Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology(TIEE): Disseminating web- and CD-ROM-Based Educational Materials Through the ESA

Hampshire College, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

Biological Sciences (61) TIEE (Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology) is a web and CD-ROM resource designed to help faculty incorporate more student-active approaches in ecology courses. TIEE is composed of 3 interrelated parts: 1) inquiry-based experiments, 2) controversial issues for lecture and 3) linked and interwoven teaching resources. TIEE also addresses the reward system for educational innovation because Experiments or Issues submitted by faculty are peer reviewed by TIEE editors. During 1999-2000, with CCLI-EMD Proof-of-Concept support, we built a model TIEE website and CD-ROM which we evaluated in a workshop at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) in Aug. 2000. Faculty applied and worked in small groups with the CD-ROM; they evaluated the overall product plus assigned Experiments or Issues. The evaluation of the workshop and of TIEE was very positive and helpful to the current project. We also established a TIEE board of editors who we met with at this meeting. In this full submission we are building on our successes with the proof. The ESA is publishing an annual issue of TIEE on its website and distributing the CD-ROM. We are training faculty to write and use Issues and Experiments at Introductory and Author workshops at ESA plus AIBS and AAAS meetings. In this proposal we describe the guidelines and structure for submissions of Issues and Experiments to TIEE, the processes for peer and editorial review, and the sustainability of TIEE following this granting period.