tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34549250573231075662024-03-14T04:36:20.458-04:00Teaching Controversy: Environmental EducationMuseum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-35387249151876394462012-05-01T17:12:00.001-04:002012-05-01T17:16:21.784-04:007 Tips for Funding Your STEM Education Effort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYoxflz7xLD-Hah36BEqN6Ohp8jYbI0tSG8IhK0tAkE1Ts9lxnK886Au2UflOTx961w_8sZah3VY1bCw5B-NCDLkQDAdiu6SS9N1fuLgixsLFiDeDBbMIcbme2NrRWQDGcFkwxMVCJti4/s1600/24piro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYoxflz7xLD-Hah36BEqN6Ohp8jYbI0tSG8IhK0tAkE1Ts9lxnK886Au2UflOTx961w_8sZah3VY1bCw5B-NCDLkQDAdiu6SS9N1fuLgixsLFiDeDBbMIcbme2NrRWQDGcFkwxMVCJti4/s320/24piro.jpg" width="247" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have a great idea for teaching environmental education in your school or institution? </span><a href="http://stemeducators.blogspot.com/2012/04/7-tips-for-funding-your-stem-education.html?goback=%2Egde_52387_member_110790606" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> blog post explains seven tips for funding STEM education:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Know your capabilities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Articulate your vision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Demonstrate memorable outcomes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Contribute to the body of knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Understand your funder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Seek out partnerships.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Develop a search habit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best piece of advice that I saw? <b>Engage in the daily grind. </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Seekers of funds need to develop a daily or weekly habit of searching for resources.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> S</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">ome funding windows open and close quickly, leaving little time to prepare a proposal for the administrator checking resources only monthly. Also, some applications are rejected for lack of funds not for lack of quality -- don't be caught at the back of the line when funding is available.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">Share your wisdom in the comments -- are there any other tips or tricks for securing funding that you've found work for you or your organization?</span></div>
</div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-4543260349007155792012-04-26T14:35:00.001-04:002012-04-26T14:35:44.098-04:00Is there an ideal amount of recess?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_Qq4ilpYpOskem2Uv7J6oRsOpwTLjP1GOTuUUaa9L04AiTLBXUvPgZmcmcSBN6EzrcWXciI9CYdXwDBK6lqlhfr47c0558pj2-D2YowLVcardACZJp4WeweqnlJJ9euagfyhm9Tw2d3M/s1600/whyplay-recess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_Qq4ilpYpOskem2Uv7J6oRsOpwTLjP1GOTuUUaa9L04AiTLBXUvPgZmcmcSBN6EzrcWXciI9CYdXwDBK6lqlhfr47c0558pj2-D2YowLVcardACZJp4WeweqnlJJ9euagfyhm9Tw2d3M/s1600/whyplay-recess.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A recent study found a possible connection between the amount of time
students spent at recess and achievement in reading. However, there is no
"single answer," according to the study by researcher Ummuhan Yesil
Dagli of Yildiz Technical University in Turkey. "Daily recess, once or
three or more times, for a total of 45 minutes or longer; and daily recess,
twice, for a total of 31-45 minutes appeared to produce the highest reading
scores for students," the study states.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Get your kids outside!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Learn more: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4em;"><a href="http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2012/04/study_asks_is_there_an_ideal_a.html" target="_blank">Study Asks: Is There an Ideal Amount of Recess?</a></span></div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-83210692163367236002012-02-13T22:22:00.004-05:002012-02-13T22:23:26.368-05:00Climate Change as a STEM Discipline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMGxBuw2m176mt0HmQ3IwXXjhNg76NkvHM10kp5vwYYf759ul1nSmRa1RsV7UsqEcHVuJu3h51kXVJZNmOm8AK_4V_trtzYGSNrQ97URfXGt9WOlHcphlc___X5aOfnGuellLxCl5pu7y/s1600/polarbear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMGxBuw2m176mt0HmQ3IwXXjhNg76NkvHM10kp5vwYYf759ul1nSmRa1RsV7UsqEcHVuJu3h51kXVJZNmOm8AK_4V_trtzYGSNrQ97URfXGt9WOlHcphlc___X5aOfnGuellLxCl5pu7y/s320/polarbear.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://stemeducators.blogspot.com/2012/01/crossing-continental-divide-climate.html" target="_blank">This article</a>, by <span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Doug Haller (a STEM education consultant) argues</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">why climate change is an important component of STEM education, how to prepare and support teachers to teach climate change in grades K-16, and what educators should anticipate with respect to student understanding of climate change prior to introducing the topic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One piece of advice comes from Karen Kirk, of the <a href="http://serc.carleton.edu/index.html" target="_blank">Science Education Resource Center</a> at Carleton College. Kirk<span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> recommends that teachers introduce climate change only after students have demonstrated understanding and value of the nature and process of science.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Based upon experience, Kirk knows that one cannot casually introduce a complex and challenging topic such as climate change and expect students to readily except the data and conclusions.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #090909; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Compiled by <a href="mailto:eeanders@gwmail.gwu.edu" target="_blank">Erin E. Anderson</a></span></div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-78447230466284157902011-12-02T12:10:00.001-05:002011-12-06T23:13:12.955-05:00Teaching Environmental Issues and the Affective Domain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC86ytPZg3KUumpiqxfWJjfEjfLYHWk1gwxYbv9IoiXU6D0HgKW_Ud9kEIuXEP9JE4BIv55Ge67VjeM22qXhPE45OPB3zqu04nOk9mEtGJHRjzUeTpU5_JiHRPRUZamABF-w6CjuQZpGaI/s1600/wind_turbines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC86ytPZg3KUumpiqxfWJjfEjfLYHWk1gwxYbv9IoiXU6D0HgKW_Ud9kEIuXEP9JE4BIv55Ge67VjeM22qXhPE45OPB3zqu04nOk9mEtGJHRjzUeTpU5_JiHRPRUZamABF-w6CjuQZpGaI/s1600/wind_turbines.