Past Research

Purdue E. coli Education Project (2001 - 2003)

Local environmental issues provide teachers with the opportunity to create interactive lesson plans that meet NSES and are of interest to the students due to the direct impact the issue may have on their lives. The local environmental issue utilized in this project, as a means to create middle school activities to enhance student learning, is related to E. coli contamination in Lake Shafer, IN. The high E. coli levels are publicized due to serious negative impacts of E. coli warnings on a major source of local income. Lauren Patterson and Dr. Jon Harbor have developed an interactive presentation, hands-on activities, and a field/lab exercise to increase student understanding of the local community problem by simulating the use of the scientific method to help solve environmental issues. The presentation and a hands-on activity were conducted by us at three middles schools in White County, IN. Analyses of student pretest-posttest results, as a form of assessment, have provided valuable insight into student learning at different educational levels and have guided modifications of the materials to maximize their effectiveness and address common misconceptions.