Teaching and learning basic ecological concepts and the comprehension and use of them in the areas of public policy and decision-making is challenging for professors and students. This activity is framed around the 4DEE (The Four Dimensions of Ecological Education) developed by members of the Ecological Society of America. It also covers some core competencies of the Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biological Education: A Call to Action. This presentation will address the following question: How 4DEE framework can be implemented in a one-day research project?
A one-day field project is done in a field area chosen either by student vote or professor preference. At the site, groups of three to four students make observations about the plants, animals, fungus, the physical environment, and human impact. Based on their observations, students develop a research question, hypothesis, and experimental design. Once the method is established, students go to the field to gather the data. Upon return to the base camp, students analyze data using descriptive statistics and constructing graphs and tables. The activity ends when all groups have presented their investigation within the framework of a scientific presentation.
Results/Conclusions
I have implemented this activity more than 10 times. Students like the activity because they learn about different ecosystems, communities and populations, as wells as the impact of humans on the ecosystems. Participants experience field work and are challenged to think fast and on their feet. They have to make quick and consensus decisions within their team. They work without their computers, tablets or phones as all calculations are done by hand or with the use of a calculator. The presentation is done on poster board; therefore, all graphs, tables, drawings, and texts are constructed by hand. Students are encouraged to be creative and to use their artistic skills in preparing the presentation. At the end of this activity, students would be able to: make observations about the ecosystem, define ecological concepts, develop a hypothesis, develop an experimental design, gather and analyze data, and communicate results to their peers.