By W. George Scarlett
When there are pond problems, such as when fish are dying, it often takes systems thinking and high-level scientific investigation to figure out causes and what needs to be done. That’s an unreachable goal for many children. But with proper support, adolescents can become scientists finding cause in the combination of variables observed and measured while studying the systems of a virtual pond. One such support comes from the ecoLearn research lab at Harvard (see https://ecolearn.gse.harvard.edu/ ), a support explained in the accompanying film showing how advanced immersive technology can put adolescents right there in and around a (virtual) pond.
Thank you for sharing this excellent educational resource. I’m thrilled to be able to point readers of my upcoming NOISY PUDDLE book (Owlkids, spring 2024) to this resource.
Your writing style is engaging, and the information is presented clearly. Thanks for this informative piece!