Pennsylvania Center For Environmental Education

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APPENDIX B

Essentials of Environmental Education

Beechwood Nature Center 4/10/99

KWL list

This data was gathered from the workshop during a KWL activity. KWL stands for, (K) what participants already know, (W) what participants want to know, and (L) what participants have learned from an activity. During the workshop participants write out their answers to each statement on three different index cards and the results are posted on bulletin boards. Answers are used as a tool to stimulate discussion at the start of the workshop and to provide a review at the end.

Summary of results:

What do you already know about EE?

Environmental Education is:

  • teaching people about the environment.
  • how to preserve and improve our environment.
  • increasing awareness of how the environment impacts our lives.
  • a broad area of information.
  • Recycling and composting.
  • Natural areas.
  • Exotic vs. native species.
  • Non-point source pollution.
  • Population pressures.
  • What I know:
  • I was an eagle boy scout and earned most of the "nature-environmental" merit badges.
  • I live on a farm and worked with scouts and the 4-H, and have a lot of hands-on experience with the environment.
  • I am somewhat familiar with birds, mammals, forestry, and water quality.
  • I teach programs about bats, wild edible plants, and cemeteries.

Things I already know about EE:

  • Some of the history and background of the field.
  • Goals: Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, and Participation.
  • Some of the objectives.
  • I know how to teach children the importance of wetlands and why they are important.
  • Environmental education is important because, if people know more about their environment, then they won't abuse it as much as they do.
  • EE has evolved over the last 10 years to standardized guidelines.
  • I know that new academic standards have been drafted and that many schools will become more and more interested.
  • It's important to teach a respect for nature.
  • Animals, plants, insects, interrelationships, "web of life."
  • I have a background in agriculture.
  • I have done projects in a wood lot demonstration area and at the County Environmental Center.
  • EE Methods

I know:

  • It involves sharing the natural world with people and how they are a part of it.
  • It should be well rounded and integrated.
  • I know how to teach EE, design EE programs, and facilitate workshops.
  • Set up non-formal adult education programs, family-oriented programs, (permanent & traveling).
  • I know how to write brochures and catalogs.
  • I worked in the environmental consulting business for six years and dealt with remediation of soil and ground water contamination, environmental laws and regulations.
  • Hands-on learning, learner-centered, continuous life-long process, etc.
  • Have had some training in various supplemental curricula: WOW, WET, Water Ed. For Teachers. Know about OBID, PLT, WET, WILD, FLP.
  • I know how to teach children the importance of wetlands and why they are important.
  • When children learn about the environment through games and hands-on experience they have more fun and care about it.
  • I know there are better ways to present EE topics to kids.
  • It's fun and exciting.
  • I have training in WET, Wonders of Wetlands, Soil & Erosion.
  • I have done projects in a wood lot demonstration area and at the County Environmental Center.

Other

  • It is not just for science teachers.
  • It is a growing thing becoming more and more popular.
  • I was a former curator of the education-oriented science division of Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
  • I recently worked as a natural resource officer in MA, working with laws, regulation, and endangered species.
  • I know there is a lot, I don't know.
  • Administration (Fundraising, Marketing, Volunteer Recruitment, etc.)
  • I know how to do fundraising for EE programs.
  • I am presently in charge of all EE programs at the Beltzville State Park and at public and private schools.
  • I am co-chair and regional co-director for the PAEE.

Values

  • Environmental education is important because, if people know more about their environment, then they won't abuse it as much as they do.
  • I know that EE is generally taught in a classroom (elementary level) and often reiterates incorrect and incomplete information.
  • Collect photos of nature, not objects from nature.

Principles & Standards

  • PA Department of Education is developing new environment & ecology education curriculum standards.
  • All PA schools are required to teach EE.

Resource

  • There's a lot out there to do and see if you only know where to look.

What do you want to know about EE?

