Integrating Research and Education Biocomplexity Investigators Explore the Possibilities: Summary of a Workshop (2003) / Chapter Skim
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2 Summary of the Workshop
2 Summary of the Workshop
Pages 5-36
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From page 5... ...
, chair of the workshop planning group, explained what he and the group saw as the different ways to interpret the workshop title, "Integrating Education in Biocomplexity Research." The group chose that title because of its multiple meanings, recognizing the benefits of approaching the workshop from several viewpoints. One view is that a larger audience would be educated about the science of biocomplexity, another is that biocomplexity researchers themselves would learn about approaches to educational research.
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Several presenters of case studies and some planning group members offered suggestions for integrating education and research drawn from their specific experiences. Their suggestions were based on extensive experience with education projects.
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3. As a corollary to Integrating education into research, we can work to integrate research into the education work we do.
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GETTING STARTED FORMING COLLABORATIONS Cathryn Manduca, of Carleton College, gave advice based on her experiences with the Keck Geology Consortium. "While collaboration is regarded as a valuable experience, it is also a costly one.
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This type of exchange deals with professional development, so education and research are finally integrated." John Farrington, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, offered ideas for facilitating relationships in a collaboration based on his experiences at Woods Hole. One such approach that is now under way is 5
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Patricia Morse suggested that collaborators share leadership duties and .
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As one workshop participant noted, elected officials often have a frighteningly limited understanding of controversial issues involving scientific knowledge. An increased exposure to science would result in better-informed public officials to the benefit of their constituencies.
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the Keck Geology Consortium's two main sets of goals (one for student education, and the other for faculty professional development)
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Reck Foundation, NSF, Exxon Educational Foundation, American Asso-~ elation of Petroleum Geologists Foundation, and 12 liberal-arts member institutions (Amherst College, Beloit College, Carleton College, Colorado College, Franklin & Marshall College, Pomona £ollege, Smith College, Trinity University, Washington and Lee University, Whitman College, Williams College, and the College of Wooster)
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Manduca reported that when students in the consortium were asked what their goals were, they named goals similar to those laid out by the faculty described above. Undergraduate students wanted to · Do science in a particular subdiscipline (to test career and intellectual interests)
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Does the plan maximize the experience for all of the students? One strategy for developing the students' research plan includes the proposal writing and review cycle (with students acting as peer reviewers for each other)
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"Someone at a large university who is considering developing a research experience for undergraduates should consider collaborating with a faculty member at a liberal-arts college." Many of the issues outlined by Manduca about what constitutes an effective undergraduate research experience are issues that may be faced when developing a course or set of courses for undergraduates. Ben van der Pluijm, of the University of Michigan, presented a case study (Case Study 2)
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"Faculty involved in the program created a grass-roots movement to get the program operating despite the university" as van der Pluijm put it. The {acuity members engaged in the program have put forth a great deal of time and effort and are enriched by this~extra effort.
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In the second semester, van der Pluijm reports, `'a Crocus is placed on human impacts :of global change, although in~:structors are careful not to stress the severity of the situation, so :as Note discourage students to the point where they lose interest in the class." In the third semester, students do capstone work inuolv~ng~a variety of fields—sustainability studies, analyzing different countries, demographics, colonial history, climate-change policies, public health, and natural resources Students may minor in the program, and this minor is recognized in many schools in the university. Support and analysis of the program are provided by both the National Science Foundation and ::the university's School of Education Courses are managed via a Web~environment (interactive, frequently updated Web pages with notes, syllabus information, and announcements)
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The course ended with some questions unanswered. "Pushing students into more:challenging work and learning processes than lecture formats to which:they were more likely accustomed id an approach common ~n~the educational literature on epistemologic development," Keesing explained.
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The art of ~~modeling involves the balance of subjective and objective approaches, even though we Often teach modeling as i f models Twerp purely objective. Students at the right level could be greatly affected by learning about modeling, and this could greatly improve their epistemologic development as well." Improving epistemologic development by engaging students In scientific research is ore way to approach integrating educator, and research, but it epitomizes a common theme that carried through the er~tire workshop.
