Trail Mix
April issue
Bruce Threlkeld

Ecology, science, and teaching

We’ve all had experiences, for better or worse, that have served to shape our view of nature. Our outdoor experiences and personal background (where we grew up, what job our parents had, where we went to school, teachers’ impact, etc.) help us to define the value we place on having a healthy environment in which to live, work and play. Ecology is a science that helps us understand the workings of nature. It can be tersely defined as the study of organismal relationships in nature—including human influences—through scientific investigation. Since humans often are responsible for change in the natural world (e.g. landscape alteration, water and air impacts, etc.), we must include ourselves in the study of ecology. This is not to say that cataclysmic natural events such as earthquakes, volcanoes and occasional asteroid impacts don’t happen or aren’t significant; it’s merely to point out that, in the short term, we have had tremendous impact on the environment.

Science is a way to standardize and communicate our understanding about the natural world. Conservation policy should always start with the “best available science”—a term bantered about so much these days that it has sort of lost its meaning. Best available science should imply that studies are carried out without subjective bias from the investigator. A cursory look into the polarized debate over resource use in Montana will immediately inform you that, in practice, there is a wide range of opinions as to what the “best available science” really means. Unfortunately, much of what we’ve learned about habitat needs of our animal and plant pals becomes obfuscated through political processes. This is where human nature collides with Mother Nature.

But there’s yet hope we can salvage a truly sustainable relationship with the earth, water, and sky, and perhaps form some sort of consensus on managing our remaining natural resources. I believe the foundation of this idea is built upon education. Well-educated kids lead to informed adults, who then can make intelligent decisions when it comes to electing officials responsible for managing natural resources. It begins with field-based systems of presenting science to our children in order to encourage learning and enthusiasm about nature—in the outdoor classroom, where it all takes place; this is not a difficult task since most kids love to get outdoors, anyway.

There is an ongoing Montana-based program called ECOS that strives to present ecology teaching in a manner I just described. ECOS is an education project funded by a grant to the University of Montana from the National Science Foundation that involves UM graduate and undergraduate science students partnering with local K-12 schoolteachers. The goal is to teach children about ecological science by using school playgrounds and surrounding areas. The director of ECOS, Carol Brewer, is a professor of biology at the University of Montana. If the program name rings a bell it may be because you have read articles in local newspapers regarding ECOS projects all around Missoula.

ECOS teams consist of five people: two teachers from local schools; two Ph.D. Fellows and one undergraduate Fellow. The university students apply from a variety of disciplines, ranging from biology and forestry to geology and chemistry. They lend their expertise from their respective fields and the teachers provide training in classroom dynamics and grade-appropriate pedagogy. The result is that everyone wins. Teachers receive valuable knowledge and resources, university students are afforded the opportunity to get hands-on experience teaching, and K-12 students get a chance to interact with real scientists doing practical ecological work in an outdoor setting.

The program stresses field curriculums, which means kids get outside as much as possible. This helps dispel the stereotype of scientists as eccentric-looking characters working in white lab coats in dark basements, and also takes the traditionally mundane textbook scientific method (observation, hypothesis, experiment, conclusion, etc.), and helps to put it in a context that is enjoyable and interesting for children. Hands-on is the name of the game at ECOS; the motto is, “No child left indoors.”

The result? Children who are motivated to learn more about their environment, and who are excited about using the scientific method as a tool to understand ecology. This can only serve to benefit future generations of Montanans and Americans regardless of where these children end up in the work place. By learning the important role that science plays in ecology, children develop skills that allow them to make informed decisions as adults and thus steer the future of Montana in a healthy, sustainable direction. For more information on ECOS check out the website: www.bioed.org/ecos. It contains details about ongoing activities, demonstration projects, participating schools, and a great online plant and animal guide for Montana.