Institution: University of Montana PI/ CoPI: Carol Brewer, Associate Professor, Biology; Lisa Blank, Associate Professor, Science Education; Paul Alaback, Associate Professor, Forestry; David Oberbillig, Science Teacher, Big Sky High School; Michael Plautz, Science Teacher, Hellgate Middle School Number of Fellows per Year: 10 graduate students, 5 undergraduate life science majors School District Partners: Missoula Curriculum Consortium of 14 W. Montana districts (Bonner, Clinton, DeSmet, Florence-Carlton, Frenchtown, Hellgate Elementary, Lolo, Missoula County Public Schools, Potomac, Seeley Lake, Sunset, Swan Valley, Target Range, Woodman) Targeted Audience: K-12 Setting: Rural NSF Disciplines: Biological Sciences
The Ecologists, Educators and Schools (ECOS) - Partners in GK-12 Education Program brings together teachers and administrators in the Missoula Curriculum Consortium and University of Montana faculty from the Division of Biological Sciences and the College of Forestry and Conservation to create a national model of how authentic research experiences at the K-12 level can improve the teaching and learning of science. Using schoolyards and nearby open areas as outdoor research laboratories, ECOS Teams are developing science demonstration projects related to local ecology and conservation biology. Throughout the academic year, K-12 students and their teachers interact with University of Montana faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate and undergraduate students conducting related research in ecology.
Intellectual Merit: The ECOS Program: 1) introduces all participating faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates to teaching and learning research and national science education standards; 2) provides content-rich, multi-layered professional development in science for K-12 teachers; 3) develops school-based, content-rich laboratories and research projects for K-12 students; 4) supports a co-mentoring network of science faculty, in-service teachers, and graduate and undergraduate students; and 5) encourages the development of a writing community to disseminate results of the project in peer-reviewed journals and at national meetings.
Broader Impact: Scientific ways of thinking and understanding are being fostered in K-12 students and teaching practices focused on "learning by doing" and inquiry instruction are being introduced to a number of school districts, many of which include rural and/or impoverished schools, traditionally underserved schools. The Fellows represent future science faculty who will be effective linkages between scientists, mathematicians, engineers and technologists and educators in the K-16 continuum. Specific project indicators are being collected in order to determine effective mechanisms to promote program sustainability and to facilitate transfer to other sites in Montana and around the country. Ultimately, ECOS will contribute to a national model of how research projects can be introduced into the K-16 curriculum to enhance the teaching and learning of science.
This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Biological Sciences.
