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1. Curriculum and Community Enterprise for New York Harbor Restoration in New York City Public Schools

   Birney, Lauren; Watson- Currie, Erica; and Jha, Kartik (January 2017, Radical pedagogy)

   Active investigation of students engaging in problem solving in natural settings has consistently been shown to greatly benefit their learning process. They gain skills and knowledge, while increasing their interest, aspirations, and motivation to learn more. But how can we provide these rich opportunities in densely populated urban areas where resources and access to natural environments are limited? The Curriculum + Community Enterprise for Restoration Science (CCERS) project has developed and begun testing an educational model of curriculum and community enterprise to address that issue within the nation's largest urban school system. Middle school students study the New York Harbor estuary and the extensive watershed that empties into it, while conducting field research in support of restoring native oyster habitats. This project builds on the existing Billion Oyster Project, and is being implemented across different settings by a broad partnership of institutions and community stakeholders, including Pace University, the New York City Department of Education, the Columbia UniversityLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the New York Academy of Sciences, the New York Harbor Foundation, the New York Aquarium, the River Project, the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, and Good Shepherd Services. Keywords: community, curriculum, New York Harbor, restoration science, middle school, STEM-C 

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2. Experiential and Real-World Learning for Teachers in the Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise (BOP-CCERS) for the Restoration of New York Harbor with New York City Public Schools Program

   https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v8n4p30  

   Birney, Lauren B.; Kong, Joyce; Evans, Brian R.; Ceritelli, Samantha; Danker, Macey (October 2019, Journal of Curriculum and Teaching)

   The Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for the Restoration of New York Harbor withNew York City Public Schools (BOP-CCERS) seeks to integrate harbor restoration activities with science teachers inorder to provide their students with experiential learning through environmental impact in New York City with thevision that public school students in New York City can benefit from environmental science and experiential learningwork through authentic research, data collection, and experimentation. The purpose is to engage science teachers withexperiential learning opportunities in the New York Harbor that helps them create engaging lessons for their ownstudents. It was found that teachers responded most positively to workshops that included hands-on activities,specifically the oyster restoration station trainings, classroom oyster tank setups and activities with scientists. Teachersreported that the BOP-CCERS program prepared them to support student learning of the program content and scientificresearch activities. Students who engage in real-world science are more likely to see the relevance of science and seethemselves working toward a career pathway in STEM. 

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3. Curriculum and Community Enterprise for New York Harbor Restoration in New York City Public Schools

   Birney, Lauren; Molina, Michelle; Watson, Erica (August 2016, Psychology research)

   Abstract Active investigation of students engaging in problem solving in natural settings has consistently been shown to greatly benefit their learning process. They gain skills and knowledge, while increasing their interest, aspirations, and motivation to learn more. But how can we provide these rich opportunities in densely populated urban areas where resources and access to natural areas are limited? The Curriculum + Community Enterprise for Restoration Science (CCERS) project has developed and begun testing an educational model of curriculum and community enterprise to address that issue within the nation's largest urban school system. Middle school students study the New York Harbor estuary and the extensive watershed that empties into it, while conducting field research in support of restoring native oyster habitats. This project builds on the existing Billion Oyster Project, and is being implemented across different settings by a broad partnership of institutions and community stakeholders, including Pace University, the New York City Department of Education, the Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the New York Academy of Sciences, the New York Harbor Foundation, the New York Aquarium, the River Project, the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, and Good Shepherd Services. 

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4. Teachers Mentoring Teachers in the Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for the Restoration of New York Harbor with New York City Public Schools (BOP-CCERS) Fellowship

   https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v7n2p20  

   Birney, Lauren B; Kong, Joyce; Evans, Brian R; Persuad, Ashley M; Danker, Macey (August 2018, Journal of Curriculum and Teaching)

   The Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for the Restoration of New York Harbor withNew York City Public Schools (BOP-CCERS)(NSF DRL 1440869/PI Lauren Birney) program is a National ScienceFoundation (NSF) supported initiative through collaboration by multiple institutions and organizations led by PaceUniversity. Partners on this initiatitve include Columbia Lamont Doherty, the New York Aquairum, the New YorkHarbor Foundation, the New York Academy of Sciences, the River Project, Good Shepher Services, SmartstartEvaluation and Research, the University Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Fearless Solutions. Inthis study, teachers from one cohort were paired with teachers from a succeeding cohort in order to facilitate amentoring process between the two cohorts. This allows for teacher ambassardors to have a support structurethroughout the program, seek integral feedback, modify teaching techniques, integrate project research and establishlong term partnerships within the project team. 

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5. The Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science Curriculum: STEM+C Summer Institute Experiential Learning

   https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v12n3p207  

   Birney, Lauren B.; Evans, Brian R.; Solanki, Vibhakumari; Mojica, Elmer-Rico; Scharff, Christelle; Kong, Joyce (March 2023, Journal of Curriculum and Teaching)

   The Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for the Restoration of New York Harbor with New York City Public Schools (BOP-CCERS) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) supported initiative and collaboration led by Pace University. One of Pace University’s NSF projects is STEM+C (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics plus Computing) designed to work with teachers and students in New York City public schools. This article presents results of a study conducted on the STEM Summer Institute at Pace University in Summer 2022. The purpose was to engage both teachers and students in harbor restoration and experiential learning in New York City including learning about vital ecology projects related to New York’s harbor such as oyster restoration, which is critical to cleaning pollutants in the New York Harbor. Findings revealed that students indicated improved oyster knowledge and restoration skills, scientific skills, collecting and analyzing data, and knowledge about STEM careers. Participating teachers indicated a positive impact on their knowledge of content and harbor restoration, pedagogical knowledge used to engage students in hands-on scientific learning, and methods of engaging and motivating their own students. Moreover, teachers indicated a positive outcome for exposing their students to STEM career options. 

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