Jennifer Rahn

WI

Pinpointing Watershed Pollution on a Virtual Globe

Mon, Jun 02, 2014 10:39 PM
Authentic research foundation

As a former groundwater researcher, I found this activity exceptional in its use of high-quality digital resources and their application in teaching analytical skills very applicable to real situations. I like the progressive approach using multiple layers and locations. It also also allows students to come to conclusions based on observations. Great foundation for learning how to do background research too. Could be easily adapted to college-level as well.

Upstream, Downstream

Mon, May 26, 2014 11:28 PM
Authentic analysis

I enjoyed reading about the activity described in this article. The parameters collected are quite similar to those often collected in surface water studies, although the techniques likely are a bit different. I definitely appreciate the analysis portion of the activity. The main limitation is the lack of longitudinal data; most real studies would include baseline data. Another test frequently done is PCR analysis to determine the source of E. coli. Oftentimes it is difficult to assess the point source (it could be a processing plant, dairy farm, sewage treatment plant, or even pet droppings) and PCR may provide source clues. Perhaps there is a way to incorporate some of these new tools into the analysis.

Shrinking Our Footprints

Tue, Oct 15, 2013 12:50 PM
Nice cross-curricular activity

I really enjoyed reading this article. It provides a great mechanism to empower students to "be the change" they want to see. It also does an excellent job of providing cross-curricular links to writing; I think similar types of integration might be made with human geography as well. The research component is important as well, but I would like to see more than two sources as evidence that the student had done a thorough analysis of research on the topic. I would like to see a component that would have students evaluate the validity of the model on which the footprint is based. Is it reliable and sensitive enough to show the impact of the changes the student is making? How does it compare to other such "footprint models?" This is a nice tie-in to the process and challenges of developing models. When I did a similar activity with a class, we found there were significant differences in the modeling assumptions.