Lecturer of Biology Nevada State College Boulder City, Nevada, United States
The focus of the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework is to guide the inclusion of ecological content and practices into courses that range from general ecology for program majors to those for non-major or general education learners. The framework can be used as a transparent guide to introduce learners to the connections implicit in ecological inquiry. In courses at Nevada State College (a commuter-focused desert urban HSI in Southern Nevada, with 61% first-generation students and 70% women), I have concentrated on natural history (an ecology practice), systems thinking (a cross-cutting theme) and ecosystem services and sustainability (the human-environment dimension) as a way to introduce both students and faculty to ecological perspectives. With an increased concern for our disconnection from natural environments and outdoor experiences (e.g., Louv 2005) activities that provide learners of any age an opportunity to purposefully connect with their living ecosystems have educational as well as cognitive benefits (Schertz and Berman 2019, Gooley 2017, Thomashow 2020).
My Introduction to Environmental Science (ENV 101; general education) and Principles of Ecology (ENV 220; mixed-majors including biology and secondary education programs) students participate in activities that are designed to take them outdoors to our campus (field) environment (which every campus has, regardless of size) and to minimize the need for travel to remote locations which can be difficult for commuters. Students work on a portfolio project to photograph their campus, local, or backyard observations and to identify examples of ecological terms, concepts and ideas from their photos. This project requires no specialized equipment or tools and gives students latitude to make personal connections that are intellectually enriching and experientially valuable. These activities also serve to demonstrate that science as an endeavor is accessible and for them. Additionally, Nevada State College faculty interested in sustainability goals and system thinking had the opportunity to participate in a pilot Faculty Learning Community (FLC) in Fall 2022. I and other natural sciences faculty designed program outcomes, led walks focused on campus resources (native plant bed, campus community garden, natural areas) and worked with faculty to develop cross-disciplinary assignments for their courses (in business, data science, health sciences, and humanities), by engaging first with sustainability concepts as a way to introduce ecological concepts that drive sustainability decisions. Inclusive approaches to ecology education include opportunities to facilitate and normalize outdoor experiences and time spent making observations with intention.