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The CAP LTER site constitutes a unique addition to the LTER research by focusing on: an arid-:land ecosystem and is one of only two sites that specifically :~study the ecology of urban systems. Biological, physical, and social scientists from Arizona State University and a wide array of local partners are working together to study~the structure and function of the urban ecosystem, assess the effects u rban development on the Sonoran Desert, and define the imparts If: If; of ecological Conditions on urban development.
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; Current teacher participants in Ecology Explorers go though initial interviewing, a 2-day summer workshop with scientists and previous teacher participants, workshops: during the school year based on teacher feedback (topics include:~mapping, data analysis, and insects in the classroom) , preservice and inservice workshops I coking for curricula, and a 4-week~summer internship working alongside researchers.
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lohn Farrington, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) , encouraged attendees to engage researchers at all levels in educational activities: "Involve graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and even take advantage of the experience of an institution's alumni who are in K-12 education or informal education." WHOI is a private, independent, not-for profit corporation dedicated to research and higher education at the frontiers of ocean science.
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An extensive research base for doing this already exists." She also recommended that scientists familiarize themselves with teaching standards and benchmarks. Two important documents for working within curriculum standards are Benchmarks for Science Literacy (http:// www.project2061.org/tools/bsl/default.htm)
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Carvellas noted that research scientists working with K-12 teachers could influence their communities. "Our citizenry votes on incredibly important issues that are greatly impacted by science and technology issues.
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Of course,~there are only a limited number of sources of Doppler radar data, and they vary widely at limes, making it inter;esting to contrast different sources but also making it difficult to rely on one source for an accurate prediction of whether it will rain in ore specific neighborhood. Weather is~more; complicated than Doppler radar can indicate, Especially to atmospheric sc~enbsts who develop the: processes and the instrumentation to make predictions about the weather "The idea is not to have visitors walk away from an exhibit saying, 'Gee, all ~ have to do is check the Doppler radar, and that's what these meteorologists get paid for'", said Sneider.
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However the scientific information must be presented in an accessible format. "The informal education arena science centers, zoos, arboreta, and so on offer a diverse audience of visitors.
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The Society of Environmental Journalists and the National Association of Science Writers have panels and lists of experts through whom researchers can gain exposure to journalism professionals who are interested in science. Researchers also could meet with the science or environmental writers of their newspapers and take it upon themselves to help better understand and appreciate the nature of science and the kinds of issues and problems that science can and cannot address.
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own constraints—a challenge has come when researchers try to lure students away from the program and into the laboratory for a PhD track. Researchers must respect the fact that there are other legitimate career goals for which an exposure to science is beneficial~hat people don't need to end up his research scientists to make it worth while." ~ The program works with the National Association of Black Journalists, the Native American Journaiists~Association, and the l\ational Hispanic Journalists Association to recruit minority-group members into this profession.
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. Science FEAT was a 3-year teacher-enhancement program for middleschool teachers of science based at Florida State University and supported by NSF.
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The theory of learning that underlies concept mapping recognizes that all meaningfill learning builds on the learner's existing relevant knowledge and the quality of its organization.] · How people learn.
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avid Mogk, of Montana State University, titled "What's Different About Education Proposals? " was based on A Guidle for Proposal Writing prepared by the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources (http://www.
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· Are the proposed course, curriculum, faculty or teacher professional development, experiential learning, or laboratory activities integrated into the institution's academic program?
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As Farrington noted, "fixture learning environments are unknown, but we must anticipate the need for multimedia tools and new formats for the next-generation equivalent of the great textbooks." John Jungck added "Researchers should look to be capturing revolutions in science education. It has been said that science education in the 21st century will have to be integrative, multivariate, multi-level, and mul· 1- · 1 '' tlulmenslonal.
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Researchers should respect the recipients of their knowledge, what these recipients know already, and the diversity of their backgrounds and talents." Levitan's ideas for collaboration were echoed by many at the workshop, whose suggestions covered a wide array of potential collaborative sources. From the interdisciplinary nature of biocomplexity to the interactions involving scientists with undergraduates, elementary students, K-12 teachers, lawmakers, journalists, or others, workshop presenters continually pointed to the benefits of establishing, fostering, and maintaining relationships with other scientists who are committed to improving education and with those who have specific educational or related expertise.
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