Using the 4DEE framework to guide active learning in ecology classes
In 2018, the Ecological Society of America endorsed a new framework for teaching undergraduate Ecology classes after many years of development. This framework goes beyond a list of concepts that students should learn to promote Four Dimensions of Ecology Education (4DEE), including ecological practices, human-environment interactions, and cross-cutting themes. This presentation will show how adopting the 4DEE framework, together with active learning techniques, can make ecology classes more fun and relevant for both students and instructors.
Dr. Juliana will talk about the 4DEE framework itself and where it came from, how he has used it to transform his 300 student Ecology and the Environment class at Cornell University, and how SimBio Ecology has supported making this large class active and engaging.
Dr. Justin R. St. Juliana is a Senior Lecturer in the Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University. He is a contributor to developing and promoting the 4DEE framework with the Ecological Society, and has helped develop or redevelop multiple biology, ecology, and environmental science classes at different institutions.