Abstract
Undergraduate education in water resources is crucial, involving faculty from diverse disciplines and providing meaningful learning and mentoring experiences. In 2022, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) launched a national survey and organized a virtual collaborative session with respondents to better understand: 1) What are the primary needs faced by faculty members who teach and mentor water science to undergraduate students? and 2) How can academic institutions and external organizations effectively support faculty members in meeting the needs associated with teaching and mentoring water science to undergraduate students? We collected data from N = 95 survey respondents, and n = 13 collaborative session participants. We employed both quantitative and qualitative analyses of instructors’ perceived needs. Quantitative analyses focused on comparative assessment of reported needs and differences between respondent subgroups. Qualitative analysis involved open coding of open-ended survey responses and transcribed collaborative sessions. Results indicate that instructors require support to identify and implement student-centered instructional strategies, help students use evidence to formulate claims about water-related phenomena, connect classroom learning to real-life experiences, design summative assessments, use computer-based tools, and improve students’ computational and quantitative skills. Additionally, the need for summer stipends, access to external funding, and support for early-career instructors and graduate students to enhance teaching and mentoring skills in water research is highlighted. Improving students’ research capabilities, technical proficiency, and soft skills are also crucial. These findings provide insights for enhancing undergraduate water education to support student success.
