Online EE Courses Available This Summer and Fall

Online Environmental Education Courses offered through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point offer four online courses for students and professionals in the field of environmental education.  

Registration deadline for Summer 2010 courses is  May 1st. For registration details, including tuition rates, visit: www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/index.aspx

Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Audiences
This course is designed to provide participants with the basic knowledge and skills needed to make EE relevant to culturally diverse audiences. Through this course you will broaden your perspective of EE to encompass interests and issues of concern to culturally diverse audiences, assess barriers to participation among these audiences, and appraise the role and significance of building relationships and partnerships with members of an audience you intend to work with in the future. As part of this course you will adapt a component of your program to make it more relevant for a culturally diverse audience of your choice. 

Leadership Development in Natural Resources: Strategic Planning and Implementation
Learn how to develop successful strategic planning and implementation models, processes and techniques. Emphasis will be placed on managing the strategic planning process to build the capacity of organizations to provide effective environmental education programs. Course participants will also have an opportunity for individual consultation time with the course instructor to discuss specific issues/questions they might have regarding strategic planning. This new course has been designed for environmental educators, natural resource professionals and graduate students who are currently involved in a strategic planning process or may become involved in one in the future.

Fundamentals of Environmental Education
Gain a foundational knowledge of environmental education and learn how to incorporate quality EE into your instruction. Participants discuss the history and goals of EE, develop an understanding of the professional roles and instructional methods of environmental educators, and interact with other educators from across the country.

Applied Environmental Education Program Evaluation
Learn to evaluate environmental education and outreach programs by designing evaluation tools such as questionnaires, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides. This course was designed for environmental educators, natural resource professionals, and graduate students who can apply the tools they develop to a specific
education program or research study.

Certification
The Fundamentals of EE and the Applied EE Program Evaluation online courses have been designed to address the competencies for professional environmental educators identified by the North American Association for Environmental Education. To find out more information about how these courses can provide the professional development needed by those seeking certification, click here.

Course Structure 
All of EETAP's online courses are semi-synchronous. Semi-synchronous refers to the course structure, as each course is offered 100% online. Students start, end and progress through the course together.  However, there are no designated times that students must be logged into the course. There are specific deadlines on assignments within each section, but students are able to work on the assignments any time before the due dates.  

To register for summer 2010 courses please contact Jessica Tomaszewski: jtomasze@uwsp.edu or 715-346-3854.

Attention Full-time Teachers- Travel to the Galapagos Islands with the Toyota International Teacher Program!

Toyota International Teacher Program

The Toyota International Teacher Program, administered by the Institute of International Education, is offering U.S. secondary school educators a unique opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands from November 20 through December 4, 2010.

The program aims to advance environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities through creative, interdisciplinary, and solution-based teaching methods.

Full-time grade 6-12 teachers and teacher librarians in the U.S. who have at least three years of teaching experience are encouraged to apply. While in the country, participants will meet with biologists and conservationists, explore the natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands, and work on interdisciplinary lesson plans together with educators from the Galapagos Islands.

The application deadline is May 26, 2010. Visit the program’s website to learn more about this opportunity and submit an online application. There are quite a few steps involved in the application process, so if you are interested, check out the website as soon as possible!

Visit www.toyota4education.com for more details.

Project Aloha ‘Aina Curriculum Workshop

Educators who are looking for creative ways to inspire Hawaii’s youth to excel in science, math, social studies and language arts standards and to care for resources within their ahupua‘a are invited to participate in the Project Aloha ‘Aina Curriculum Workshop.

The hands-on workshop is offered on the following dates:
Kaneohe, Oahu: July 17 - Workshop for teachers of grades 3-8
Hilo, Big Island: August 13-14 - Workshop for teachers of grades 3-6

The workshop will include a teacher’s guide that offers standards-based lesson plans, student activity sheets, rubrics, related media, pre-post tests designed to help measure student achievement of standards, a half-day field excursion and lunch.


The Aloha ‘Aina curriculum allows students to learn about Hawaii’s unique environment while meeting the current Hawai‘i Content and Performance Standards (HCPS III) and the Na Honua Mauli Ola guidelines.

Each grade level’s unit builds upon a foundation of culture and place-based learning while immersing students in scientific inquiry and related social studies explorations. Math and language arts skills are incorporated as a means for students to interpret and express their findings.


Shaping the future while preserving a heritage, Project Aloha ‘Aina is working to provide Hawaii’s youth with culturally relevant curricula to inspire them to embrace aloha ‘aina as a way of life. This educational project fosters foundational learning experiences that reflect Native Hawaiian culture and core values.


The Aloha ‘Aina and Kahea Loko (Hawaiian fishpond) curriculum were created by the Pacific American Foundation whose success was recognized in 2007 when it was awarded the “Partner in Excellence Award” from the Department of Education.


To register, go to http://www.thepaf.org/. For more information, contact Joylynn Paman at joy@mauifishpond.com or call 808-359-1172.