ILLINOIS SCHOOLS’ FLORA AND FAUNA ONLINE PROJECT

Illinois most talented and skilled science teachers were selected to participate in a science and technology
project that was awarded to EIU and SIUE from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.  The program
entitled the Project TIE-INS (Technology, Inquiry, Environment and Investigations of the Nature of Science)
is one of a series of statewide environmental science programs written and conducted by Dr. Marylin Lisowski,
EIU Professor of Science and Environmental Education and Dr. Bob Williams, Director of the Rivers Project.  
TIE-INS had over 200 applicants and 60 were selected to participate in the sessions.  The teachers represent
every region of the state and are highly recognized and experienced teachers in the field.

The project was developed in response to teachers requests to extend and expand their familiarity, comfort,
and competence in utilizing current and appropriate technologies in their science teaching.  Through TIE-INS
Project, the teachers are involved in creating web-based electronic field guides that will accurately and
scientifically represent the species distribution in the area specific to their high school or middle school grounds
or city area.  Through this project, the participating teachers are engaged in the techniques of conducting
environmental monitoring, species identification, digital library inclusions, and inquiry-based investigations related
to the inventories.  The concrete end product will be the production of a web-based electronic field guide that
could be accessed, referenced, and expanded by not only other students but also scientists in Illinois and the
local community.

One of the most major ventures of the global scientific community is the production of a Biological Inventory
for our planet.  This project would contribute to national and global efforts for this Global Biological Index. 
Not only would teachers and their students be contributing the essential data about species distribution in their
area, but they will be engaged in real science and will be employing the latest technological options that are
available for this type of investigation. Eventually, all participants plant pictures will be housed at the University
of Illinois’ Digital Flora of North America site at Visit the Biobrowser Web site at http://www.biobrowser.org

This project is a collaborative venture with Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville under the direction of
Dr Robert Williams, a noted science author and Project Director of the national Rivers Project.  Also
participating as experts are Dr. Bryan Heidorn of the UIUC’s Graduate School of Library and Information
Science and Project Director of a National Digital Library Project on Biocomplexity; Dr. Patricia Fewell,
EIU’s Director of the Instructional Technology Center; and Tom Grissom, the Technology Coordinator of the
College of Education and Professional Studies.