REEFS 2024
The following resources will be presented during the REEFS Session at the 2024 ESA Annual Meeting.
Time: 11:45am – 1:15pm PDT
Location: 104C
Learning Activities
Monday, August 5th
11:55am – 12:25pm PT (Round 1 Presenters)
- Creating Free-Response Questions via Online Teacher-Staff Collaboration: Outcomes & Lessons
- Rescuing Data: Preserving Data for the Future
- Connecting Students Lived Experiences, Climate Change, and Shifting Species Distributions
- Writing your own ecological short story
- ESIIL Stars: Project-based earth data science training for faculty and students from MSIs
- Take 4DEE outside using campus resources for ecological practices and concepts
- Survivorship curves, stage-structured population models, and conservation planning
12:30pm – 1:00pm PT (Round 2 Presenters)
- Engaging in real-life conservation decisions and actions with TiME
- Evaluating and analyzing classic ecology papers and their modern significance
- Students gain deeper insights in Lotka Volterra models through hands-on work with EcoEvoApp
- Using authentic data figures to teach predator-prey interactions and other ecological topics
- Animal Behavior Lecture: Optimal Foraging and Game Theory Taught Through Active Learning/Games
- Unveiling the Ecology Education Semi-Annotated Bibliography
- Using evidence-based pedagogies to improve learning in online ecology courseware
Descriptions (Round 1)
Presentation 1: Creating Free-Response Questions via Online Teacher-Staff Collaboration: Outcomes & Lessons
Author: Sakina Dixon, Texas A&M University
Audience level: Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed, AP Environmental Science
Abstract: Free-response questions are an excellent way to engage students in three dimensional learning (Next Generation Science, 2024). The theme and context of FRQs reflect disciplinary core ideas. The specific prompts allow students to strengthen their science practices. Lastly, the purpose of FRQs is to have students engage with crosscutting concepts to deepen their learning. Four rangeland-theme FRQs were created through a creative teacher-staff collaboration. The work group was made up of participants and project leads from the Prairie Project Educator Cohort professional development program. Topics within each question include biodiversity, grassland biomes, ecosystem services, generalist and specialist species, invasive species, human impacts on biodiversity, etc. The College Board’s AP Environmental Science exam FRQs were used as a guide to structure the questions and scoring guide. This presentation will review the FRQs and share reflections from the teacher-staff collaboration. Lessons learned relate to project length/time, decision-making, product design, and peer-review.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 2: Rescuing Data: Preserving Data for the Future
Author: Rhea Ewing, Rhea Ewing Art
Audience level: Introductory Biology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for non-majors
Abstract: This is part of my illustrated “meet the scientists” series of open access micro modules for undergraduate classrooms. In this module we meet Diane Srivastava, director of the Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution, and learn how and why we preserve legacy datasets in ecology, evolution and environmental science. IN this exercise, students will:-Formulate research questions that could be addressed using data-Understand factors that contribute to data’s long term stability and usefulness-Apply vocabulary and concepts related to biodiversity datasets-Discuss how data skills and standards are relevant to the scientific process
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 3: Connecting Students Lived Experiences, Climate Change, and Shifting Species Distributions
Author: Grant Foster, University of South Carolina
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: Anthropogenic climate change is a concept that often seems abstract to many students. This activity aims to help students not only understand the evidence for anthropogenic-drivers of climate change, but also connect its effects to their own lived experiences. This activity is broken down into three submodules. The first asks students to evaluate evidence for anthropogenic climate change and evaluate different arguments commonly made to belittle its effects or causes through role-play debates. The second asks students to analyze local climate data and develop species distribution models for local species under projected climatic scenarios. Finally, students will be asked to research and speak about a way that climate change impacts their own experience. While together these three submodules do scaffold off one another, this emphasis on modularity allows materials to be changed or adapted to different course contexts.
Extent this learning activity is developed: In development, has not been implemented in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 4: Writing your own ecological short story
Author: David Bowne, Elizabethtown College
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: Student Learning Outcomes:
- Develop and explore a personal connection to ecology
- To play, be creative, and have fun in writing by working on a topic of interest to you
- To see either yourself or something of interest to you in the ecological discipline
Students write ecological fiction on a topic of interest to them. The story must incorporate an ecological concept, interaction, or phenomenon. The student writes an author statement in which they explain what they are trying to achieve with the story.
