Cox Communications Brings New Science Field Equipment to Thousands of Students
June 3, 2019 – A $10,000 grant by Cox Communications–Northeast Region will fund scientific equipment through a Tech Boost Grant to support Connecticut Audubon Society’s educational programming throughout the state.
The new equipment will improve hands-on learning for 15,000 students a year through Connecticut Audubon’s award-winning Science in Nature Education Program. Science in Nature is a field-based science program, developed primarily for students from historically marginalized communities.
Through the grant, all of Connecticut Audubon’s field labs are being replaced with “ruggedized” iPads – that is, iPads with shockproof, waterproof cases specifically for outdoor use. The iPads make it possible for students to use field tools that collect more easily-obtainable and accurate measurements and data analyses, and to better understand the importance of electronic data collaboration as a 21st century scientific process. The new equipment will allow students to engage in the scientific method using modern equipment exactly as scientists do.
Field technology truly sparks an interest in nature. Connecticut Audubon photo by Bob MacDonnell.
“We hear from teachers all of the time how the field technology truly sparks an interest in science,” said Michelle Eckman, Connecticut Audubon’s director of education. “Students tell us that it’s fun to explore nature like professional scientists, and teachers and administrators note that field technology enhances their students’ learning and helps them meet STEM standards. We are firm in our belief that all of our participating students should have the most modern, functional, and advanced equipment with which to study their science lessons.”
The program links outdoor experiences with students’ classroom curriculum. To date, 70,000 school students and their teachers have participated in Science in Nature. Half of all Connecticut public school districts have benefited from the program, in a state with the largest achievement gap in the nation between low and upper income students.
Connecticut Audubon Society’s mission is to conserve Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and their habitats.
Cox Communications-Northeast Region Tech Boost Grant program is devoted to improving the lives of children and families through technology-driven education to empower them to better futures. For more information, visit www.coxcharitiesne.org
