szőke & Éva Bácsné Bába, 2019. "Sustainability and Subjective Well-Being: How Students Weigh Dimensions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Lisa Richter-Beuschel & Susanne Bögeholz, 2019. "Student Teachers’ Knowledge to Enable Problem-Solving for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Lorenz Probst, 2022. "Higher Education for Sustainability: A Critical Review of the Empirical Evidence 2013–2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.

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