Recent ESA annual meetings have focused on ecological knowledge, communication and data skills, interdisciplinary connections and awareness of human diversity issues needed to address 21st century environmental problems. This collaboration of ESA researchers and educators resulted in the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) undergraduate curricular framework, endorsed by the ESA Governing Board in November 2018.
The 4DEE framework promotes discussion of the human-environment interactions for all traditional ecology concepts, at all levels and for all audiences. Meeting 4DEE guidelines also requires addressing the additional dimensions of fundamental concepts, and ecological skills and practices, such as natural history. To this end, students engage in fieldwork and develop data collection/analysis skills that together expand into multidimensional thinking. This new approach to teaching ecology also needs to be grounded in the basic cross-cutting themes of biology, such as structure and function, and spatial and temporal scales, while incorporating computational thinking and an understanding of social systems.
This poster describes how to evaluate courses for ecology and biology majors in alignment with the 4DEE framework and provides guidelines for transforming majors’ courses into the comprehensive, real world problem-solving approach needed to train current and future environmental professionals. It serves as a companion to one being submitted for non-majors 4DEE ecology course revision.
Results/Conclusions
Migrating majors courses to a more 4DEE-centered approach requires first that we assess how comprehensively existing syllabi cover 4DEE dimension elements and integration. A critical next step is to map out how we provide opportunities to learn ecological skills important for careers and elevate the human dimension discussion from introductory to advanced level coursework in the major. Assessment of student learning in an ecology major program needs to measure how we develop student awareness of the importance of 4DEE curriculum components and the ethical reasoning needed in any environmental career pathway. Following a lecture/lab semester course format, 4DEE transformation priority is given to incorporation of the human dimension, generation and assessment of data pertaining to ecological phenomena, teamwork, and communication skills, while engaging students in multidimensional thinking. Course transformation examples will include field experiences in rural and urban habitats, and how to connect local to global environmental issues at different scales, from individual to ecosystem. Resources provided will help faculty seeking support for academic program revision in undergraduate biology/ecology/environmental studies programs, guide development of service learning initiatives, and enhance teaching of community engagement skills needed for today’s diverse careers.