Kathleen

Assessment is a necessary tool used by formal educators to evaluate student understanding of classroom instructions. Inquiry based projects required different methods of  assessment that may not be simple or easy. Therefore, when doing inquiry based projects it is important to identify an assessment that supports this unique learning style.  Inquiry based projects give students a role in designing experiments. Students assume greater responsibilities in learning.  Students are not learning the same information in inquiry based projects, therefore standardized assessments are not applicable.  Many inquiry based projects are individualized so assessments must be individualized as well.  The rubrics shared in this unit are examples of how educators can make create some structure and definition to assess inquiry based projects.  Rubric are like road maps that help direct and lead students along a learning path.  Rubrics are objective and gives learners certain benchmarks to accomplish.  Benchmarks can measure student comprehension of the subject.  By assigning points for each benchmark, assessment is similar to grading.  Inquiry based projects allow students to deepen their knowledge of the subject beyond what typically is involved in a standard lesson.  When students create posters or presentations to explain  what they are learned, they are more invested in learning. Inquiry based project assessment can demonstrate what students actually know.  A rubric is a way to measure this learning. Although,  I  do not assess students as an informal educator,  I see when students are motivated to excel and grow in understanding.

Good point that students need to rethink how they learn.

Taylor - thank you.  This is a great resource.  FYI - there is another site that includes Monarch Watch which is the Joint Monarch Venture JMV.  This site is a clearinghouse of all monarch resources.  JMV hosts monthly monarch webinars which are terrific.  Students can learn a lot from the webinars.  Webinars are appropriate for high school student.  The JMV has resources and publications that would be useful to students as well.  We monarchs are beloved by many different audiences.

I explored NestWatch which is a Citizen Science (CS) project through the Cornell Lab.  NestWatch is a nest monitoring project that allows participants to report data about bird nests throughout the county.   The website is very informative, easy to use and has several educational resources.  Participants can learn about birdhouses, nest and egg identification and much more.  Anyone can create an account where participants can map and record nest observations.   By monitoring nests, participants can collect data about birds nesting at schools or certain sites.  Students can learn about birds that use birdhouses (nest boxes) and can properly place boxes at sites to monitor.  The information tracks trends and the reproductive successes of birds through the country.   NestWatch also hosts publications and research related to nest monitoring.  NestWatch publishes an annual report that summarizes the data received.  The report has regionally specific results.  Students can analyze  trends with the top species reported in their region. The website is accessible to anyone to explore.  There are no requirements to use the data in the annual report or access the research and learning resources. There are many different ways that students can use NestWatch to conduct investigations.  Students can look at trends in the reproductive successes of birds from their region and explore why some birds are successful and others are declining.  This CS project is very exciting and has so many applications.  Data can be used in conjunction with other CS projects like eBird and NestCams.

Sounds like a great program.

Good tip about the Online Privacy Protection Act.  Thank you.

I have participated and led NestWatch with volunteers in a former position.  This spring I volunteered as a NestWatch monitor for a local park district.  NestWatch is a CS project that tracks nesting birds and offers numerous educational resources and protocol to support volunteers doing this CS work.   NestWatch also offers an online data base for data collection. As a volunteer, I checked six nest boxes at a local park at least weekly or more often if a nest was started in the boxes. .  This experience allowed me to get outdoors and focus on something other than the pandemic which was a welcome distraction.  It was nice to spend time doing this work.  Due to past experience leading this activity with volunteers professionally, I had the knowledge of the birds using the nest boxes which may the biggest challenge to this project. Monitoring involved nest boxes that are suitable for Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and House Wrens primarily.  Nest boxes narrow the scope of what students need to learn.  NestWatch provides an opportunity to witness the development of these birds and understand their life cycles.  Student interests and inquiry can lead them to investigate more about the birds they are monitoring.   The challenge of this project is the time commitment since you follow the nesting cycles of birds takes weeks to months.   Eastern Bluebirds have more than one brood per season. In addition, there is a cost of building the boxes and placing them in the appropriate habitat that is nearby and accessible.  This could be done on a schoolyard natural area and involve other classes like shop or woodworking..  The outcomes for the students are multiple.  Students gain observational and analytic skills through the activity.  They also are disciplined to follow scientific protocols to protect birds and record quality data.   They are given an intimately window into how fragile yet resilient birds are by watching parent birds care and nurture their eggs nestlings.  The experience is memorable and remarkable.  It is something to watch.

How can educators be catalysts for students to observe and wonder? Educators are tasked to introduce students to knowledge and expand their horizons?  This is a tremendous responsibility that can further society and community depending on the approach. As discussed initially in this class,  the learning environment needs to be  welcoming, safe and comfortable for kids to learn.   A place where they can make mistakes and grow from these experiences. When kids feel safe to learn and explore, then there are numerous opportunities to encourage students to observe and wonder.  One of the best places to observe and wonder is the GREAT outdoors.  The possibilities to observe natural phenomena are endless. No matter where you live there is always something to see and learn outdoors.  The outdoor classroom is a gateway for exploration.   It is a perfect place for educators  to spark learning and get students excited about it.   It is not easy to learn in the outdoors.  Educators need to plan and utilize the practices and frameworks offered thus far in the class.  Using the I wonder board will help keep safe some of the questions that the students want to know.  In addition, asking open ended questions is an important consideration.  For me, this will take practice to develop this habit.  Teachers also need to act excited to be excited - curiosity and excitement are contagious.  By teachers modeling the learning behaviors that they want students to emulate, this will begin a new classroom culture. Also, it is important to engage partners like parents and local organizations that can provide expertise or even equipment.

You have shared lots of good applications - I am grateful.  Thank you.

Kristen - yes this is always a struggle to continue the learning once the students leave the places they are visiting.  It is so important. If you have any ideas - please elaborate.  Thank you.