COURSE DESCRIPTION

“We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So, when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.” – Andy Goldsworthy

As humans continue to push the planet and ecosystems toward collapse, it is more important than ever to understand the natural world and our place within it more holistically. 

Across twelve (12) modules teeming with information about how living things relate to each other and their physical environments, the Ecology Essentials for Everyone course provides learners with the most important natural science lessons we all should have learned in school – but probably weren’t taught.

This course is an essential primer for anyone looking to understand how the world really works – with or without us humans. Its lessons are not only valuable to those who enjoy exploring the outdoors or who make their living from the land, but also to anyone seeking to make their business or life more environmentally sustainable. In developing this course, ecology educator and entomologist Nissa Coit was careful to introduce fundamental concepts and vocabulary in ways that build to a robust understanding of how the natural world works. By exploring topics such as population dynamics, species interaction, and biodiversity, learners will develop familiarity with ecological principles, facility with scientific thinking, and an ability to live more intentionally with the Earth.

This self-paced, online course is accessible to everyone, regardless of their educational or experiential background.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to:

• Explain the basic principles of ecology
• Recognize the importance of ecology in all aspects of life
• Use ecological principles to solve problems
• Apply scientific methods of thinking to solve problems
• Analyze and deconstruct some preconceived notions and paradigms

This course was created through and is part of :

COURSE-AT-A-GLANCE

This course has twelve (12) modules that explore the following topics:

• Introduction to Ecology
• The Scientific Method
• Biogeochemical Cycles
• Biomes
• Ecosystems
• Species Interactions
• Population Structure and Dynamics
• Where Does Biodiversity Come From?
• Disturbance and Succession
• Extinction and Conservation
• Human Ecology
• Ecological Thinking and Action

AUDIENCE

As an introductory course, Ecology Essentials for Everyone is ideal for lifelong learners of all academic and experiential levels.  Its lessons are particularly valuable for outdoor enthusiasts, those who make their living from the land or sea (e.g.,  farmers, foresters, foragers, fisherpeople, miners) or whose work involves changing land use (e.g., real estate developers, renewable energy generators, and engineers), those who work in materials management and sourcing, food systems professionals, and all who aim to make their business or life more environmentally sustainable.

COURSE DEVELOPER – Nissa Coit

Nissa Coit holds a Master’s degree in Entomology from the University of California at Davis and a B.S. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Her academic background is in apiculture; she studied honey bees in both undergraduate and graduate school, where she applied her biological training to practical management and research of honey bee hives to learn about honey bee biology, behavior, ecology and management. However, she realized that while honey bees are important to pollinate conventional food systems, focusing on just one aspect of the problem would not help fix the systemic threats we face. Nissa currently works at Sterling College as a Learning Network Associate and Ecology Educator. In her free time she enjoys all sorts of handicrafts like pottery, sewing, knitting, and candle-making.

DISCLAIMER: Course descriptions on this webpage are for informational purposes only. Content may be updated or changed as planning evolves. Sterling College reserves the right to alter the program specifics, including details about course content, instructors, collaborations, field trips, facilities and pricing, at any time without notice. 

Sterling’s programming is always subject to adaptive change based on then-current events (e.g., public health emergencies, extreme weather events, service outages, etc.). We appreciate understanding and flexibility when we make adjustments designed to support community safety and care for the places in which we learn. We also thank you in advance for patience when technical snags beyond our control briefly interrupt access.