PINEMAP and Project Learning Tree Secondary Module for Science Educators Southeastern Forests and Climate Change Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez, Kentucky State University Project Leads: Martha Monroe, Annie Oxarart School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Learning Tree • National environmental education program – www.plt.org • Curriculum materials and professional development • Secondary Modules – Middle/High School Courses – Issue focus • New secondary module – Southeastern Forests and Climate Change – Partnership with PINEMAP Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Southeastern Forests and Climate Change • Focus on Southeast • 14 activities to explore – Climate Change and Forests – Forest Management and Adaptation – Carbon Sequestration – Life Cycle Assessment • Developed in partnership with PINEMAP • Activities follow PINEMAP research framework
PINEMAP • P ine I ntegrated N etwork: E ducation, M itigation, and A daptation P roject • USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture – Coordinated Agriculture Project • Integrated research, extension, and education Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
PINEMAP Research = Module Framework 14 activities, separated into five sections 1. Climate Change and Forests - Climate science and policy - Southern forest responses to projected climate changes 2. Forest Management and Adaptation - Strategies landowners can use to adapt to changes - Genetic breeding activities to identify trees that may thrive in the future 3. Carbon Sequestration - Carbon Cycle - Reducing atmospheric carbon through forest management 4. Life Cycle Assessment - The role of product life cycles in reducing carbon emissions - The role of consumers in making wise purchases 5. Solutions for Change - How students and consumers can be part of solutions Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Educational Strategies • Engaging teaching methods – Role play - Debate – Web quest - Small group discussions – Data analysis - Service-learning action project – Videos and slide presentations - Field work – Cooperative learning exercises • Increasing – Student knowledge – Systems-thinking and decision-making skills – Confidence that individual and community actions can help address climate change. From USDA FS Tree Atlas; forest ecosystems at present Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Learning Theory: Socio-scientific Issues Research • Socio-scientific issues (SSI): controversial social issues which relate to science; open-ended problems which have multiple solutions. e.g. genetic engineering, climate change, animal testing for medical purposes • Goal of SSI: Cultivate a scientifically literate citizens who are able to apply evidence-based scientific content knowledge to real-world socioscientific scenarios. • SSI research shows that teachers could utilize SSI to foster understanding of science content and consequences involved in everyday scientific issues. • Students learn the nature of science and formulate their own informed decisions and understand those whose views differ from themselves in the context of a SSI. Zeidler, D. L., Sadler, T. D. Simmons, M. L. & Howes, E. V. (2005). Beyond STS: A research- based framework for socioscientific issues education. Science Education, 89 (3), 357-377 Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Learning Theory: Problem-based Learning Research • Students learning centers on a complex problem that does not have a single correct answer or solution. • Students work in collaborative groups to identify what they need to learn in order to solve a problem. • PBL is an instructional method in which teacher acts to facilitate the learning process rather than to provide knowledge. • The goals of PBL include helping students develop - flexible knowledge - problem-solving skills - self-directed learning - collaborative skills Hmelo-Silver, C.E. (2004). Problem-based learning: what and how do students learn? Educational Psychology Review 16 , 3, 235-266 - intrinsic motivation Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Special Features • Research connections • Systems thinking • STEM and NGSS • Social science connections • Website • Participatory process Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Research Connection • PINEMAP is an integrated research activity – 50 faculty and 45 graduate students across 11 universities – Synthesizing research and making it available to stakeholders • This module helps teachers make sense out of current forest research • Videos from students and faculty about their research • Activities to use data bases, interpret graphs, collect data • Researchers critiqued materials Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Systems thinking • Systems thinking Every activity has a systems thinking connection Tree 5 activities have growth supplemental activities on Tree Stress systems High-Intensity Tree disease Wildfire Two activities use systems thinking tools Available Available Risk of tree Risk of wildfire Nutrients Water disease Understory fuel load Sample causal system diagram used to predict impacts of climate change Forest Density Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
STEM and NGSS • What science can tell us • How scientists work • How scientists work with data – Graphing, modeling, databases • How forest managers can use research findings to change practice • Engineering connection: Life Cycle Assessment • Mathematics: data analysis, graph interpretation, tree measurement Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Social Science Connections • Why do people disagree about climate change? – Common facts but different assumptions Product Life Cycle – Despite disagreement, how can communities move forward? • What can people do about it? – Consumer can add GHG emissions to “green” product choices – Forest managers can increase resilience Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Participatory Process • Assessment of SE science teachers – Focus on data analysis, systems thinking, and problem solving • Advisory Board • Activity testing and revision • Expert review Middle School 8% 17% Science • Formative evaluation Biology and AP 14% Biology • Researchable questions Env and AP Env 17% Science • Summative evaluation Earth Science 44% Other Over 60 teachers participated in the formative evaluation in Fall 2013 Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Research findings to date • Science teachers want quality materials to help them navigate this issue – Especially using climate change as an example of the nature of science • Students are motivated to learn about climate – And climate change can increase interest and knowledge about other science concepts, such as carbon cycle Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Our research findings to date • Students become more hopeful about climate after exposure to four activities – Information is empowering – Forests can be resilient – Consumers can be part of the solution • Student evaluation suggests: – Knowledge – Systems-thinking skills – Hope that individual and community actions can help address climate change Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project (PINEMAP) is a Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
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