EDUCATION Fort Jay and Lower skyline © Nestor Rivera Jr. CC BY-SA 2.0

t c je o r P rs e The world of STEM st y O on lli Bi subjects is your oyster ©

Engaging students with STEM subjects tends to be quite challenging. However, The STEM Collaboratory NYC™ at in the US is providing a practical solution. Dr Lauren Birney leads a city-wide collaboration emphasising the benefits of citizen science within restorative ecology to underrepresented students in the City Harbor

THE CONCEPT OF citizen science, defined programmes and, thus far, have restored over 11 field and have taken ownership of the learning as the engagement with scientific research million oysters to the area. process inside the classroom as well in the by members of the public, is providing an field – the field being the New York Harbor. This opportunity for concerned citizens to actively Where oysters once covered more than 220,000 engagement stimulates an interest in the STEM participate in real, ongoing scientific research acres of the estuary, providing content areas.” efforts within environmental restoration. With a variety of valuable ecosystem services, the involvement of public schools, the population has since dwindled through The STEM CCE-RS model has been developed students begin to learn about STEM on a overharvesting, dredging and pollution. BOP with three main goals. First, the team aims practical level while developing skills, such as will reverse these effects, thereby restoring to increase the quality and effectiveness of water quality monitoring data collection and the local marine ecosystem’s natural STEM-C teaching and learning; second, it enquiry-based research techniques. mechanisms for maintaining itself, providing endeavours to enhance the knowledge and cleaner water and increased biodiversity. instructional skills of teachers; and third, its A key benefit of this particular movement is Importantly, by acknowledging the benefits objective is to develop the knowledge of and that citizen science has sparked increased of citizen science projects, the team behind interest in STEM-C in students. To achieve these awareness regarding the responsibility we all the project engages students and the general targets, the programme created five interrelated have to engage in scientific discovery. Indeed, public, providing them with an increased components, or ‘pillars’. These are: Teacher the well-documented impact individual actions understanding of and appreciation for the New Training Curriculum, Student Science Field continue to have on the environment emphasise York Harbor watershed. In planting the seeds Research, the Digital Platform, After School how we can all play a part in exacting positive of responsibility now, the future success of the and Summer STEM Mentoring, and Community/ change. Thus, encouraging and facilitating New York Harbor can be secured. Museum Restoration-Based Exhibits. Together, widespread participation in environmental these pillars and the CCE-RS Model will enable restoration through citizen science has the ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION both students and teachers to get the most out potential to not only benefit the amateur THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE of the programme through continuous support. scientists involved and the scientific field within In acknowledgment of the broader importance which the research project falls, but also the of the project, the National Science Foundation STEM EDUCATION FOR entire community and surrounding population (NSF) recently awarded the team responsible a UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS as a whole. This particular movement focuses grant of US $5 million, funding that will enable The STEM CCE-RS project specifically targets upon the ideas surrounding those of smart and the project to be extended and expanded. middle-school students in low-income connected communities. Dr Lauren Birney, Assistant Professor of STEM neighbourhoods and students from groups Education and Director/Founder of The STEM that are underrepresented in STEM fields RESTORING NOTIONS OF Collaboratory NYC™ – a leading STEM education and education pathways. To engage with COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY and engagement scheme at Pace University – is this demographic, the Student Science Field With this in mind, the Billion Oyster Project principal investigator for the NSF Curriculum Research arm of the project is developing (BOP), an ecosystem restoration and education and Community Enterprise for Restoration project-based lesson plans across a full school project aimed at restoring one billion live Science (CCE-RS) project. Results so far have year relating to harbour restoration activities oysters to the New York Harbor was launched demonstrated several positive developments. and monitoring the results in the name of by Murray Fisher and Peter Malinowski “Teachers have displayed a stronger interest scientific research. of the New York Harbor Foundation. Over in teaching enquiry-based lessons through the course of the last 10 years, more than citizen science and environmental restoration,” Current project activities for students include 100,000 schoolchildren have been engaged explains Birney. “Students continue to exhibit teachers implementing lesson plans and through restoration-based STEM education excitement through active participation in the taking students to field sites to collect water

www.internationalinnovation.com 1 monitoring and observation data – information that will be gathered on a mobile application that has been developed specifi cally for the project, which will allow students to input data and connect in real time. A process of continued analysis has been emphasised to identify the most effective techniques and strategies for encouraging engagement in the students and, as such, more experienced teachers mentor those less experienced through a process of sharing and discussing lessons.

