As graduation approaches for the four graduate students of the 2025 class of Foley Graduate Fellows, so does the final submission of their year-long action research projects. During the Walking Mountains Foley Graduate Fellowship, all graduate students engage in an action research project: a form of inquiry that empowers educators to investigate challenges, reflect on their practice, and implement meaningful change in their teaching and Walking Mountains programs.
This year's graduating cohort, affectionately known as the TADS, includes Tayler, Ania, David, and Savanna. Over the past year, these four educators have each explored a question rooted in their own teaching practice, aimed at better understanding how they can improve learning experiences for their students. Each of the TADS brought their unique lens to this process, diving into questions of emotional connection, student voice, game-based learning, and inquiry-driven exploration.
Ania is introducing her intervention by showing emotions as characters from the movie, Inside Out.
Building Emotional Connections with Nature – Ania Gonzalez
Ania’s research explored how integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) and empathy-based practices into environmental education could impact young students’ emotional expressions of empathy toward nature. Through activities like perspective-taking and embodiment, she found that children naturally expressed concern and empathy when encouraged to see through nature’s eyes. “Fostering emotional ties with nature at a young age could have lasting implications for conservation efforts,” she reflected. The results of her project encourage educators to shift from prioritizing content to prioritizing connection, an approach she hopes to carry into future curriculum and policy development.
Student Empowerment through Authentic Assessment – Tayler Branson
Tayler’s project focused on how creating student-made videos could serve as a powerful form of authentic assessment and lead to student empowerment. Inspired by her own experiences with meaningful learning, she watched students rise to the challenge of producing collaborative videos, gaining confidence and ownership in the process. One key insight? “It’s hard to watch students struggle, but it’s even more powerful to see them problem-solve and grow through that struggle.” Tayler hopes to continue exploring how technology and creativity can empower student voices, especially in environmental education.
These are the materials David created for the “Water Rites” game.
Games and Cognitive Learning – David Geddes
David’s action research combined a personal love of learning through games with a local environmental issue: water usage in the Colorado River Basin. His board game, Water Rites, invited students to role-play as different states or countries with water needs, encouraging them to negotiate, collaborate, and think critically about water management. “Kids often think about human interaction with water as just pollution. Through this game, they began to understand overuse, conservation, and drought in new ways.” David envisions finding a way to continue using simulations and game-based learning to deepen cognitive understanding and behavior change in environmental education.
Questioning as a Gateway to Learning – Savanna
Savanna’s research investigated how an explicit questioning activity could shape the way students inquire during outdoor exploration. Her findings revealed clear developmental trends between 3rd and 6th graders and highlighted how inviting student questions could lead to more personalized and meaningful learning. “I’ve been really excited to see how making space for student questions helped students follow their own interests,” she says. Despite the time constraints of a one-day field trip, Savanna’s work highlighted the power of student curiosity in deepening engagement with nature.
Rooted in Reflection, Growing Toward Change
The action research projects completed by Foley Graduate Fellows are more than academic exercises; they are rooted in lived teaching experiences and driven by the desire to grow as educators. While each graduate student’s research was distinct, a common thread emerged: a commitment to empowering students through empathy, inquiry, collaboration, and creativity.
As the TADpolesS cohort concludes their second year in the program, their action research stands as a testament to their growth and a reflection of what’s possible when educators are given the time, space, and support to reflect and innovate. From emotional literacy in environmental education to authentic assessments and engaging game design, their work will continue to ripple outward, impacting students, inspiring peers, and shaping the future of teaching in the field of environmental education and beyond.
Written by Sara Lynch. Sara Lynch is a Walking Mountains Foley Graduate fellow and is finishing up her first year in the graduate program. When she’s not teaching or learning, she’s exploring the Eagle Valley, snowboarding, reading, practicing yoga, or hanging with her friends.