Teaching by Example: Integrating a Service-Learning Application into University Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Geography Curricula

这个项目为社会提供了一项真正的服务，同时为理科学生作为专业人士将会遇到的长期的、跨学科的问题做准备。该项目以马里兰大学和牛津大学开发的教学理论和模型为基础，协调四个学科（地理、生物、化学和地质学）的课程，研究拉德福德大学（Radford University）的一个新的雨水处理湿地。学生们自己正在监测植物和动物的生命，并评估水处理生态系统的有效性，因为它逐年发展。项目的研究结果正在向大学和弗吉尼亚保护和娱乐部门报告。智力优势：学生将学习使用行业标准技术进行长期数据收集和分析的方法，并培养研究技能。学生将通过在年度湿地研讨会上与其他学科的学生分享想法、数据和研究结论，了解生态系统研究的跨学科性质。更广泛的影响：雷德福大学有相对较高比例的女性和来自阿巴拉契亚地区的学生，他们是家庭中第一个上大学的人。该项目正试图招募、留住这些学生，并为他们从事科学事业做好更好的准备。此外，该方案还为项目数据库维护了一个网站，将科学成果和正在编写的教学材料提供给全国各地的教育工作者。参与的教师还在州和全国学科会议上展示成果。

Interdisciplinary (99)This project is providing a real service to the community while preparing science students for the long-term, interdisciplinary problems they will encounter as professionals. Building on teaching theories and models developed at the University of Maryland and Oxford, the project is coordinating classes in four disciplines (geography, biology, chemistry, and geology) to study a new storm water treatment wetland at Radford University. The students themselves are monitoring the plant and animal life and evaluating the effectiveness of the water treatment ecosystem as it develops year by year. Project findings are being reported to the university and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Intellectual Merit: Students are learning methods of long-term data collection and analysis using industry standard technology, and are developing research skills Students are learning about the interdisciplinary nature of ecosystem studies by sharing ideas, data, and research conclusions with students in other disciplines in an annual wetland symposium. Broader Impacts: Radford University has a relatively high proportion of women and students from Appalachia who are the first in their families to attend college. The program is trying to recruit, retain and better prepare these students for careers in science. In addition, the program also maintains a web site for the project database, making both scientific results and the instructional materials being developed available for educators across the country. Participating faculty are also presenting results in state and national disciplinary meetings.