Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.65
Liaison Michelle Seppala Gibbs
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

Hope College
IN-48: Innovation B

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 0.50 Michelle Gibbs
Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Air Quality Research Project

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

Air Quality Monitors in the Middle and High School Grades

Recent Abstract: Portable air quality monitors serve as an innovative technological tool for students to define their own inquiry-based questions and have the means to collect data to answer those questions. Students are guided through creating their own research questions and testing protocols to collect relevant data. As the monitoring project gains traction in local schools, detailed work is needed to create an effective evaluation plan. Building on the recent growth of this project and the established base of partner teachers, a protocol will be developed to clearly discern the project’s impact. Specifically, a unified instructional approach will determine how monitor use affects students’ attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning; how using the monitors affects students’ interests in STEM fields; if monitor use improves STEM content learning; and how integrating the monitors affects teachers’ facilitation of students’participation in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science and engineering practices.

The portable air quality monitors measure CO 2 , ozone, particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), temperature, and humidity in the air that flows through input and output channels of the monitor enclosure. The sensors are mid-priced models marketed for industrial monitoring applications. The monitor enclosure includes sensors and
controlling electronics which collects data and wirelessly sends the data to the project website parts.pm. This website organizes data by individual monitor and date/time stamp, allowing participants to view, download, and analyze any data. Electrically driven, the monitors run continuously with no set-up required for data collection.

Classroom teachers are trained in the use of the monitors and are applying the data collection to chemistry, biology, math and environmental science classes. Training for teachers has been conducted through summer workshops, local conferences, and personal sessions. The teachers are provided with an initial lesson plan along with strategies for incorporating into different disciplinary lessons. Several hundred students in traditional classrooms have used the monitors.
in lessons along with many more in informal outreach programs.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The project led by the Hope College Center for Exploratory Learning

https://hope.edu/academics/center-exploratory-learning/school-programs/middle-high-school-air-quality-monitoring.html

https://hope.edu/news/2015/03/02/michigan-space-grant-consortium-supports-several-hope-projects.html

The project started with a community member and has grown over the years. Partners include:
Don Trizenburg - community member who created the project
Hope College Center for Exploratory Learning - project champion
Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute - community education support
Collective Idea - maintains and develops our software and circuitry
EPI, Inc - provides technical and content advice
Hope College Dean for Natural and Applied Science - provides space and support
Michigan Space Grant Consortium - provides valuable program funding


The project led by the Hope College Center for Exploratory Learning

https://hope.edu/academics/center-exploratory-learning/school-programs/middle-high-school-air-quality-monitoring.html

https://hope.edu/news/2015/03/02/michigan-space-grant-consortium-supports-several-hope-projects.html

The project started with a community member and has grown over the years. Partners include:
Don Trizenburg - community member who created the project
Hope College Center for Exploratory Learning - project champion
Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute - community education support
Collective Idea - maintains and develops our software and circuitry
EPI, Inc - provides technical and content advice
Hope College Dean for Natural and Applied Science - provides space and support
Michigan Space Grant Consortium - provides valuable program funding

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.