Background/Question/Methods
TERC and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies are designing an elective capstone course that incorporates cutting-edge research on Biocomplexity and coupled nonhuman-human systems. The inquiry-based curriculum engages students of all abilities in a case-based approach to land use decisions. The first module presents a land use decision at an urban high school, coupled with a conservation decision related to the impacts of climate change in the Arctic. The second module presents a land use decision regarding the suburban/ agricultural interface in the US coupled with a conservation decision in Amazonia related to agricultural use. Students progress from describing and representing relationships among components in systems qualitatively to quantifying these, and finally to using models predictively. They use models to predict the outcomes of their land use and conservation decisions, which in turn help them to refine their arguments in support of their chosen case solutions.
Results/Conclusions
The first module has been piloted in eight high school classrooms across the US, in 3 urban, 2 suburban and 3 rural districts. Teachers had an average of 8 years of teaching experience; all had biology and/or environmental science backgrounds. Their classrooms included a range of sophomores, juniors and seniors. Using examples of student work, we present qualitative data showing (i) how students engage with, understand and model complexity, and (ii) construct arguments for their case solutions. In addition, we present more limited quantitative student achievement data from a sample of the classrooms. A pre-post test consisting of a combination of multiple-choice and constructed-response items showed changes in students learning and gains in understanding. Not only did students learn ecological concepts and ecosystem thinking; an attitudinal survey showed high levels of student engagement and increased interest in science.