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Eco-STARS (Students, Teachers and Real Science):
a partnership of higher education and K-12
Cara Rieckenberg, M.S., Environmental Education Coordinator, Prior Lake-Savage Area School District
Lori R. Maxfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of St. Catherine
Fall 2006 marked the beginning of a Professional Development Schools partnership between the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District (ISD 719) and the College of St. Catherine Education Department. Through the generous support of the Jeffers Foundation, the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools and the College of St. Catherine entered into an innovative partnership designed to:
- increase student learning associated with environmental education concepts (MN Comprehensive Assessments; testing of K-5 students, GLOBE evaluations/assessment, performance-based assessments),
- increase student skill levels (taking environmental action),
- increase student enthusiasm for science and develop skills and passion for responsible environmental stewardship,
- increase K-5 teachers’ confidence and knowledge in environmental education,
- increase education majors’ confidence and knowledge in environmental education, and
- develop a model of integrated environmental learning that can be used in other school districts in Minnesota and throughout the country.
Summary of the Project (year one):
Faculty and education majors from the College of St. Catherine (CSC) collaborated with the elementary schools of the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District (PLS) to develop a partnership to increase student learning in environmental education. This partnership followed the Professional Development Schools (PDS) model designed to create innovative partnerships formed between professional education programs and P–12 schools. PDS partnerships enhance P-12 student learning, improve teacher practice, create real connections between college faculty and schools, and help in the preparation of new teachers. So, while PDSs improve both the quality of teaching and student learning, they also provide support for professional learning in a real-world setting in which practice (teaching) takes place.
GLOBE
In this innovative partnership, PLS teachers and CSC education faculty and majors received instruction in aspects of environmental education, such as the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) program. GLOBE is a worldwide hands-on, K-12 school-based program that provides teachers and students opportunities to learn by taking scientifically valid measurements by conducting investigations in the areas of atmosphere, hydrology, soil, land cover/biology, earth as a system, and GPS. Additional aspects of GLOBE include reporting local data through the Internet, publishing research projects based on GLOBE data and protocols, creating maps and graphs on the free interactive Web site to analyze data sets, and collaborating with scientists and other GLOBE students around the world.
The major activities conducted in the partnership include:
- training PLS teachers and CSC student in the use of GLOBE investigations (GPS, Atmosphere, Hydrology, and Soils);
- designing fieldwork experiences at the PLS elementary schools;
- incorporating CSC teaching assistants in the delivery of lessons at PLS elementary schools; and
- providing a Faculty-in-the-Field mentor to assist PLS teachers and CSC students.
- Additional supporting activities included the creation of an EcoSTARS Advisory Group, and the revision of CSC methods-level courses.
To view an ALoU Chart (Advantages, Limitations
and How to Overcome Them, Unique Potentials) that provides a more detailed overview of first-year
activities and observations, click on the PDF link below.
For more information, contact:
Cara Rieckenberg at crieckenberg@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us; 952-226-0694
or
Lori
Maxfield at lrmaxfield@stkate.edu; 651-690-8898
EcoSTARS__higher_ed_K-12_partnership_.pdf
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