INSPIRES

Leveraging Intelligent Informatics and Smart Data for Improved Understanding of Northern Forest Ecosystem Resilience


Starting in fall of 2020, eight teachers and five researchers from the RiSE Center will work together to develop lessons for the classroom focused on forestry and Quantitative Reasoning in Context (QRC). This work will be done as apart of a larger grant awarded to a three state partnership between Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire focused on researching the Northern Forest Region. This project will focus on one of the four project themes exploring how to support students' quantitative reasoning skills in the context of forestry.

Learn more about the broader INSPIRES research!

This project is divided into four themes focused on different aspects of gathering, analyzing and utilizing data collected from across the Northern Forest Region. We will be leading the work within theme 4.

Theme 1: Advanced Sensing & Computing Technologies
Theme 2: Environmental Informatics & Analytics
Theme 3: Integrated Ecological Modeling
Theme 4: Quantitative Reasoning in Context

THEME 4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

  • What types of knowledge and supports, including professional learning experiences, are helpful for teachers in teaching integrated modules to support student learning of quantitative reasoning in forestry contexts? 
  • How does the design process contribute to teachers’ knowledge and preparation to teach integrated modules?
  • In what ways do students benefit from the integrated modules?

THEME 4 TEAM MEMBERS

Susan McKay

Professor of Physics, Founding Director, Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) 
University of Maine 

Sara Lindsay

Associate Professor of Marine Science, RiSE Center Faculty
University of Maine

Christina Siddons

 Evaluation Specialist, RiSE Center Staff
University of Maine

Alix Contosta

Research Assistant Professor in the Earth Systems Research Center
University of New Hampshire

Franziska Peterson

Assistant Professor of Mathematics, RiSE Center Faculty
University of Maine

Elizabeth Burakowski

Research Assistant Professor in the Earth Systems Research Center
University of New Hampshire

Marina Van der Eb

Maine STEM Partnership Coordinator, RiSE Center Staff
University of Maine

Regina Toolin

Associate Professor of Education and Social Services
University of Vermont

TEACHERS PARTNERS

  Ruth Poland, Mount Desert Island High School

  Dylan Harry, Fryeburg Academy

  Laurie Spooner, Van Buren District School

  Amy Sidell, Hampden Academy

  Betsy Trenckmann, Hermon High School

PROJECT PARTNERS

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1920908