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A National Study of the Professional Development Needs of Formal, Informal, and Nonformal Environmental Educators
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| Presenter(s):
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| M Lynette Fleming, Research, Evaluation & Development Services, fleming@cox.net
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| Abstract:
What professional development is needed by environmental educators who work in formal, informal and nonformal learning settings throughout the United States? Find out about the methods employed in this needs assessment and what the study revealed about priorities, gaps, and work needed to advance environmental literacy over the next five years.
This session will summarize the steps involved in conducting the first national needs assessment of environmental educators’ professional development priorities; focus on the different professional development delivery preferences, needs and priorities identified by environmental educators teaching for formal, informal and nonformal learning; and discuss the implications of the results for professional development in EE and future work for the field in general and for state and federal natural resources agencies.
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A Grounded Theory Exploration of Science Identity in Informal Contexts
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| Presenter(s):
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| Tina Phillips, Cornell Univeristy, cbp6@cornell.edu
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| Elizabeth Danter, Institute for Learning Innovation, danter@ilinet.org
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| John Fraser, Institute for Learning Innovation, fraser@ilinet.org
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| Richard Bonney, Cornell Univeristy, reb5@cornell.edu
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| Abstract:
Citizen science was originally conceived as an opportunity to create new knowledge through a distributed community of interested “citizens” who would generate reliable data for study by scientists. Quickly adopted by the Informal Science Education community as a tool for educating the general public and increasing science literacy, many projects have been framed in terms of learning outcomes that measure collective change in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the population of participants (Bonney et al. 2009). We will present results from a qualitative analysis of an online citizen science “data coding” project that explored the often over-looked dimensions of science identity, altruism, and motivations for prolonged engagement in an informal science activity. The findings demonstrate that continued participation reinforces pre-existing science identities, helps them feel part of a community within their scope of justice, and provides them a forum to directly contribute to the advancement of science knowledge.
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Walking in the Footsteps of Aldo Leopold: Evaluation of an Environmental Education Initiative Using a Mixed Method Design
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| Presenter(s):
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| Nancy Carrillo, Albuquerque Public Schools, carrillo_n@aps.edu
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| Abstract:
The ‘Walking in the Footsteps of Aldo Leopold” Centennial was a weekend-long conference incorporating g sessions about Leopold’s contributions and current environmental conditions as well as activities designed for enjoying and learning about Arizona’s White Mountains, Leopold’s stomping grounds early in his career. The conference brought together scholars, activists, and nature enthusiasts. Though a short intervention, the conference organizers hoped to foster better environmental political action both by individuals and environmental groups by increasing knowledge, fostering networking, and enhancing participants’ appreciation for wilderness. We evaluated the success of the intervention using session observation forms to measure audience participation and reactions, a participant questionnaire, a follow-up participant on-line survey six months later, and telephone surveys with environmental group leaders eight months later. These qualitative and quantitative data sources as well as the extended evaluation timeline provided an excellent opportunity for a ‘double helix’ mixed methods design.
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