This study addressed the following question: "How does facilitating informal explorations with friends and family outside of a science course help students who are enrolled in the course?" The context was a physics course for prospective elementary and middle school teachers. This was a qualitative study that analyzed student responses...
There is a lack of available information concerning availability,
usability and utilization of school-owned land in western Oregon,
southwestern Washington and northwestern California. It would be
helpful to know if land is available for agricultural use, how it is used,
and ways that it can be used to give experience...
This thesis investigates Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) as a method of instruction for natural resources education. The research follows the adoption of CTL in the K-12 classrooms of six teachers focusing on natural resources education at two rural schools in Western Oregon. CTL is being investigated because it connects...
Environmental education programs seek to foster an appreciation for the natural world while introducing students to scientific thinking. Citizen science engages non-scientists in the systematic collection and analysis of data. The Betts Forest Landscape Ecology Lab combines both goals by inviting teachers in Corvallis, Oregon, and surrounding areas to participate...
Microplastics, plastic marine debris less than 5 mm in size, is a threat to the health of our oceans. One important way to reduce microplastics in our oceans is to educate people about the issue, particularly future decision-makers. In this study, a middle school curriculum was developed using current scientific...
This study involved the development of two bilingual and inquiry-based forest education programs within the Central Willamette Valley of Oregon. The first program used the participatory research (PR) process to engage 7th and 8th grade Latino students as participatory researchers to interview members of their community to learn their perspectives...