Evidence will be presented that this activity addresses key issues in (1) helping students to understand the scientific evidence for arctic sea ice melting and ecosystem level effects on arctic inhabitants, (2) how these evidenced-based understandings are constructed using data, data-based models and simulations, and primary literature, and (3) the application of scientific findings to international policy.  Moreover, the teaching activity also is designed to help ecology faculty to improve their use of large-scale publicly available data sets and primary literature in a learning progression to enhance students’ ecological thinking and concept acquisition by enhancing faculty understanding of (a) practitioner research on student’s misconceptions and capacities for quantitative/ qualitative reasoning and metacognitive function, (b) the developmental stages of student mastery of critical ecological concepts and quantitative skills needed to work with large datasets, and (c) the types of assessments that will authentically measure and accelerate students' progress in learning ecology.  This project is a part of a collaboration between ESA, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) to improve the understanding and use of ecological knowledge throughout our nation and beyond.

Results/Conclusions

Evidence will be presented that this activity addresses key issues in (1) helping students to understand the scientific evidence for arctic sea ice melting and ecosystem level effects on arctic inhabitants, (2) how these evidenced-based understandings are constructed using data, data-based models and simulations, and primary literature, and (3) the application of scientific findings to international policy.  Moreover, the teaching activity also is designed to help ecology faculty to improve their use of large-scale publicly available data sets and primary literature in a learning progression to enhance students’ ecological thinking and concept acquisition by enhancing faculty understanding of (a) practitioner research on student’s misconceptions and capacities for quantitative/ qualitative reasoning and metacognitive function, (b) the developmental stages of student mastery of critical ecological concepts and quantitative skills needed to work with large datasets, and (c) the types of assessments that will authentically measure and accelerate students' progress in learning ecology.  This project is a part of a collaboration between ESA, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) to improve the understanding and use of ecological knowledge throughout our nation and beyond.