Transforming Ecology Education

National Science Foundation (RCN-UBE: 2120678)
Transforming Ecology Education to 4D (TEE) network
11/1/2021 – 10/31/2026

Project Goals

Transforming Ecology Education to 4DEE (TEE) project activities aim to:

1. Catalyze the production of exemplar curricular materials and tools that are aligned to the 4DEE framework.
2. Foster multidimensional learning to modernize ecology education towards creating a STEM workforce literate about our changing ecological systems.
3. Leverage connections to existing networks relevant to ecology education that will accelerate the adoption of the 4DEE framework.

Project Activities

1. Host a series of Faculty Mentoring Networks (FMNs) starting in Fall 2022 with varying topics to develop 4DEE-aligned education exemplars.
2. Organize a virtual showcase of 4DEE-aligned resources from the initial FMNs.
3. Support FMN participants to disseminate teaching resources at selected conferences.
4. Recognize active participants in the 4DEE community as 4DEE ambassadors.

Faculty Mentoring Networks

Faculty Mentoring Networks (FMNs) provides a bridge between pedagogical theory and actionable classroom practice. TEE will bring small groups of nine faculty together to support the adaptation and subsequent implementation of the framework with a peer mentor. Participants of the FMNs typically meet biweekly each semester over 12 weeks (six meetings over 3 months per semester).  Participants are expected to share their adaptations by submitting their modules to Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE) online journal or QUBEShub.

Upon the publication of a 4DEE-aligned teaching resource:

• Receive a stipend of $1,000
• Recognized as 4DEE Education Scholars
• Receive travel support upon publication of resources to present their work at selected conferences
• Featured as speakers at ESA events, thus nationally recognizing their efforts and perspectives

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• Spring 2027: Whole Course FMN
• Spring 2026: Incorporating Cross-Cutting Themes in Ecology Education FMN
  Participants will explore the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework, with particular emphasis on cross-cutting themes, and learn strategies for incorporating this dimension into their lessons.
• Fall 2025: Preparing students for environmental studies/biology majors FMN
  Participants will explore and incorporate the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework into their undergraduate courses with the focus on preparation of students in environmental studies, biology, or other related majors.
• Fall 2024: Food, Energy, and Water (FEW) FMN
  Participants will explore, and incorporate, the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework into their undergraduate courses through the modification of Food, Energy, and Water (FEW) related teaching materials. 
• Spring 2024: Teaching Ecology for All Undergraduate Audiences FMN
  Participants will explore how to teach and implement the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education Framework to students who will have limited exposure to ecology in a broad range of courses and disciplines.
• Fall 2023: Teaching Ecology with Human-Environment Interactions FMN
  Participants of this FMN will explore, and incorporate, Human-Environment Interactions (HEI)  into their undergraduate ecology courses through the modification of teaching materials. HEI is one of the dimensions in the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework.
• Spring 2023: Teaching with Figures in Ecology FMN
  Teaching Figures in Ecology FMN aims to work with educators to adapt published Figure Set education modules from the online education journal – Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology – to incorporate the 4DEE framework.
• Fall 2022: Biodiversity FMN
  A joint initiative of ESA’s Transforming Ecology Education to 4D Project (TEE) and Biodiversity Literacy for Undergraduate Education (BLUE).