Two new popular EE articles and two new program profiles are now available on the EETAP website. The articles and profiles include:
Articles (to access the articles click on the titles)
Reinventing the Wheel: Next Steps in Building Comprehensive State and Provincial EE Programs
Abby Ruskey was in graduate school in 1992 when she helped invent the wheel—a model of structural, programmatic, and funding elements that are commonly combined in successful state-level EE programs. Over the years, this model has helped guide the development of strong programs capable of weaving EE into the fabric of state and local education systems, and sustaining those efforts over time.
Today, Ruskey is among the state environmental education leaders who are reinventing that wheel. Ongoing efforts to build capacity within state EE organizations and programs, combined with renewed excitement and purpose prompted by the “No Child Left Inside” campaign have brought renewed interest in the unfinished task of building comprehensive state EE programs.
“As interest builds again around state capacity building and reenergizing state EE organizations, this is a perfect time to update the wheel to reflect changes in the EE field, education, and society,” Ruskey observed. This article reviews the evolution of the idea and practice of comprehensive state-level EE programs, and surveys new activity that promises to advance both the “science” of EE capacity building and the effectiveness of state EE programs and leadership.
Becoming an Effective Environmental Educator: A Commitment to Competence
The need for professional development in environmental education (EE) was first formally addressed by the federal government when the 1990 Environmental Education Act was passed. Various learning opportunities were created to meet this need. Today, many environmental educators believe EE’s star is rising—and that now is the time to invest in professional development.
Their reasons are as varied as the available activities. Some environmental educators want to deepen content knowledge or to learn teaching strategies that reach diverse audiences. Others seek a credential so that the field (and others outside it) will take them more seriously. Still others choose to be lifelong learners in a field they love.
For each purpose, there is a path, one that begins with an honest self-assessment, measured against the six themed competencies listed in the Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators.
This article describes what it means to be a competent environmental educator and the various paths individuals have taken toward that goal. The article also profiles three individuals who share how professional development has benefited them in their work. Finally, the article offers considerations for deciding which kinds of professional development are a good fit and resources for creating a professional development plan.
Program Profiles (to access the profiles click on the titles)
Green Mountain College: Practical Idealism
The Student Campus Greening Fund encourages and supports students’ efforts to effect positive environmental change on campus.
Literacy for Environmental Justice
The EcoCenter is the new home for community and school programs at Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ, pronounced “ledge”).