Innovative Ecology Teaching at Community Colleges
Innovative Ecology Teaching at Community Colleges
Monday, April 7th at 4PM
An ESA Watercooler hosted by the Education Committee
Some of the most innovative teaching of ecology and environmental science happens at community colleges. Teaching ecology at a community college has its own challenges and special rewards; it is the place where many students first get inspired about the field. Join our diverse panel of community college instructors who will share examples of effective approaches. Bring your own experiences and questions of teaching ecology and environmental science to community college students and other intro level undergraduate courses.
Who should attend?
Community college instructors, early career ecologists considering a career in community college education, and indeed anyone who is interested in innovative undergraduate education.
Panelists:
Tom Langen (Clarkson University, ESA Education Committee), moderator
Brian Shmaefsky (Lone Star College – Kingwood)
Stacey Kiser (Lane Community College)
Christine Girtain (Toms River High School North, South)
Kristen Genet (Anoka-Ramsey Community College)
Katie Benson (Clarkson University, formerly at Harford Community College)
Laura Broughton (Bronx Community College)
Heather Fitzgerald (Community College of Vermont)
Additional Resources
- 2025 ACUBE (Association of College and University Biology Educators) Meeting in October if you want to present your ideas. Go to https://www.acube.org/Annual.php for more information
- CURE = Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience
- EDDIE: https://serc.carleton.edu/eddie/index.html
- EREN (Ecological Research as Education Network): https://erenweb.org/
- NEON National Ecological Observatory Network https://data.neonscience.org/
- Research on Leafcutter Ants and the Fungus that they farm: https://www.socresearch.org/
- CUREs from the Biological Collections in Ecology and Evolution Network (BCEENET). https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/bceenet
- SJC OpenTreeMap (OTM) for Jersey City: https://www.sustainablejc.org/opentreemap
- LCC Zoology Research Projects: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dnuss58gk69u3fhjvg13s/h?rlkey=bab1jep602emwqc4hpseqhsl1&st=zweeks99&dl=0
- The Wolbachia Project: https://wolbachiaproject.org/
- Snapshot Serengeti: https://www.learngala.com/cases/ea5a07cc-ebbf-4bb7-82a9-b68b821ff15b/.
- You can also see other instructors adaptations and teaching notes here: https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/ocelots/publications?id=4266&v=1 (use an existing dataset)
- Land Restoration School: landrestorationschool.org
- Beaverland
- MICROBIOMETER: https://microbiometer.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqkVEeySHRP0aSBfLU6JDxVEJfRHQX6w6IZWzHu2jgiOBs5aG6l
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/
- https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bes2.2168
- USA National Phenology Network: https://www.usanpn.org/
- NABT (National Association of biology teachers) https://nabt.org/Events-CESR-Poster-Competition
- OSCARS (Outstanding Scholarship, Creative Activities and Research Symposium): https://www.anokaramsey.edu/academics/academic-initiatives/undergraduate-research/oscars/