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Introduction
The Red River of the North Watershed is an
international watershed basin,
encompassing parts of the three states of Minnesota, North Dakota
and South Dakota, and the
Canadian province of Manitoba. This watershed covers a land area of
more than 45,000 square
miles - an area that would completely cover the state of
Pennsylvania. One hundred and
seventy-three K-12 school jurisdictions are located within this
basin with approximately 270,000
students.
Resource management issues in the Red River of the North Basin are
complex and
challenging. Agriculture comprises 84% of the human impact activity
on this landscape. Local,
state and provincial decision-makers are continually challenged to
find a balanced approach that
ensures economic and environmental sustainability. The basins
leadership is searching for ways
to engage citizens, gather sound scientific information, and get a
better grasp on human
influenced impacts to the environment. Teachers within this
watershed are seeking ways to
involve students in science, information technology, and service
activities that make a real
difference.
The
International Water Institute Center for Watershed Education
(http://www.tricollege.
org/watershed/) will engage a cohort of resource professionals and a
campus-based
faculty consulting committee to successfully implement the
Understanding the Science
Connected to Technology (USCT) project, in partnership with 5
schools. This project will focus
on four key areas of need in watershed science programming: 1)
proficiency; 2) leadership; 3)
connections; and 4) consistency.
Program design, delivery of
educational content, reporting of
progress, and evaluation planning will all center on outcomes within
these four themes.
Proficiency: While most teachers have access to an array of
information technology (IT) tools,
many are using them improperly or not at all. Classroom computers
are still used primarily by
the teacher as a classroom management tool. Technology courses are
typically linear in nature,
separated from subject area applications of a typical school day and
not designed as an integral
part of sharing or disseminating information for students. Science
teachers in the Red River
Watershed are beginning to involve students in experiences that use
electronic probes and data
gathering tools, but most of that information is still recorded on
paper as a fixed answer to a
single question. This is illustrated by the task to measure and
record the dissolved oxygen in
the classroom aquarium water. The grade would be dependent on
whether they answered it
correctly based on the teachers expectation. Students learn science
and IT as singular events
without making the connections.
The simple linear approach to
education is flawed. Learning
is a complex process that defies the precepts of measurement and
accountability. (Brooks and
Brooks 1999)
This is reflective of the culture of the formalized classroom
teacher, who is isolated by
subject area training.
Most teachers in the Red River of the North
Basin are inadequately
supported with opportunities for specialized training in information
technology skills and
strategies for integration of these resources into their classrooms.
As evidenced by this example
and articulated by the First Lady, Many teachers complain that their
college education programs
barely scratched the surface on important areas and provided only
limited hands-on experience in
a real public school setting. The depth of knowledge teachers bring
to the classroom determines
how well children learn in that classroom. (Bush 2002)
The introduction of technology tools in classrooms has challenged
practicing teachers to
learn new skills that incorporate technology into their teaching. It
is equally challenging to new
teachers or teachers-in-training, who have little or no classroom
experience.
The paradigm of the
present classroom learning process creates a disadvantage for both
teachers and students. The
teachers limited ability to integrate technology into subject area
learning fosters a fragmented
approach to effectively connect students to the relationship between
science and technology
(Levin et. al. 2002). To engage as learners, students and teachers
must understand and utilize
information technology. Without a grasp of these technologies,
teachers are not able to
adequately instruct students and students are not able to learn to
their full potential.
Consequently, there is a pressing need to help students and teachers
become proficient with
information technology. Students report frustration with the limited
ways their teachers use
technology today. From their point of view too many of their
teachers ignore the dynamic
interactivity of the Internet as a teaching tool (Levin et. al.
2002).
The Northwest Minnesota River Watch program currently involves 27
high schools in
monitoring 135 aquatic sites within the watershed. River Watch
students, accompanied by a
teacher and a River Watch scientist, monitor specific sites monthly
to gather water quality data
utilizing standardized protocols. Data gathered is provided to local
resource managers who then
utilize them to make decisions regarding watershed issues.
Currently, River Watch scientists
accompany the River Watch groups to help ensure that the data
gathered meets EPA standards.
All information is recorded on paper even though the student/teacher
team is afield with a
SONDE 600 Datlogger and a Hach Turbidity meter.
The information is
taken by the scientists
from teachers and students and recorded and interpreted by the
scientists. Copies of the data are
then returned to students who create a display or presentation for
school and public use. Data
analysis and management is often considered drudge work typically
assigned to one or two
technically inclined people. This proposed program will involve
students and teachers in all
aspects of data management and presentation (USEPA 1997).
A review of the current River Watch Program has identified the
following results and needs
of students and teachers:
• Most currently have skills to collect data with a Sonde multi
parameter unit and read
information on the data logger display.
• Few understand protocols and methods for collecting scientific
quality samples.
• Few understand safety and other procedures required for field
collection methods.
• Individually, some students within a school team understand how to
create spreadsheets,
power-point and web page information for public presentations.
• Most require training to connect the SONDE to a computer, transfer
data into spreadsheet
format for analysis and interpretation.
• Most need the training to articulate or explain data. For example,
they can accurately
measure high or low dissolved oxygen (DO) site, but not interpret
what each number
might mean.
• Most need training to develop knowledge and proficiency in
geo-spatial literacy related
activities, including down-loading and using land-sat imagery.
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