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/environment.html" target="_blank">This article</a>, by Karin Kirk of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College, offers a great step by step guide to engaging students with environmental science topics that might be controversial.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her recommendations:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teaching the science first</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teach with data</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use active learning techniques</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">C<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">ontroversy, ambiguity, and topics with incomplete or missing evidence can be used constructively (but need to be introduced judiciously)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">It's not all doom and gloom</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Clearly define your role and your teaching approach</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Lead by example, but don't preach</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The site also offers selected literature, teaching methods, and activity collections.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Visit her page <a href="http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/environment.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Compiled by <a href="mailto:eeanders@gwmail.gwu.edu" target="_blank">Erin E. Anderson</a></span></span></div>
</div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-50421336265994767112011-11-01T22:45:00.001-04:002011-11-01T22:46:40.355-04:00Dealing With the Fallout: Tread Lightly When You Carry a Green Stick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iCgT6dnyQ6DOoCKIEu7vDKbWf22Zy5aMNWP5oD3eHB8fVFsgHZIqy_99O6kq4fOoHo8favGewcV4SQ1D6W2MVYX1Lg-KjTOd3v-VZRNGO-xem5IPoh4WYkHFy4azx5kG6zEgFZIlVGxk/s1600/DSC_0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iCgT6dnyQ6DOoCKIEu7vDKbWf22Zy5aMNWP5oD3eHB8fVFsgHZIqy_99O6kq4fOoHo8favGewcV4SQ1D6W2MVYX1Lg-KjTOd3v-VZRNGO-xem5IPoh4WYkHFy4azx5kG6zEgFZIlVGxk/s320/DSC_0116.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, what
happens after you’ve successfully implemented a place-based, community-focused,
developmentally appropriate approach to environmental education? Hopefully
you’ll be one step closer toward achieving your lofty outcome, but along the
way you’re likely to run into people whose perspective will differ from yours.
Objectors commonly claim that environmental educators are short on facts and
long on cultivating unnecessary fear. Others argue that teachers who employ
these methods are advocates rather than objective educators who consider many
sides of the issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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David L.
Larsen, in his address <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Be Relevant or
Become a Relic</i>, said, “The resource benefits when resource professionals
are secure enough in their own perspective and beliefs to step outside those
beliefs and enable others to care about the resource for their own reasons.” In
this passage, the resource refers to the object of your project or program, be
it a watershed district, invasive specie, or other issue that faces your
community. It underscores the importance of learning the facts, and hearing all
sides of the story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Presenting
multiple points of view and embracing a diversity of perspectives is important
for many reasons. It creates more opportunities for buy-in from the community
and maximizes ownership through partnerships. For example, projects or programs
that aim to save the community money are great motivators for involving
business interests in collaboration. Additionally, Larsen says, “It creates an
environment of respect that allows for dialogue rather than conflict.” When
you’re under attack, it’s easy to get defensive and hard to share the power,
but it’s important to at least try to start from a place where you are
listening to the concerns of the other constituencies. Usually it’s not a
matter of, “my way or the highway,” but building a new road together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally,
it’s important to recognize when you have a dog in the fight. Some people are
just not interested in what you have to say. This might happen when a situation
is emotionally charged, when there is a strong political or ideological agenda
at play, or when people are fearful of change and its impact on their life. Often
these entities already care a great deal about your project or program, but you
are at two ends of the same spectrum.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To add to
your “Dealing With the Fallout” toolkit, I’ll close with a few excerpts from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tread Lightly When You Carry a Green Stick</i>
in David Sobel’s handbook, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Place-Based Education:
Connecting Classrooms & Communities</i>. Here, Sobel illustrates that
sometimes all it takes to win over the detractors is not changing the program,
but changing the language that you use to describe it:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
Environmental education often raises
people’s hackles…Our challenge [is] to develop a strategy that respect[s] the
various perspectives in the community and to find a form of environmental
education that honor[s] local economic and ecological realities…In the
beginning, the Community-based School Environmental Education (CO-SEED)
materials talked about educating for “ecological literacy,” which for many in
the North Country translated into tree hugging. They assumed we wanted to teach
children that cutting down trees was bad and that by extension, people that cut
down trees (their parents) were also bad…The program explores the history of
people’s relationship with the land just the way an environmental education
program would, but “cultural heritage” has less baggage than “environmental
education,” and places environmental issues within a broader context.
