Acquisition of remote access technologies to advance student learning in Wildlife Ecology

Grant:

Gilbert Whitaker Fund for the Improvement of Teaching

Academic Year:

2018 - 2019 (June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019)

Funding Requested:

$6,000.00

Project Dates:

Thu, 08/01/2019 - Tue, 08/31/2021

Applicant(s):

jfoufop

Overview of the Project:

One of the key challenges that faculty in the field of environmental studies face today, is a fundamental lack of real-life experience and practical training among the incoming cohorts of ecology students. Substantial first-hand experience with natural organisms is the well-spring of understanding for anyone hoping to be a successful ecologist or natural resource manager. However, students today hail increasingly from urban settings and often have had very little exposure to nature. This lack of previous exposure to nature has strong repercussions on the knowledge, abilities and training of professional ecologists at the University of Michigan. Increasingly classes are taught without student exposure to the outdoors. However, the gold standard for the discipline is direct interaction and training on live wild animals and plants, and this standard is becoming increasingly hard to maintain.
The University of Michigan lags sorely behind peer institutions when it comes to the introduction and adoption of new wildlife technologies (radiotelemetry and remote observation) in teaching and in training our students. To my knowledge no course on campus utilizes or teaches about the use of these technologies, creating a significant disadvantage for our students. What is urgently needed is an initial investment into the purchase of wildlife radiotelemetry equipment, which can then be used long-term within the framework of existing courses. I would therefore like to request funds that will be used to purchase radiotelemetry, remote monitoring and related field equipment for wildlife study.

Final Report Fields

Project Objectives:

Having direct, hands-on nature experience is a crucially important component needed for students to develop ecological field expertise. However, getting such exposure is also becoming increasingly difficult, as students lack the awareness, comfort, and ability to function in the field, while instructors lack the key equipment needed to weave field experiences into the fabric of a wildlife course. The objective of this project was to purchase equipment that would allow UM students enrolled in wildlife or ecology classes to gain more direct access to their focal study subject, free-ranging animals.

Project Achievements:

The funds provided by CRLT were used to purchase key equipment that allowed for the integration of nature field experiences into wildlife courses. First, funds were used to acquire quality binoculars that are essential for students to experience animals close-up. These binoculars, in conjunction with newly purchased bird guides, allow not only for accurate species identifications, but also for detailed behavioral observations. Additional funds were used to purchase several song meters, which are devices that are deployed in the field to remotely quantify bird song over extended periods of time. Last, we used the CRLT moneys to purchase 25 camera traps. These powerful detection and imaging devices represent the cutting edge in wildlife ecology and allow students to obtain quantitatively accurate information on the presence, habitat use, times of activity and ecological characteristics of various wildlife taxa.

Overall, these purchases have had a transformative effect on the student learning experience, taking the students from being passive onlookers squinting at brown specks moving through the tree canopy, to a rich, hands-on science experience. For example, binoculars allow students to conduct sophisticated group research projects in wildlife ecology by collecting their own field data. Ultimately, this equipment allows the students to better take control of their learning. Furthermore, because it brings students close to wild animals, it has the added side-effect of galvanizing their interest in wildlife, and ultimately inspiring students to pursue professional careers in this field.

Continuation:

This project will be ongoing, in the sense that the equipment, which is fairly long-lived, will remain with the class and allow future generations of students to benefit from the generosity of CRLT.

Dissemination:

Colleagues who teach similar classes will have access to these teaching materials.

Advice to your Colleagues:

Using technologies that enable students to get out into the field and experiencing nature in an active, participatory way, is invaluable for effective ecology teaching.

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