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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Tackling Problem-Solving Through the Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Environmental Restoration Project
The aim of this study is to showcase the use of incorporating problem-solving in a multifaceted, long-term investigation. New York Harbor and its estuaries are undergoing a major revitalization due to the efforts of the Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Environmental Restoration Project. Comprised of a network of local educational and business partnerships, students who have been historically underrepresented in the S.T.E.M. field are given the opportunity to delve into environmental restoration in their local communities and strategize, analyze and evaluate environmental challenges to achieve success in problem-solving. The restoration of a sustainable environment is reliant upon innovative responses to the challenges posed. Problem-solving allows the students to use advanced thinking ability and it can also be the driving force of change. The project has resulted in a deeper understanding of local environmental restoration efforts and a stronger commitment to actionable plans for the future.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1759006
- PAR ID:
- 10309554
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Curriculum and Teaching
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1927-2677
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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