As this is not a creative writing course, their grade is not be based on the ultimate quality of the writing. Their final short story is evaluated using the “ungraded” approach. Student and instructor meet to discuss the work in context of what they are trying to achieve in terms of ecology. The student reflects on their own performance.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 5: ESIIL Stars: Project-based earth data science training for faculty and students from MSIs
Author: Elsa Culler, University of Colorado Boulder
Audience level: Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed
Abstract: ESIIL Stars is a 7-month internship to build capacity to teach and learn Earth Data Science at Tribal Colleges and Universities and other Minority-serving Institutions. We develop culturally-relevant curriculum for introducing key Earth Data Science concepts and skills. A new activity is mapping the migration of a culturally important species for the Lakota people, Tȟašíyagnuŋpa or western meadowlark. We’ll discuss the activity, the collaborative development process, and available open resources for adapting the activity in other cultural contexts.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 6: Take 4DEE outside using campus resources for ecological practices and concepts
Author: Erica Tietjen, Nevada State University
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed
Abstract: In my introductory courses in environmental science and ecology, students participate in activities that take them outdoors to our campus (field) environment (which every campus has, regardless of size, and to minimize the need for travel to remote locations). I have concentrated on natural history (an ecology practice), systems thinking (a cross-cutting theme) and ecosystem services and sustainability (human-environment interactions) as a way to introduce ecological perspectives. Students work on a portfolio project to photograph their campus observations and to identify examples of ecological concepts, with the latitude to make personal connections that are intellectually enriching and experientially valuable. For this REEFS workshop, I will provide student examples and additional information about the structure of the photo portfolio activity, my experiences with different student groups, and helpful tips to incorporate the activity in any classroom.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Highly developed, implemented multiple times in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 7: Survivorship curves, stage-structured population models, and conservation planning
Author: Urmi Poddar, Stony Brook University
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: Ecology students are taught about age-structured/stage-structured population models and survivorship curves, but they may not develop a deeper understanding of the applications of these concepts. Therefore, in this activity, students learn how these concepts can be applied to conservation planning and sustainable harvesting. Students are given life Presentations from organisms with different survivorship curves, and are asked to change the survival rate or fecundity of each life stage, one at a time. They then note the sensitivity of the population growth rate to each life stage’s fecundity or survival rate. Based on this information, they make decisions on which life stage to prioritize for conservation, for each organism. Through this activity, students learn how the shape of the survivorship curve affects the sensitivity of population growth rate to each life stage’s demographic rates. This activity can also be used to teach sensitivity analysis.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Descriptions (Round 2)
Presentation 1: Engaging in real-life conservation decisions and actions with TiME
Author: Deborah Goldberg, University of Arizona
Audience level: Introductory Biology for majors, Introductory Biology for non-majors, Introductory Biology for mixed majors, Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed, Advanced Ecology course, Other science course, Our curricula are very flexible and can be adapted to almost almost any level, including informal education.
Abstract: This is My Earth (TiME) is a conservation and education nonprofit that uses crowdfunding to acquire biodiversity hotspots for local organizations to own and manage and builds biodiversity and conservation curricula based on its unique conservation model. Candidate sites are vetted by a scientific committee and members (minimum of $1 donation) vote on which of 3 approved sites to purchase each year; the organization has no overhead. TiME has multiple curricula, from 90 minutes to 6 weeks and from kindergarten to college. All the curricula culminate in groups of students developing presentations on candidate sites to urge their selection for acquisition based on their new understanding of biodiversity and conservation concepts and practices. Students debate sites based on scientific, economic, and social criteria and go on to vote on the TiME website, contributing to real-world conservation action. The approach builds strong engagement and passion as students argue for “their” sites, while giving them a practical reason for building their understanding of important ecological concepts.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Highly developed, implemented multiple times in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 2: Evaluating and analyzing classic ecology papers and their modern significance.
Author: Wendy Owens Rios, SUNY Geneseo
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: Today’s undergraduate students often struggle with how to effectively assess and extract information from peer-reviewed journal articles. Additionally, they need a foundational understanding of ecological concepts to help them evaluate current problems. To address this, I plan to implement group assignments where students evaluate one section of a classic ecology paper. Each group will digest, summarize, and present their section to their peers. This coming semester, there will be six assignments featuring six different papers, with each group evaluating a different section. The overall goals are to assess a complex peer-reviewed journal article, understand classic themes in ecology, and recognize how these concepts continue to inform our research and management goals in ecology.
