Through collaboration, diverse science faculty, from 9 regional colleges representing five Appalachian states in the Appalachian College Association (ACA) consortium are strengthening their science curricula using teaching and learning experiences in locally delineated small watersheds. The participating faculty and colleges are: a.) creating a research - rich field learning environment, b.) infusing the small watershed approach methods into our curricula, c.) improving our laboratory instrumentation, d.) implementing collaborative, cross-site student research projects, d.) participating in faculty development workshops, e.) developing an Online Lab Manual for Small Watershed Studies, and f.) working with the elementary school students to help them understand the connections in our environment. Students are encouraged to conduct field study projects of their own design as part of a formal class, as an independent study or a senior thesis. Non-science majors and first year students are involved in inquiry-based exercises in the watersheds in lower level class projects. The students are part of a common research project across our watershed sites each semester and during the summer. The data for these common watershed studies is shared online from each of our web sites. Faculty development workshops encouraging the effective use of watershed research and the Online Lab Manual are held each semester (3 workshops). A culmination of this project is a “Student Research Symposium”. The symposium included original student research projects arising from techniques available in our Online Lab Manual and used in lab courses. An Online Laboratory Manual for Small Watershed Studies (eManual) is being developed for faculty at all institutions to use in their biology, chemistry, forestry, geology and/or other science courses at their institutions.