COLLABORATIVE MODEL WITH • The New York City Department Ultimately, this will fuel a process of TREMENDOUS BENEFITS of Education continued refi nement and revision of the lessons to maximise their effectiveness. The Curriculum and Community • ’s Lamont-Doherty However, the analysis does not cease there: Enterprise for Restoration Science Earth Observatory “A quasi-experimental, mixed-methods project is led by Dr Lauren Birney at Pace University, but the success of its • The New York Academy of Sciences implementation has been aided through extensive collaboration. The consortium • University of Maryland’s Center for

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RESOURCE PILLARS Five pillars While the proposed activities of the project will help the team build upon its already considerable achievements, it is crucial that the project is supported by solid foundations. Each pillar works to achieve a specifi c target but, importantly, they are all interrelated, where each one complements of strength to the others in a highly dynamic arrangement. The proposed activities for each pillar are:

engage students PILLAR ONE PILLAR TWO

Teacher Training Curriculum Student Science Field Research THE MISSION OF the Curriculum and Pillar one will recruit and select 20 new Pillar two involves Cohort 1 teachers who will Community Enterprise for Restoration Science teachers to become Cohort 2 teachers, implement lesson plans designed to maximise (CCE-RS) project is to connect teaching and host monthly fellowship and fi eld days, and successful involvement of underrepresented learning to the restoration of the New York implement a curriculum map and performance students, and will actively engage said students Harbor. Ultimately, this will facilitate an expectations. Importantly, both institutions by taking them to fi eld sites. There, they will enhanced learning experience of STEM subjects will host a STEM symposium in order to collect water monitoring and observation data for underrepresented students, and present disseminate the project details, enabling wider on a specially designed mobile application, new opportunities and career pathways for understanding in addition to facilitating a report providing each individual with a sense of those involved in the project. on the project’s progress. responsibility and ownership. Additionally, Cohort 1 teachers will act as mentors to Cohort To achieve these outcomes, an implementation Dr Lauren Birney – Co-Principal Investigator, 2 teachers, where both will share and discuss plan has been created that consists of fi ve Pace University lessons, identifying what particular aspects are education-resource pillars. These pillars will most effective. In so doing, the curriculum will work interdependently to support middle school Dr Jonathon Hill – Co-Principal Investigator, go through a constant process of refi nement student learning and teacher training, but will Pace University and revision, ensuring it is as effective as it can also be used in conjunction with fi ve physical be at all times. project settings – Pace University classrooms Sam Janis – Project Manager, New York for training, the New York City Department of Harbor Foundation Dr Robert Newton – Co-Principal Investigator, Education, waterfront sites for fi eld research, Columbia University Good Shepherd Services/New York Academy of Science after school programme sites, Nancy Woods – Co-Principal Investigator, New and marine science research facilities. Each York Department of Education physical setting has been home to several project accomplishments, and many more project activities have been scheduled for the near future.

