Research in a forest

Mountains to Mole Hills

Illuminating Stories in Science

BGI logo

The University of Calgary’s Biogeoscience Institute (BGI) is a leader in field-based research. We are located at the door to Kananaskis Country and serve as the only research station for the Canadian Rockies and Foothills. We give students access to world-class research and promote science through an award-winning integrated program of experiential education and inquiry-based learning.

BGI has started the Mountains to Mole Hills: Illuminating Stories in Science program, which gives students an opportunity to engage with local primary research and develop skills in translating science to a broad audience. The program goal is create teaching tools that are useful for both teachers and students. As part of the program, pre-service teachers will translate local, primary scientific research papers into easily digestible, plain language infographics and associated 1-page written documents. In these overviews, volunteers will include curriculum and cross-curricular connections, as well as explanations about why people should care about this research. Volunteers will make explicit connections between science, society, and culture.

Who

All Bachelor of Education students 

What

Make complex science accessible by translating research into accessible infographics and written summaries.

When

Self-directed, based on volunteer schedules

Where

Biogeoscience Institute and/or Online

Logistics


What's Involved

Volunteers will:

  • Select 3-5 articles from a list of recent research conducted at the Biogeoscience Institute.
  • Read through and pick out the question, background information, data collection methods, important findings, and conclusions and present these in an infographic and a 1-page summative write up. 

This is a very flexible project, and we are open to student ideas for presentation. 

Other Information

  • Some experience interpreting graphs and interacting with primary scientific literature would be a bonus but not a requirement.
  • We will provide a write up with expectations, helpful links, as well as a pre-meeting to discuss the project in depth.
  • Volunteers can anticipate spending approximately 5 hours per paper.


Program Learning Outcomes

  • Develop stronger connections to the professional community and specific organizations
  • Examine a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in non-traditional educational settings
  • Examine how teaching and learning take place in other contexts
  • Lead or co-lead the component of at least one project within the program
  • Navigate new challenges as an educator with the support and guidance of a mentor in a similar field

BGI lake experiment

Apply for Mountains to Mole Hills

  1. Go to Elevate and click on Werklund School of Education
  2. Click My Werklund Experiences
  3. Go to Courses/Program
  4. Select the Mountains to Mole Hills program and click Apply​​​​​​
  5. Complete the the questionnaire and we will contact you for next steps!