Fun Activities from a Project-based Online Ecology Course Steven Brewer Biology Department University of Massachusetts Amherst Massachusetts Environmental Education Society 2009

Science Education Online On-line Masters Degree in Science Education for in-practice teachers in remote areas to maintain licensure.

BIOL597B: Organisms: Diversity and Interactions Proposed in 2001-2002 Developed in 2003 with Buzz Hoagland (WSC) Taught in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

Textbooks Bloom, J. 2006. Creating a Classroom Community of Young Scientists 2 nd Edition. Routledge. Eastman, J. 1992. Forest & Thicket: Trees, Shrubs, and Wildflowers of Eastern North America. Stackpole Books.

Online Format Drupal (free content management system) Instructor questions & commentary Blogs: weekly project updates Image-sharing & commentary Weekly electronic chat Collaborative final reports

Drupal (free content management system)

Instructor questions & commentary

Blogs: weekly project updates

Image-sharing & commentary

Weekly electronic chat

Collaborative final reports

Project-based Learning Constructivist Collaborative Open-ended Hands-on Problem-posing Problem-solving Peer persuasion

Constructivist

Collaborative

Open-ended

Hands-on

Problem-posing

Problem-solving

Peer persuasion

Fun with Observations ???

Observation

A Year in the Life of a Tree Find an iconic tree from a native habitat. Conduct weekly observations for 14 weeks. Post observations, measurements, and imagery.

Compost Column Projects Create three “Bottle Biology” Compost Columns 1) Just leaves 2) Vermiculture 3) Research / Collaborative

Schoolyard Enhancement Plan Select area of school-yard to enhance Identify non-native species Propose native replacements to increase wildlife

Final Projects Find an ecology activity Do the activity yourself Describe how you adapted the activity

Fun with Google Maps ???

Acknowledgments Tom Hoogendyk Buzz Hoagland (WSC) Fall 2009 Students of BIOL597B Kathy Davis Steve Schneider George Drake Chris Hoogendyk

Where are they really? 1. Hadley, MA, USA 2. Pouso Alegre, BR 3. Saint-Mathais-sur-Richelieu, CA 4. Central China 5. Kaolack, Senegal 6. Goehner, Nebraska 7. Chiba, Japan 8. Saint Marc, Haiti 9. Berkum, Germany 10. Grozny, Chechnya

1. Hadley, MA, USA

2. Pouso Alegre, BR

3. Saint-Mathais-sur-Richelieu, CA

4. Central China

5. Kaolack, Senegal

6. Goehner, Nebraska

7. Chiba, Japan

8. Saint Marc, Haiti

9. Berkum, Germany

10. Grozny, Chechnya