Methods
  • I am looking for ideas, techniques, resources, and contacts to help me become a better environmental educator.
  • I want to get new ideas to use while working in the public arena.
  • I want to know different ways to help children learn about their environment.
  • Things I want to know about EE:
  • How to present programs that don't become "stale" to students and/or their teachers
  • How to "market" EE and get people interested in participating
  • I'd like to promote agricultural education from an EE standpoint
  • I would like to know more abut the world around me and how to pass this knowledge on to the children and adults that I work with in scouting and 4-H.
  • I want to know how to tie in environmental education in an informal setting.
  • I want to know how to incorporate EE into the classroom when you only have an hour or less for the class.
  • I want to know how to keep K-6 children interested.
  • Tips to make learning in EE fun.
  • I want to know how to integrate the new PDE standards into programs and how to find more free materials.
  • I want to get help with pre-school programs.
  • I want to know better facilitation techniques (especially with teachers).
  • I want to know effective teaching methods for special needs groups.
  • I want to know fun activities to do with school classes.
  • I want to know how to get schools to bring students into the outdoors for learning experiences.
  • I want to know more about technical training.

Content

  • I would like to know more abut the world around me and how to pass this knowledge on to the children and adults that I work with in scouting and 4-H.
  • My topics of interest are water quality, wetlands, animals (birds and mammals), and forestry.
  • I want to know how to develop good EE programs that will help schools fulfill the PA education curriculum standards.
  • I want grade level recommendations so I can see where my program fits into the conceptual framework.

Resources

  • I want to know what other resources are available to educate others about the environment.
  • Every new thing offers a new opportunity to share it with others, enrich existing curriculum, and/or lead you to something else new and exciting.
  • I want to know how to integrate the new PDE standards into programs and how to find more free materials.
  • I want to know where to get ideas and materials to set up displays for an EE center.

Values

  • I want to know how to be positive and pro-active when presenting environmental information.
  • I want to know how to avoid the tendency to point fingers and make accusations.
  • I want to know how to better deal with controversial topics (ie global warming, endangered species, and evolution).
  • I want to know how to be non biased about certain subjects.

Administration

  • I want to know how to motivate volunteers, and how to recruit them without devoting hours and hours to the job.
  • I want to know how to get schools more interested and involved in the programs our district offers.

Other

  • I would like to take employment experiences and educational training and incorporate them into a position (employment) in environmental education.

Networking

  • Every new thing offers a new opportunity to share it with others, enrich existing curriculum, and/or lead you to something else new and exciting.

What did you learn about EE?

Resources

  • I learned about research materials available.
  • I learned that there are so many resources and materials for background research available to help organize lessons.
  • I learned about the EPA's EE Toolbox manual which I did not previously know existed.
  • I learned about the PCEE Web site.
  • The vast number of resources.
  • I learned about the additional resources available.
  • I learned there are hundreds of resources to get EE materials.
  • I learned networking is the best resource for new ideas and that training is continual.
  • I learned about the PCEE's Web site and partners.
  • I learned about providing materials for teachers.
  • I learned about many available resources and that EE can be fun.
  • I learned where to access resource materials on the web and from the PCEE.
  • EE is exciting.
  • I learned that there are many resources available.
  • I learned where to access EE materials.

Principles & Standards

  • I learned how to look at programs according to principles and standards.
  • I learned that there are many goals involved in EE and I should use my time wisely and help to continue the process of learning.
  • About the importance and relevance of PCEE goals in our programs.
  • The new standards are soon to be adopted.
  • I learned the more formal aspects of EE.
  • I learned the guiding principles of EE and that pre and post program exercises are very important.
  • I learned how to plan a program that is more than just theory or just fun and games.
  • I learned the definition of EE and about the National Environmental Education Act.
  • I learned that goals and guidelines are important in organizing a program.
  • I learned about the EE goals and principles.
  • I learned to focus on one or two of the EE guiding principles and objectives when setting up presentations and programs.

Methods

  • I learned new ideas of implementing EE into programs.
  • I learned new programs to introduce to the people I work with that involve EE and where to get the programs.
  • I learned the guiding principles of EE and that pre and post program exercises are very important.
  • I learned effective teaching techniques for special groups.
  • I learned to check out scout training.
  • I learned about offering quality programs, screening, good concepts, and pre/post programs.
  • I learned different activities appropriate for different age levels.
  • I learned about many available resources and that EE can be fun.

Background

  • I was surprised that PA had such a foot in the EE door but I didn't realize it was due to legislation or that the Act was not up for renewal (due to someone from PA).
  • I learned that our PA senator is holding up re-authorization of the National Environmental Education Act. I will write to the legislator to encourage support of the Act.
  • I learned what is currently going on in some areas of EE (ie laws & resources).
  • I learned the complexity of EE and that there is an abundance of resource materials.

Activity

  • I learned what summer camp activity I want to do for non-point source pollution (Yeehaw!)