Using drawings and explanations based on attentive teaching as a means for understanding the social-ecological systems concept

Abstract The concept of ‘social-ecological systems’, which explores the relationships between society and the environment, was at the center of this study. The study aims to describe Israeli environmental-education master students’ level of understanding of the social-ecological systems concept. We used a designated rubric score to analyze drawings and explanations and to identify the levels of understanding asking: How can the analysis of drawings and explanations, using Attentive Teaching as an educational approach, enable the identification of conceptual changes in understanding the social-ecological systems concept? The 270 drawings and explanations of 49 participants were analyzed, and they indicated a general increase in the level of understanding of the social-ecological systems concept. Attentive Teaching, as an educational approach, was found to lead to conceptual change. Drawings and explanations, as an assessment methodology may lead to better understanding of the social-ecological systems concept and may encourage action in relation to the environmental crisis.