COLLABORATIVE OUTREACH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH STREAM MONITORING AND GEOSPATIAL WATERSHED ASSESSMENT

The Earth and Environmental Science Department at Taylor University has engaged in a stream monitoring and geospatial watershed assessment project to engage Taylor students, K-12 teachers and students, and community partners in service-learning, educational outreach, and civic engagement.

For the stream monitoring component, we invited K-12 educators to a university-led training with Hoosier Riverwatch (HRW), the state volunteer stream monitoring program. As course work, students in Geomorphology participate in the HRW training session and a service-learning project leading K-12 students in chemical, biological and physical stream monitoring. To perpetuate the stream monitoring activity, we facilitated sponsorship and monitoring assistance by local employees of 3M Corporation.

For the geospatial assessment component, Taylor students in Geospatial Analysis compile web-based resources for simple watershed assessment, including geospatial characteristics of geology, soils, topography, hydrology, and land use. Then, students engage with K-12 teachers to help them understand the source and use of data to investigate the geospatial characteristics of the watershed of their stream monitoring site and the direct links between land use and water quality.

This collaborative outreach project promotes STEM education for K-12 students and teachers with hands-on, interactive, educational activities and improves K-12 teachers' capabilities to sustain these activities consistent with state educational standards in STEM disciplines. The project improves workforce capabilities for Taylor students by developing awareness of interdisciplinary research in geospatial and watershed sciences and engaging them in design, implementation, management, and assessment of the outreach program. Participation by 3M employees will sustain the monitoring project and build a model of collaborative civic engagement between the schools and 3M.