An Evaluation of the Risk Education Module

Focus on Risk is an instructional material created to enhance high school students' environmental risk literacy. An evaluation involving 532 Focus on Risk students and 305 comparison students showed modest improvements in students' demonstrated risk knowledge and stronger improvements in self-assessed risk knowledge. Students' sense of responsibility for and perception of control over managing risks did not change. Teachers reported that Focus on Risk provided a valuable learning experience for students. Recommendations suggest the need for (a) a framework to help youth make environmental risk decisions, (b) using familiar risks to introduce abstract concepts and initiate student interest, and (c) training interdisciplinary groups of teachers to coordinate risk education activities.