STEM Education Institute Tuesday Seminar
“Urban Ecology in an Urban After-School Setting”
Emily Hoffman and Lindsey Cotter
Urban Ecology Institute, Boston College
The Urban Ecology Institute's Field Studies Program aims to provide opportunities for students to engage in real-world scientific inquiry, increase their intellectual and social self-confidence, and gain a sense of responsibility for their urban environment by partnering with urban school districts and community based groups. School teachers and out-of-school educators are given the tools and training to lead young people in ecological investigations to answer questions about the health of their environment. Lindsey Cotter and Emily Hoffman from UEI's Education Division will lead a multi-faceted discussion about the unique and important STEM learning opportunities that after-school programming provides to youth, the realities of working with urban school district partnerships, as well as the lessons they have learned and their plans for future programming within the Boston area.