OOS 33: Energizing Ecology Faculty Mentoring Networks with ESA’s Four-dimensional Ecology Education Curricular Framework

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Pacific

Session Organizer(s)

Carmen Cid

Biology, Eastern Connecticut State University
Willimantic, CT, USA

Moderator(s)

Luanna Prevost

Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida
Tampa, FL, USA

Volunteer(s)

Aanuoluwapo Olajide

Session Co-organizers: Jennifer Doherty, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, Alan Berkowitz, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, Kenneth Klemow, Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA, George Middendorf, Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC, Luanna Prevost, Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, Vikki Rodgers, Math and Science Division, Babson College, Wellesley, MA, Amanda Sorensen, Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI,

Ecologists have been hard at work developing a framework to provide ecological literacy for all. Since the Ecological Society of America endorsed the Four-dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) curricular framework in 2018, the ESA 4DEE Task Force has been spreading the word about this multidimensional undergraduate curricular approach that elevates the human dimension in the teaching of a hierarchy of ecology topics, while stressing development of ecological field and technology skills that prepare students for today’s environmental workforce.The 4DEE Task Force has been following the goals of the AAAS 2011 Vision and Change initiative for enhancing undergraduate education in the life sciences and guiding the ESA membership to connect their mentoring efforts to improve ecological literacy on a society-wide basis. The 2021 ESA annual meeting theme focuses on making vital connections with groups of like-minded faculty who are engaged in similar efforts to improve ecology research and teaching. In this session we propose to connect to ESA populated faculty mentoring networks with the efforts to strategically improve the career development process for training of competitive environmental professionals. We have engaged six ESA members involved in faculty mentoring networks that showcase various ways to improve ecology teaching across scales, habitats, from introductory to upper level undergraduate courses and integrating innovative technology and large scale ecological databases in undergraduate lab experiences. These networks are currently connecting faculty with similar research and teaching interests in creating whole courses, learning modules, restructuring biology major programs, and developing best pedagogical practices for diverse students. Their efforts in these environmental professional networks provide: state-of-the-art field experiences, a broad range of science skills, elevate the human dimension in ecology education outreach, grounded in validated cross-cutting biological themes. We will be asking the speakers to address how they perceive the ESA 4DEE curricular framework can be used to reflect and collectively provide an action plan for expanding the ESA outreach of 4DEE enhancement of the ecological career development of today’s rising environmental professional. Here are the questions we will have our speakers address in their presentation: How can your faculty mentoring network benefit from and help expand alignment of undergraduate curricula to ESA 4DEE guidelines? What can ecologists in ESA learn from the efforts of your group of colleagues who focus on innovating and implementing best practices in ecology education? What barriers does your network see as deterring integration of 4DEE in undergraduate ecology teaching?

Presentations:

ON DEMAND

Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education (BLUE): Integrating the ESA 4DEE curricular approach within the biodiversity sciences
Presenting Author: Anna K. Monfils – Department of Biology and Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University
ON DEMAND

Developing a multi-section introductory ecology course aligned with the 4DEE framework
Presenting Author: Shelly L. Thomas – Department of Biological Sciences, Rowan University
ON DEMAND

Enhancing 4DEE ecology education through the development and implementation of human-centered, place-based pedagogy to broaden the diversity of ecologists
Presenting Author: Carmen R. Cid – Biology, Eastern Connecticut State University
ON DEMAND

Incorporating ESA 4DEE in the development of EREN flexible learning projects using NEON databases
Presenting Author: Mary Beth Kolozsvary – Environmental Studies and Sciences, Siena College
ON DEMAND

Involving university students in collecting long term urban wildlife data using a 4DEE course-based undergraduate research experience
Presenting Author: Laurel Hartley – Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver
ON DEMAND

Using 4DEE and project-based learning to build a microbial ecology perspective into undergraduate microbiology courses
Presenting Author: Naupaka Zimmerman – Biology, University of San Francisco