Integrated Messaging Strategies in Conservation Education: The Role of Story and Song in Teaching Invasive Species Management

Project Abstract

Conservation education is one way we can help youth better understand the management tools we use and why. However, conservation education messaging strategies must be evaluated to determine the most effective. The objective of our research was to determine the effectiveness of using different strategies related to messaging format and the use of music to teach middle school-aged children about invasive species ecology and management. Specifically, we used a 2 x 2 factorial design with messaging type (traditional lecture versus storytelling) and song inclusion (included or not) as factors and taught four sections of sixth or seventh-grade students about invasive species at two different schools (n = 2 per treatment combination; 8 total sections). We provided a pre-survey to the students before the lesson to determine their prior knowledge and perceptions of invasive plants and their management. Following the pre-survey, we completed the lesson about invasive plants. This lesson was followed by a post-survey that included the same questions as the pre-survey and additional questions to assess how they felt about the messaging strategy used. We analyzed the surveys to measure the effectiveness of messaging type and the use of music on student learning gains. The lecture lesson was best for the students with no prior knowledge of invasive species. Conversely, learning gains were greatest with the story + song lesson for students with prior knowledge of invasive species. Enjoyment of each of the lesson types did not differ, though males enjoyed all lesson types less than females. Ultimately, a combined messaging strategy approach to teaching management-related topics, such as invasive plants, may be most effective for student learning at the middle school level.

Conference

Conference Name (full, no abbreviations): The 79th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA)

Dates: October 26 to October 29, 2025

Sponsoring Body: hosted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Conference Website: https://seafwa.org/conference/2025

Funding Type

Travel Grant

Academic College

Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology

Area/Major/Minor

Wildlife and Conservation Biology

Degree

BS

Classification

Senior

Name

Andrea Darracq, PhD

Academic College

Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS