Stressor gradients and spatial narratives of the St. Louis River Estuary, a joint Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant study, connected aquatic science research with spatially-explicit stories of local resource issues and place-based geo-quests to enhance spatial awareness and stewardship of the estuary. The goal of this paper is to report and reflect on an integrated study that combined environmental humanities and technology with aquatic science in a spatial context. Our study was organized into three objectives around research, outreach, and evaluation. First, we summarized anthropogenic stressors within high resolution watersheds and linked the watershed stress estimates to aquatic habitats within the estuary. Second, we designed tools to deliver place-based environmental science and technology to targeted users to increase awareness, learning, and the potential for long-term stewardship. And third, we evaluated the responses of targeted end users to their interaction with the project's integrated science and innovative delivery methods. Finally, central to all three objectives, we created a dynamic website to facilitate regional to national coastal outreach and education goals. We found significant correlations between the stressor index and the water quality and biotic data, along with variability attributed to landscape elements. Connecting this science with the place-based experiences we collected is expected to expand the scope and reach of state, bi-national and non-governmental outreach programs. The project also has direct applications to classroom science education. Developing this integrated proj e c t c o n t r i b u t e d t o o u r s h a r e d environmental and cultural aspects of the estuary for place-based education, and offers several lessons for future work of this nature.
Climate change encompasses a broad and complex set of concepts that is often challenging for students and educators. Using a learning progressions conceptual framework, we develop a description of student learning of climate change based on our research findings and an extensive review of the science education research literature. In this exploratory study we present findings from written assessments (N=294) and in-depth interviews (n=27) with middle school students in which we examine their understanding of the role of human activity, mechanism, impacts, and adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Findings, along with evidence from the science education research literature, are synthesized into a first step empirically supported learning progression describing a path from an initial to a developed understanding of climate change. The empirically supported learning progression contributes to the climate change education research literature and provides the education community with a robust description of how student understanding of climate change advances over time.
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