Transcript Powerpoint - Michigan State University

Student Understanding of Species Diversity & Function in Ecosystems
2011 NARST Presentation
Written by: Jonathon Schramm and Brook Wilke (Michigan State University)
Culturally relevant ecology, learning progressions and environmental literacy
Long Term Ecological Research Math Science Partnership
April 2011
Disclaimer: This research is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation: Targeted
Partnership: Culturally relevant ecology, learning progressions and environmental literacy (NSF0832173). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
Student Understanding of
Species Diversity & Function
in Ecosystems
JONATHON SCHRAMM & BROOK WILKE
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Why Species Diversity?
• A linchpin for public conservation
strategies & debates: individual
species, unique habitats
• Navigating conservation goals and
strategies requires both knowledge
of particular species and of the
range of functions that species have
(type  particular).
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Background
• Substantial research in biodiversity learning has
focused on food webs and species interactions,
leaving student ability to describe species
diversity, its causes and its consequences, less
explored.
• Others have described pathways towards
understanding biodiversity for younger students
– recognizing differences in biodiversity in different areas
(Songer et al, Lehrer and Schauble)
• Our work focuses on grades 6-12 and to the
teachers that are educating these students
– Thus diversity embedded in context; not explicit in
most standards
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Research Focus
• The work reported here focuses on two
primary areas of biodiversity
understanding:
– Recognition of species & taxonomic diversity
– Ability to describe functional differences
between species that lead to coexistence
and persistence of biodiversity
• We will report data from:
– four questions asked to students and/or
teachers from institutions across the U.S.
– Interviews with students in Michigan
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Recognition of Diversity
Species/Taxa
Recognition
Grounds for
Relatedness
Understanding of
Ecological
Roles/Function
4 (Upper
Anchor)
Groups and specific
designations, incl.
microscopic or other
‘hidden’ species
Morphological and
phylogenetic
Detailed discussion
of at least some
niches, functions or
functional groups
3
Mixture of groups and
specific designations;
intra-taxa variability
Multiple
morphological
similarities despite
variability
Beginning discussion
of various niches and
functions
2
Some specific
designations (e.g. robins
& jays, beetles and flies)
Simple morphological
similarities
1 (Lower
Anchor)
Common name groups
(e.g. birds, insects, etc)
Recognition of Diversity
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Student Version: Can you name some different species that you'd find in
your neighborhood, maybe in a park or in your school yard?
Proportion of Answers
Teacher Version: Please name as many different species or kinds of living
things in your backyard/neighborhood as you can. (Total n=358)
0.7
0.6
0.5
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Middle School
High School
Teacher
Recognition of Diversity
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
The forests of the northeast United States look a lot like the forests in northern Europe.
They have similar-looking trees and similar-looking animals.
B. If you took a bunch of seeds from a European forest and planted them in a northeast
United States forest, what do you think would happen? Please explain why. (n=398)
Proportion of Answers
0.6
0.5
0.4
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Middle School
High School
Teacher
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Response Excerpts
‘Similar Forests’
“they would take a longer time to grow
because they need to adapt to a new environment and when it
does grow, the plant or tree will probably look like the others
surrounding it, because they were once from the same area.”
(interview elaboration) “Since from Pangaea they were all in the
same area the trees even though there’s different kinds of trees
and plants I think the trees and plants from northern Europe and
northeast United States are relatively similar, like the same types
of species and plants. I think that they’re going to imitate the
other trees surrounding it and it will be like them. Because that’s
where they once were, they’re all the same kind of plant.”
HMD (Grade 10 - written answer)
AO (Grade 10 - written answer) “I think the seeds from European
forests would grow in the northeast forest because it doesn't
matter where you plant seeds, it depends on how you take care
of it and which season it is.”
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Function of Diversity
Transferability of Diversity
Origin of Diversity
4 (Upper
Anchor)
Survival and reproduction at
intersection of selection pressures
and organisms’ traits
Environment is heterogeneous and
organisms vary – diversity results
3
Sees organisms as having
multiple traits that may function
differently in new environment
Beginning to recognize that multiple
traits of orgs provide somewhat
overlapping functions
2
Traits and simplified ‘evolution’
recognized, but not well
connected to survival
Biodiversity exists to keep the
ecosystem functioning (e.g. food
chains)
1 (Lower
Anchor)
Organisms simply live or die when Because organisms need each
original context changes – no
other, each in their place
mechanism
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Function of Diversity
Proportion of Answers
A forest typically has several different types of trees. Why are there
several types of trees instead of one best-adapted type of tree? (n=71)
0.6
0.5
0.4
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
High School
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Response Excerpts
‘Diversity Forest’
SM (Grade 11 - written answer) “each tree sets off a chain reaction within
the ecosystem. Without certain trees some animals, bugs, insects
etc. would not be able to survive.”
JL (Grade HS - written answer) “because they provide different habitats
and food sources to different crucial organisms and different types
are adapted to different biotic and abiotic factors due to genetic
variations.”
(interview) “Trees can block out the other trees’ light if they're too
close. So I guess that could be a disadvantage if they're kind of
competing for the same light and resources but it could be an
advantage if one tree drew beneficial insects I guess.”
“because as life evolves so did the trees.
They became different types of trees that all can adapt to life here.”
(interview) “trees eventually have to die off. I mean everything does
but new kinds are going to come. But as new kinds come, some of
the old ones survive and get to stay here.”
BU (Grade 6 - written answer)
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Function of Diversity
Beech and maple seedlings grow well in shade. Cottonwood seedlings, on the
other hand, grow better with more sunlight. Here is an explanation of how a forest
grew on a sand dune over 150 years. Use the information above to help you
explain why after 80 years, the tallest trees were cottonwood, but after 150 years,
the tallest trees were beech and maples. (n=243)
Proportion of Answers
0.6
0.5
0.4
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Middle School
High School
Learning Progressions for
Environmental Literacy
Summary
• The majority of students, both middle and high
school, reason at lower levels of the learning
progression.
– These students identify some basic types of visible
organism groups (level 1) or some more specific
common groups (level 2).
– Students aren’t often able to describe individual
species, particularly those that are invisible.
– The majority of students recognize that species have
different traits or functions, but don’t link these
differences to descriptions of species diversity in
ecosystems.
– Scaffolding with some important information about
species helps some students reach levels of reasoning
indicative of environmental literacy.