The ability to communicate to the public about ecological issues depends in large part on the scientific literacy of citizens. In practice, this means that citizens need to understand and use a core set of constructs -- atoms, molecules, DNA, energy, the nature of matter, and the nature of life -- to be able to read and make sense of popular communications such as the Tuesday New York Times science section or the reports of various government agencies or scientific societies. Over the last 20 years, Miller has developed a set of questions that measure Civic Scientific Literacy (CSL) and these items have been used in more than 40 countries. This presentation will discuss the construction and purposes of the CSL Index and how it can be used by ecologists and other science educators to evaluate their programs and communication activities.

Results/Conclusions

The results of a 2007 national study show that about 25% of American adults are scientifically literate. This is a significant improvement over the 10% found in 1988 on the same measure. A set of analyses will show that the driving factor in this growth has been the combination of college science courses and the growing availability and use of adult science learning resources and opportunities. Many scientists do not recognize that the United States is the only major country that requires all of its college students to take a year of science (as well as a year of humanities and social science). These courses provide an essential foundation for using and understanding the growing volume of adult science learning materials in all media, but especially in the electronic media. As a result of these factors, the United States ranks second in the world to Sweden in the proportion of adults who are scientifically literate.

These results have important implications for ecological scientists and educators. The often dreaded science courses for non-majors are an important part of increasing civic scientific literacy in our society and faculty should see these courses as an important opportunity. A simple structural equation model will be used to estimate the relative importance of educational attainment, college science courses, the use of traditional media, and the use of electronic media in the development of CSL in the United States. The results will show that the Internet is an important source of science learning for many adults.