2 INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION IMPROVING STEM EDUCATION IN NEW YORK CITY research plan will be used to assess the ownership in their community, stimulates THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND individual and collective effectiveness of the interest in STEM fields and promotes CITIZEN SCIENCE five project components,” explains Birney. innovation, creativity and transformation “Regression analyses will be used to identify through enquiry and interactive research.” OBJECTIVES effective programme aspects and assess To create an authentic STEM curriculum that enables the individual effectiveness of participation, The overarching goal that the model established New York City (NYC) middle school students to and social network mapping will be used to is fully scalable, transferable and adaptable undertake a local species restoration project and further assess the overall ‘curriculum plus ensures it can easily be adopted by other school conduct environmental field research, resulting community’ model.” districts outside of New York City – across the in increased engagement in academics; facilitate US and internationally. Indeed, the intention enhanced performance in STEM-C disciplines; and CREATING A SCALABLE AND is to offer the resources to all public schools create an interest toward learning and environmental REPLICABLE MODEL in New York City across the next decade or restoration in the natural environment of New To ensure that all students have the opportunity so, with a view to expand the model to other York Harbor. to participate in environmental restoration and geographies, school systems and environmental KEY COLLABORATORS AND PARTNERS citizen science, policy changes are needed. This restoration projects worldwide. We are all Pace University • NYC Department of Education • would enable more individuals to have access citizens of the world and with the success of New York Harbor School • Columbia Lamont-Doherty to environmental science curricula, resources, projects such as STEM CCE-RS, citizen science Earth Observatory • University of Maryland Center STEM internship opportunities and projects focused on environmental restoration can for Environmental Science • New York Harbor that allow student participation, creativity and demonstrate the enormous positive impacts it Foundation • New York Aquarium • New York design. This mode of thought is central to the has on individuals, STEM-based subjects and Academy of Sciences • Good Shepherd Services • The STEM CCE-RS project, with specific focus on the community’s environment. River Project (Megan Groome, Jonathan Hill, Samuel giving priority to those students most in need of Janis, Robert Newton, Nancy Woods, Murray Fisher, support, such as underrepresented students, This material is based upon work supported by the National Peter Malinowski) minorities and women. “The project addresses Science Foundation under Grant Number DRL-1440869. Any the immediate needs of these students by opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations FUNDING providing them with the opportunity to be expressed in this material are those of the author(s) National Science Foundation (NSF) central to the research, design and innovation and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National CONTACT components of the project,” explains Birney. Science Foundation. Dr Lauren Birney “Student participation in this manner generates Principal Investigator

One Pace Plaza New York, New York 10038 PILLAR THREE PILLAR FOUR USA

T +1 212 346 1889 Digital Platform After School and Summer Mentoring E [email protected] The University of Maryland Center for Pillar four will include lessons held at Good Environmental Science is an integral aspect Shepherd Services after school programme http://ccers.dev.expandtheroom.net/ of pillar three and will be responsible for sites, which will also run during the summer. http://bit.ly/LaurenBirney maintaining and updating the curriculum portal, The out-of-school curriculum lessons digital dashboard and mobile application. will engage students in STEM-C concepts https://vimeo.com/130355185 The team there will also develop a student with a focus on invertebrate zoology. www.researchgate.net/profile/Lauren_B_Birney dashboard – an online resource that will help Importantly, providing students in low-income each individual chart their own progress and neighbourhoods with something to do outside http://bit.ly/LinkedInLaurenBirney encourage continued engagement. Developing of school hours has genuine potential to @LBBirney additional capacity for citizen scientists is also influence life outcomes in the long term. part of pillar three’s remit, which is of benefit to DR LAUREN BIRNEY is Assistant the scientific community, the students and the Dr Meghan Groome – Co-Principal Investigator, Professor of STEM Education at Pace individual citizens involved. New York Academy of Sciences University and Director of the The STEM Collaboratory NYC™. Birney’s Dr William Dennison – Senior Personnel, focus seeks to address the dramatic University of Maryland PILLAR FIVE needs in STEM Education and facilitate interdisciplinary research through the exchange of ideas among Community/Museum students, faculty and industry stakeholders in STEM Restoration-Based Exhibits disciplines nationally and internationally through smart roject s P Pillar five involves The River Project, a marine and connected communities. ter ys O science field station in New York City, and on li il the New York Aquarium. It will be home to B © interactive exhibits featuring oysters and showcasing the biodiversity of the New York Harbor. These teams will create and maintain all interactive exhibits to facilitate enhanced learning experiences for both students and the general public. In addition to providing important educational resources, The River Project and the New York Aquarium will also host student field trips throughout the course of the programme.

Jon Dohlin – Director, New York Aquarium

Eli Caref – Coordinator, Education Programs

www.internationalinnovation.com 3