SMTC joins multi-state ecology research project

  The University of Wyoming Science & Mathematics Teaching Center (SMTC) will partner with four other universities in a multi-state research project funded by a $12 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
   "Culturally Relevant Ecology, Learning Progressions, and Environmental Literacy will engage researchers, educators and school children in research designed to explore ways to help teachers translate what they learn at professional development programs hosted by the nation's Long Term Ecological Research Sites (LTERS) to their classrooms.
   Particular attention will be paid to processes that improve students' ability to build upon what they learn in school to understand increasingly complex scientific concepts. The NSF's Mathematics-Science Partnership Program funds the five-year project.
   "There already exists a partnership of universities, LTERs, and school districts," SMTC Director Robert Mayes says. "But there is some concern about how to bring the teachers to these sites, have them do field-based science with the scientists, and then translate that into the K-12 curriculum so that you have a meaningful impact. How do you actually go about creating a systemic change in these schools?"
   Attention will be focused on the intersection of the role of fostering an educated citizenry on three ecological areas (carbon, water and biodiversity), quantitative reasoning, and place-based learning.
    A hallmark component of these field-based efforts is the emphasis on local research by school children.
     "It's not just field based, it's the field outside your door," Mayes says. "It's not just being outside, it is engaging in science that impacts communities."
  Mayes, affiliate faculty member Mark Lyford, and SMTC Coodinator Sylvia Parker will play lead roles in UW's involvement. Other faculty and graduate students are expected to join in as the project progresses.
   "I envision that our piece is going to be the quantitative reasoning aspect and the place-based aspect," Mayes says.  The SMTC will collaborate on studying learning trajectories in the study of the carbon cycle, water cycle, and biodiversity, focusing on the impact of quantitative reasoning and place-based learning on these trajectories.
   UW's team will work closely with faculty at Colorado State University, which has a longstanding relationship with the Short Steppe Grass LTER site, and partner school districts.  Other participants are partnerships led by Michigan State University, the University of California-Santa Barbara, and Towson State University.


 

Posted on Thursday, October 16, 2008