Collaborative Project: Using GIS with real-time water quality assessment to guide scientific inquiry and learning in a community college environmental studies program

西北佛罗里达州立学院（NWFSC）是一所两年制学院，正在开发一门水生环境科学课程。该课程的基石是一系列实地采样活动，使用现场分析仪器和网络支持的GIS产品相结合，以评估，在实时，空间和时间变异性的地球化学参数在当地河口。学生团队正在使用手持式万用表收集数据，以进行物理参数（温度，盐度和溶解氧）的现场分析，并使用单独的便携式色度计测量非地球化学参数（硝酸盐，铵和磷酸盐）。学生们正在使用现场笔记本电脑将水质数据（通过无线网卡）上传到地理信息系统网络服务器，该服务器位于附近的一所四年制大学西佛罗里达大学（UWF）。来自所有取样小组的数据由地理信息系统服务器汇编，并用于生成地理信息系统图层，这些图层使用整个数据集以图形方式描绘水质参数的空间变异性。虽然仍然在外地，这些地理信息系统层可以立即访问的学生和教师，以获得一个整体的盆景的水质参数的空间变化。这些汇总结果用于生成和测试现场假设，或便于与前几个学期收集并存储在现场笔记本电脑上的历史数据进行现场比较。水环境科学课程是NWFSC科学系物理科学的一个组成部分。本课程的目标受众包括参加AA计划的学生和参加中学科学教师计划的学生。该课程的主要现场采样部分旨在通过创建基于现场数据收集的体验式学习活动，实现与STEM学科和技术劳动力培训相关的多个目标。具体来说，新课程有现场和课堂组件，为学生提供机会，使用各种现场技术设备的生态评估的背景下。这种组合的目标是同时解决STEM学习和技术能力在一个基于现场的项目。拟议的实地活动也被用作一个衔接机会，向西北林业科学中心的两年制大学生介绍地理信息系统技术和环境科学。通过与UWF合作，有机会招募NWFSC学生进入学士学位和研究生课程。实地活动也被纳入为地区在职高中科学教师举办的讲习班。

A course in Aquatic Environmental Science is being developed at Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC), a two year college. The cornerstone of the course is a series of field sampling activities using a combination of field analytical instruments and web-enabled GIS products to assess, in real-time, spatial and temporal variability of biogeochemical parameters in a local estuary. Teams of students are collecting data using handheld multimeters to perform field analyses for physical parameters (temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen) and separate portable colorimeters to measure biogeochemical parameters (nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate). Students are using field laptop PCs to upload water quality data (via a wireless network card) to a GIS webserver, maintained at a nearby four-year university, the University of West Florida (UWF). The data from all sampling teams are compiled by the GIS server and used to generate GIS layers that graphically depict the spatial variability of water quality parameters using the entire data set. While still in the field, these GIS layers can be immediately accessed by students and instructors to obtain a whole basin view of spatial variation in water quality parameters. These summary results are used to generate and test field hypotheses or to facilitate in-the-field comparison with historical data collected during previous semesters and stored on the field laptop. The Aquatic Environmental Science course is a component of Physical Sciences in the Science Department at NWFSC. The target audience for this course includes students enrolled in an AA program and students enrolled in the Middle School Science Teacher Program for pre-service teachers. The major field sampling component of the course is designed to meet a number of goals related to both STEM disciplines and technical workforce training by creating an experiential learning activity based on field data collection. Specifically, the new course has field and classroom components that provide students with the opportunity to use a variety of field technical equipment within the context of an ecological assessment. The goal of this combination is to simultaneously address STEM learning and technical aptitude within a field-based project. The proposed field activities also are being used as an articulation opportunity to introduce two-year college students at NWFSC to GIS technology and environmental sciences. By collaborating with a UWF there are opportunities for recruiting NWFSC students into baccalaureate and graduate programs. The field activities also are being integrated into a workshop for regional in-service high school science teachers.