Extent this learning activity is developed: In development, has not been implemented in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 3: Students gain deeper insights in Lotka Volterra models through hands-on work with EcoEvoApp
Author: Ann Thijs, The University of Texas at Austin
Audience level: Introductory Ecology for majors
Abstract: Students in an upper division Ecology course actively engage with the online resources EcoEvoApp to explore Lotka-Volterra models, specifically predator-prey interactions. EcoEvoApps is a collection of freely available apps that allow users to interactively explore ecology and evolution models https://ecoevoapps.gitlab.io/. After a lecture on Lotka-Volterra, and a math exploration by way of graphing isoclines and vectors, students gain more insights in the model through their use of the online platform. This activity is guided by a worksheet.While these students are upper division science majors, math anxiety is prevalent in this population, and by giving them the same content in an easily accessible format, their resistance to exploring the mathematic model is lowered. For those students who are not math-averse, the code is freely accessible to work with.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 4: Using authentic data figures to teach predator-prey interactions and other ecological topics
Author: Jeremy Hsu, Chapman University
Audience level: Introductory Biology for majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: We will share a collection of activities that provide students with opportunities to learn about predator-prey relationships using authentic data or data figures from published research. More specifically, the activities include coverage of 1) functional responses, 2) conservation management, 3) biological control agents, 4) Lotka-Volterra interactions, and 5) environmental justice. These activities also promote various student competencies, including graphing in R, interpreting graphs and figures, and designing experiments. These activities were developed as part of the ESA Faculty Mentoring Network on the 4-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework, and have all been published in Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE), ESA’s open-access teaching journal.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 5: Animal Behavior Lecture: Optimal Foraging and Game Theory Taught Through Active Learning/Games.
Author: Justin St. Juliana, Cornell University
Audience level: Introductory Biology for majors, Introductory Biology for non-majors, Introductory Biology for mixed majors, Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Elements of this lecture can be applied to various audiences. For example the last portion of the lecture covers environmental science (to cover HEI) even if that is not the focus of the lecture.
Abstract: I will present a student focused active learning lecture that incorporates a high number of short activities throughout a 50 min. lecture. Overall, this serves as an example of a successful active learning style. The example lecture I will present covers optimal foraging and game theory. In this lecture students engage in traditional active learning as well as participate as players in optimal forging simulations and games. As such, this also severs as a example of incorporating games into lectures. The lecture covers all 4 dimensions of 4DEE.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Highly developed, implemented multiple times in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 6: Unveiling the Ecology Education Semi-Annotated Bibliography
Author: Kenneth Klemow, Wilkes University
Audience level: Introductory Biology for majors, Introductory Biology for non-majors, Introductory Biology for mixed majors, Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for majors, Introductory Environmental Science for non-majors, or mixed, Advanced Ecology course
Abstract: During this session, I will unveil a newly prepared bibliography of education-related articles published in the journals produced by the ESA. The bibliography, which is formatted as a list of citations linked to posted articles, captures education-related articles dating back to 1917. The list contains references to over 1600 articles, including K-12, undergraduate, and graduate pedagogy, data papers, book reviews, articles that give career advice and address DEI, TEK, and adult education – plus much more. Many of the articles discuss topics that are highly relevant to today’s classroom, but may be under-read and underappreciated – or need updating. Significantly, I seek feedback on this effort, and plan to make the bibliography available following the conference.
Extent this learning activity is developed: In development, has not been implemented in a classroom, lecture or laboratory
Presentation 7: Using evidence-based pedagogies to improve learning in online ecology courseware
Author: Christopher Paradise, Davidson College
Audience level: Introductory Biology for majors, Introductory Ecology for non-majors, Introductory Ecology for majors
Abstract: Our goals as ecology instructors should be to teach students how to think like ecologists and gain a deeper understanding of the field. I am developing courseware for Codon Learning that will help instructors achieve those goals. Constructing Ecology is an active, student-oriented courseware on Codon for educators who want to teach their students how to think like ecologists, read and interpret the literature, integrate concepts, and develop core scientific competencies. The content and activities are based on the CREATE pedagogies, with case studies that incorporate data and figures from peer-reviewed studies integrated into a framework constructed around Foundational Concepts (FC) of Ecology. Presenting content in case studies and data from the primary literature simulates the process of doing science when coupled with CREATE activities, enhancing the core competencies of science. Codon Learning facilitates this by helping instructors design high-structure courses that emphasize pre-class preparation, active learning, and study practice.
Extent this learning activity is developed: Newly developed, implemented once or twice in a classroom, lecture or laboratory