GPS/GIS/Image Analysis Technology for Field Research in Biology and Environmental Science

要求资助全球定位系统（GPS）、地理信息系统（GIS）和图像分析技术，供学生在生物和环境科学领域的课程中使用。这项技术将被纳入许多课程中，这些课程都需要各种空间分析应用（例如，湖泊测深、栖息地分析、濒危物种分布图、地衣群落动态、原始森林景观分析和鸟类生物能量学）。该项目的总体目标是通过让所有科学和科学教育专业的学生参与现实世界的实地研究问题，而不是做作的课堂“研究”，培养学生解决问题的能力、批判性思维，以及对科学过程更丰富的欣赏。通过结合最先进的计算机接口技术和对生态问题的实际检查，鼓励学生对实地研究表现出的自然吸引力，这些问题以前使用现有的替代方法在后勤上困难或在技术上不可能。学生将参与与课程相关的和独立的实地研究项目，这些项目将是原创的和/或应用的，可能持续一个学期，几个学期或几年，涉及几个学生群体。学生对所有研究阶段的参与将反映在大大增加学生为当地组织和政府机构撰写出版物和项目报告。因此，预计GPS/ gisrrimage分析技术的加入将增加我们面向领域的课程和学生独立研究的机会，它将为科学教师提供有效和高度可见的工具，以提高学生对科学和科学教学事业的动机和兴趣。

Funding is requested for global positioning system (GPS), geographical information system (GIS), and image analysis technology for student use in field oriented courses in biology and environmental science. This technology will be incorporated into a number of courses that all require a variety of spatial analysis applications (e.g., lake bathymetry, habitat analysis, endangered species distribution mapping, lichen community dynamics, landscape analysis of old growth forest, and avian bioenergetics). The overall objective of this project is to foster problem solving skills, critical thinking, and a richer appreciation for the scientific process by involving all science and science-education majors in real-world, field research problems, rather than contrived classroom "studies." The natural attraction that students exhibit toward field research will be encouraged through the combination of state-of-the-art, computer interfaced technology and hands-on examination of ecological problems that were previously logistically difficult or technically impossible using available alternative methods. Students will engage in both course-related and independent field research projects, which will be original and/or applied, and may last for a semester, several semesters, or a number of years and involve several cohorts of students. Student involvement in all phases of research will be reflected in greatly increased student authorship of publications and project reports for local organizations and governmental agencies. Thus, it is expected that the addition of the GPS/GISrlmage analysis technology will enhance our field oriented courses and independent student research opportunities, and it will provide effective and highly visible tools for the science faculty to increase student motivation and interest in careers in science and science teaching.