1 / 27

The Art of Education and Outreach

The Art of Education and Outreach. Environmental Education and Interpretation. Jennifer Behnken, M.S. Forestry. Experience. B.M. – Music, B.S. – Forestry Working on M.S. – Forestry AmeriCorps at Cache River Wetlands Center Visitor services Environmental Education and Interpretation.

valiant
Download Presentation

The Art of Education and Outreach

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Art of Education and Outreach Environmental Education and Interpretation Jennifer Behnken, M.S. Forestry

  2. Experience • B.M. – Music, B.S. – Forestry • Working on M.S. – Forestry • AmeriCorps at Cache River Wetlands Center • Visitor services • Environmental Education and Interpretation

  3. Types of Audiences • School groups • Meeting Illinois Education standards • College/university • Home schools • Organizations • Boy Scouts • Audubon • Sierra Club

  4. Types of Audiences • Clubs • Master gardeners, birders, photography • Other • Church groups, community service • Researchers, scientists, colleagues • General public • Individuals, friends, couples, families

  5. Public Involvement • Public relations • Education/information • Manpower • Assist in projects (see volunteering) • Awareness Source: hainesnews.net

  6. Outreach, Programming • Programs • Workshops • Demonstrations • Training sessions • Projects • Special Events

  7. Environmental Education • Environmental education is a process aimed at developing a world population that is aware of and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments, and skills to work individually and collectively towards solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones. - Nevada Natural Resource Education Council (NNREC) 2005

  8. Environmental Education/Interpretation • Goals, objectives • Awareness • Knowledge • Attitude • Skills • Participation • Provide a take home message • T.O.R.E • Thematic • Organized • Relevant • Enjoyable

  9. Diverse Audiences • Formal vs. informal • Captive vs. non-captive • Language • Content • Activities • Not “dumbing it down,” making it “age appropriate”

  10. Diverse Audiences • Learn to adapt • Toddlers (pre-school) • Young children (elementary school) • Middle aged children (middle school) • Adolescent (high school) • Adult (college and beyond) • Senior citizens • Mix of age groups (general public) • Possible different ethnicities

  11. ProgramvHow do you feel about animals?

  12. Program Site • On-site • Specified areas for programs, used commonly by staff • On-site facility (office, classroom, special room) • Off-site • Classroom, schools • Community center • Visitor center • Homes • Conferences • Indoors vs. outdoors

  13. Program Write-Ups • Personal • Specific to particular site, resource, etc. • Educator material guides • Project Learning Tree • State Issued • IDNR Educational Trunks • National • Earth Day

  14. Program Format • Specify age group • Program materials • Time duration • Objectives • Background information • Activities (indoor and outdoor options) • Follow-up questions/materials

  15. Tips to add to Program • Interaction between presenter (you) and audience • Hands-on experiences • Tactile, using many senses • See, touch, smell, etc. • Especially important for younger children Source: ufsn.ca

  16. Outreach • Volunteerism • Community participation • Student projects! Source: www.nvstem.org/news

  17. Examples of Projects • Plantings (trees, perennials, etc.) • Gardens (butterfly, birds, pollinators, etc.) • Trail maintenance • Animal or plant inventory (surveys) • Frog and toad survey (IL Natural History Survey) • Owl Prowl • Clean-up (litter, branches, etc.) • Locations • At park, natural area, campground, etc. • Classroom, school grounds

  18. Working with Volunteers • Recruiting • Have a specific objective in mind • Target specific types of individuals for a specific job • Age and abilities (young vs. old) • Interest • Skills Source: abettersouthflorida.org

  19. Working with Volunteers • Training • Provide examples of success • Assess skills of the group • Allow more experienced participants to act as trainers • Stay within interests of volunteers

  20. Working with Volunteers • Retaining interest • Good communication • Possibly require a certain amount of service following training • Recognition of service Source: dcnr.state.pa.us

  21. Rewards/Awards • Providing incentive, thank you for participation • Competition • Between schools, etc. • Increase performance level • Prizes

  22. Funding • School budget • Fundraising • Grants • Co-sponsors • Other project partners if applicable • Utilize your resources • Make the staff come visit you!

  23. Marketing Strategies • Have a plan in order • Promote your plan • Media • Word of mouth • Mindful of potential participants • Wording, audience appropriate • Available resources • Materials to hand out • Support from a business, agency, school board, etc.

  24. Benefits • Sense of oneness with the outdoors • Stewardship • Responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving (Dictionary) • Relevance, meaning • Personal experience • Learn new skills • Something to come back to again and again

  25. Contacts around Southern IL Erin Seekamp, professorSaluki Heritage Interpreters, SIUC Forestry Dept. (618) 453-7463 eseekamp@siu.edu Teresa Wisnlewski or Curt CarterLand for Learning, Jonesboro, IL (618) 833-8030 land4learning@yahoo.com Evan CoulsonCamp Ondessonk, Ozark, IL (618) 695-2489 evan.coulson@ondessonk.com Kate HellgrenTouch of Nature, SIUC(618) 453-1122 ext 250kateh4@siu.edu Jennifer Randolph Girl Scouts, southern IL (618) 242-5079 jrandolph@gsofsi.org Molie Oliver, Natural Resource CoordinatorCache River Wetlands Center, Cypress, IL(618) 657-2064molie.oliver@illinois.gov Kimberly King-WrenCrab Orchard NWF, Marion, IL(618) 997-3344kimberly_king-wrenn@fws.gov Liz Jones, Assistant ManagerCypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Ullin, IL(618) 634-2231liz_jones@fws.gov Amanda Patrick, Public Affairs OfficerForest Service, Harrisburg, IL(618) 253-7114apatrick@fs.fed.us Bob Martin, Site SuperintendentGiant City State Park, Carbondale, IL(618) 457-4836robert.e.martin@illinois.gov

  26. Additional Resources Books: Environmental Interpretation: A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Smallby Sam Ham Interpreting Our Heritageby Freeman Tilden Links: North American Association for Environmental Education http://www.naaee.net National Association for Interpretationhttp://www.interpnet.com Environmental Education Association of Illinoishttp://www.eeai.net Workshops: Project WET, Project WILD, Project Aquatic WET, Growing Up WILD, WOW (Wonders of Wetlands), Flying Wild, Aldo Leopold Workshop, National Association of Education Certification

  27. Get out there and enjoy nature with your students! Questions? Jennifer Behnken jenniferbehnken@gmail.com 618-697-1173

More Related