Introduction to Marine Ecosystems and the Carbon Cycle
Have you ever wondered how marine ecosystems contribute to the carbon cycle or our greater ecosystem? At EarthFest in April, visitors of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) learned just that through an immersive augmented learning experience focused on marine life ecosystems and the carbon system, designed by students from TC’s Digital Futures Institute (DFI) Scholars Program and Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design (CMLTD) program. “Biodiversity is crucial for maintaining the steadiness and resilience of ecosystems,” shared TC student Lexin Xiong, who collaborated alongside Marsha Fabiola, Wenjun Yang, and Yuling Zhou. “Programs and academic projects like ours on the museum play a key role in spreading awareness and knowledge about these concepts.”
Collaboration and Partnerships
The initiative was part of a bigger collaboration between the American Museum of Natural History, The Brown Institute at Columbia University, Learning the Earth with Artificial Intelligence and Physics (LEAP), and TC’s Digital Futures Institute (DFI). The project can also be a part of TC’s Public Good Initiative, which goals to deal with global challenges and increase collaboration across the College. “Our collaboration with AMNH and the Brown Institute—each renowned leaders in engaging with people from all corners of the world—allows us to bring climate research to recent audiences in fun and impactful ways,” said Pierre Gentine, Director of LEAP.
The "Carbon Catchers" Exhibit
The featured exhibit, “Carbon Catchers,” an augmented reality scavenger hunt, educated greater than 2,000 participants in regards to the importance of conservation in combating climate change. “This project gave visitors, especially families, a room for conversation about carbon that’s different from the final narratives, like carbon footprint and consumerism. It allowed recent understanding about how carbon naturally takes place within the wildlife, especially under water,” shared Marsha Fabiola, a student who assisted within the project’s coding process. Visitors were encouraged to stop by the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life to find out about marine animals, just like the West Indian Manatee, crucial in reducing carbon within the Earth’s atmosphere.
Educational Opportunities and Impact
Yet, that is just considered one of many dynamic educational opportunities students can access at Teachers College through the CMLTD program. “We provide some ways for our students to develop their design skills, specifically in developing research- and practice-informed solutions,” shares TC’s Yoo Kyung Chang. The DFI Scholars Program is a pathway for TC graduate students to expand their digital imaginations by collaborating with non-profit organizations in and around New York City to leverage digital media and technology for public good. “The AR experiences display the crucial role these beloved sea creatures play within the Earth’s carbon cycle in a highly engaging way,” said Tian Zheng, LEAP’s Chief Convergence Officer & Education Director.
Student Experience and Reflection
And for college students in this system, the experience was transformative, to say the least. Together, they worked on the project for over ten weeks, facing challenges and triumphs along the best way. “The journey was stuffed with challenges, yet the collaboration inside our team made it successful,” shared student Yuling Zhou, who led the project’s UX/UI design. Many walked away with an excellent deeper understanding of technological and ecological concepts. “This project showcased the fantastic thing about edtech and gamification, where curiosity fuels innovation and learning becomes the best success,” added student Wenjun Yang.
Conclusion
With the rapid advancement in augmented reality and digital learning, the project serves as a creative prompt for collaborations of comparable nature down the road. “It’s a testament to the progressive and inventive work that our [CMLTD] students are doing today and what they’ll proceed to perform in the long run,” added Charles Lang, Senior Executive Director of DFI at Teachers College. “It’s exciting to think in regards to the potential of AR and VR technologies in furthering public education, particularly around science and conservation,” concludes Xiong. This project brought together technology, ecology, and education to create a singular platform that not only informed but in addition inspired museum visitors to understand the natural world in recent ways.
