Alan R. Berkowitz
Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Careful assessment of outcomes is a hallmark of all of the education programs at the Cary Institute. From our undergraduate programs to our work with teachers and small children, our program evaluations reaffirm the value of "hands-on" and "minds-on" teaching and learning that focuses on laying a foundation of key concepts. However, our work also has revealed just how hard it is for educators, including ourselves, to link student inquiry into outdoor phenomena with the learning of key ecology concepts within the limitations of the classroom. Our scholarly work in this area has included an investigation into the constraints on ecology teaching and consideration of the strengths and limitations of student- and teacher-scientist partnerships. Current education research is focusing on the factors that shape student recruitment and retention in ecology career pathways.

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