How Is Climate Change Impacting the Educational Choices and Career Plans of Undergraduates?
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear authors,
Congratulations for your effort. Please, the following comments are some suggestions to improve your paper.
1.- Abstract: there is a confirmation, but there is not a critical point or some discovery... What is it new about it?
2.- Cites & references: please, separate with ;
3.- Theoretical analysis: please, could you attend the schools of thought involved? (i.e., interventionists/mainstream -new & post-Keynesians: state control of climate change action and academic programs- vs. liberals/heterodox -Austrian Economics or New Institutional Economics: social entrepreneurship to deal with this risk, see https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-024-00753-1).
4.- Other analitical points: second round effects (please see https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153783).
5.- Tables: source? own elaboration?
Best regards.
Author Response
Comment 1.- Abstract: there is a confirmation, but there is not a critical point or some discovery... What is it new about it?
Response 1. The novelty of this study is that there is very little information or data on the impact of student climate change concerns on their educational and career plans. This study is the first step in a larger research program to better understand this important issue.
Comment 2.- Cites & references: please, separate with ;
Response 2. I will certainly conform to whatever style the editor requests with respect to citations and references.
Comment 3.- Theoretical analysis: please, could you attend the schools of thought involved? (i.e., interventionists/mainstream -new & post-Keynesians: state control of climate change action and academic programs- vs. liberals/heterodox -Austrian Economics or New Institutional Economics social entrepreneurship to deal with this risk, see https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-024-00753-1).
Response 3. It is not clear to which part of the paper this comment is referring. This initial analysis of survey data seeks to understand the impact of climate change concerns on student’s plans. There isn’t a particular theoretical framework or school of thought that underpins this initial investigation into the impact of climate change concerns on university students, educational and career plan.
Comment 4.- Other analitical points: second round effects (please see https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153783).
Response 4. Similar to my answer to comment 3, it is not clear to which part of the paper this comment is referring. This initial analysis of survey data seeks to understand the impact of climate change concerns on student’s plans. There isn’t a particular theoretical framework or school of thought that underpins this initial investigation into the impact of climate change concerns on university students, educational and career plan.
5.- Tables: source? own elaboration?
Unless otherwise indicated, the source for all tables is the data collected in the survey itself. I have add information that makes this explicit.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsRejection Decision and Revision Suggestions
While the study aims to investigate the influence of climate change on undergraduates' educational choices and career planning—which is a topic of practical significance—the manuscript exhibits critical methodological flaws, insufficient theoretical depth, and inadequate data interpretation, casting doubt on the reliability and generalizability of its conclusions. Rejection is recommended unless substantial revisions are made.
- Severe sample bias. There are geographical limitations, and the sample cannot represent the global population. It is recommended to redesign the sample to balance the distribution of regions, genders, and disciplines.
- Lack of theoretical depth, as the results are not deeply discussed through classical theories.
- Unrigorous conclusions. Due to the limited sample size of the article, the conclusion that "climate change affects 15% of students' major choices" is inaccurate.
Author Response
Comment 1. Severe sample bias. There are geographical limitations, and the sample cannot represent the global population. It is recommended to redesign the sample to balance the distribution of regions, genders, and disciplines.
Response 1. This is a first step in a larger research program. The next step will be to survey a more large set of university students. The manuscript acknowledges the limitations of the study in that it only covers students at one US university.
Comment 2. Lack of theoretical depth, as the results are not deeply discussed through classical theories.
Response 2. This initial analysis of survey data seeks to understand the impact of climate change concerns on student’s plans. There isn’t a particular theoretical framework or school of thought that underpins this initial investigation into the impact of climate change concerns on university students’ educational and career plans.
Comment 3. Unrigorous conclusions. Due to the limited sample size of the article, the conclusion that "climate change affects 15% of students' major choices" is inaccurate.
Response 3. The conclusion has be revised to make it clear that it only applies to the students surveyed and is not a general statement for all students.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThank you of the opportunity its to review this manuscript. I enjoyed reading this thoughtful and fully referenced work. The manuscript is well written and all aspects of the research process are presented logically. Key decisions made during the research process, the analyses and the conclusions are carefully explained.
I am hardly surprised that female participants were in the majority, and therefore 'over-represented' in this study. Who is more likely to agree to be a participant in a climate related study after all? The gendered difference that appeared in this study concerning care and action has been known for decades and this study adds further to the collected evidence, which, again, is useful!
I note a high level of manuscript preparation is demonstrated which is why I am not requesting any changes or revisions.
Overall, it is a clever idea to inquire whether direct education on increasing climate instability is having an explicit impact on stated post higher education student choices (an implicit impact could be assumed).
There are serious implications for the higher education response, including redesigning the focus of curriculum and pedagogy and challenging the educational assumptions of relative stability may (eventually) have to be abandoned. Thermodynamics will have its way.
This is a valuable exploratory study, and yes, it comes from the United States, but so many good research initiatives do. Enough detail is presented for education researchers to emulate this research within and from their own contexts in different parts of the world. I hope they do so.
Congratulations on a piece of research conducted with care and generous consideration to the context.
Author Response
Comment 1. Thank you of the opportunity its to review this manuscript. I enjoyed reading this thoughtful and fully referenced work. The manuscript is well written and all aspects of the research process are presented logically. Key decisions made during the research process, the analyses and the conclusions are carefully explained.
I am hardly surprised that female participants were in the majority, and therefore 'overrepresented' in this study. Who is more likely to agree to be a participant in a climate related study after all? The gendered difference that appeared in this study concerning care and action has been known for decades and this study adds further to the collected evidence, which, again, is useful!
I note a high level of manuscript preparation is demonstrated which is why I am not requesting any changes or revisions.
Overall, it is a clever idea to inquire whether direct education on increasing climate instability is having an explicit impact on stated post higher education student choices (an implicit impact could be assumed).
There are serious implications for the higher education response, including redesigning the focus of curriculum and pedagogy and challenging the educational assumptions of relative stability may (eventually) have to be abandoned. Thermodynamics will have its way.
This is a valuable exploratory study, and yes, it comes from the United States, but so many good research initiatives do. Enough detail is presented for education researchers to emulate this research within and from their own contexts in different parts of the world. I hope they do so.
Congratulations on a piece of research conducted with care and generous consideration to the context.
Response 1. Thank you for these comments
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors This manuscript can be accepted by the journal. The author have made revisions based on the comments.