Similarly, we have found it more effective to talk about “place-based
education” rather than “ecological literacy.” Sometimes, we elaborate and refer
to “community- and place-based education,” to give equal emphasis to cultural
and natural contexts for learning…In community- and place-based education we
need to find the same kind of balance between environmental quality and
economic vitality…Place-based education is about connecting people to people, as
well as connecting people to nature.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Learn more:</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/eduresearchteachingcontro.pdf" target="_blank">Teaching controversial environmental issues: neutrality and balance in the reality of the classroom</a> (redirects to a downloadable pdf file)</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Educational
Research</span></i><span style="color: black;">, Vol. 48, No. 2, June 2006, pp. 223–241</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Written by Deborah R. E. Cotton, </span><span style="color: black;">University
of Plymouth, UK</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Abstract
(abbreviated):<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Environmental
issues are frequently controversial and involve conflicting interests and
values. Much environmental education literature explicitly encourages teachers
to promote pro- environmental attitudes and behaviors amongst their students,
despite evidence that teacher support for such a policy is ambiguous at best.
The literature on teaching controversial issues provides conflicting advice for
teachers, though many authors advocate the adoption of a neutral or balanced
approach. However, there has to date been little research into the strategies
which teachers actually adopt in teaching about controversial environmental
issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black;">This research aimed to address the gap in
the literature by investigating the beliefs and practices of three experienced
geography teachers teaching controversial environmental issues in English
secondary schools. The study draws upon both interview data and transcripts of
classroom interaction.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/why-is-teaching-environmental-science-so-controversial.html" target="_blank">Why is teaching environmental science so controversial?</a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;">“But, there really isn’t anything controversial about
environmental science, if the topics are taught with honesty, citing
respectable sources and allowing probing questions, then the benefits of
educating in this area far outweigh the risks of ignoring that environmental
elephant.”</span> </div>
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<a href="http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/ee/controversial.cfm" target="_blank">Teaching About Controversial Issues</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This site highlights some effective teaching strategies for
engaging learners with controversial issues, and helping them create their own
opinions.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Compiled by <a href="mailto:eeanders@gwmail.gwu.edu" target="_blank">Erin E. Anderson</a></div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-11872492128967951062011-11-01T22:37:00.003-04:002011-11-01T22:37:57.024-04:00When and Why Do These Topics Come Up in Museums, Zoos, Aquaria and Parks?<span id="internal-source-marker_0.7764603494335296" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now
that you have some ideas about how to interpret environmental
controversy, let’s examine when to expect these issues to arise and why
they may become topics of discussion and debate in your institution. At
nature centers, natural history museums, science centers, zoological
parks, aquaria and national parks, where the collection itself and the
way it is kept may raise environmental concerns, controversy may be
commonplace. That is not to say, however, that other types of museums
are exempt from dealing with these issues. There are a plethora of
reasons why tough environmental questions may be at the forefront of the
visitor’s mind. Here are just a few:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">§ </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Current Events</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:
Whether it’s oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico or new data about the
melting polar ice caps, negative headlines are sure to raise awareness
of the myriad environmental controversies affecting the world today.
Issues that once flew under a visitor’s radar may suddenly spark their
interest once they become front-page news. Keep abreast of the global
goings-on and you’ll be less likely to be caught unawares by a sudden
upsurge of New York Times-inspired curiosity.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">§ </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Movies/Books/TV</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:
The entertainment industry can have a massive influence on national
interests. A blockbuster about a modern-day ice age or a best-seller
that vilifies grizzly bears is bound to get folks talking about touchy
subjects. But educator beware: the movies, books and TV shows that shine
a little light on environmental issues may be rife with misinformation.
Be prepared to entertain debate and carefully address misconceptions
when necessary.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">§ </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Traveling Exhibitions</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:
Temporary exhibitions can earn your institution some serious cash, so
sticking to “safe” topics isn’t always a primary concern when shopping
around for audience-attracting blockbusters. Controversy always draws a
crowd. As an educator, you always have to work with what you’ve got,
which may mean addressing environmental concerns even if they are not
your traditional domain. For example, your art museum may bring in an
exhibition of sculptures made entirely of recycled materials, thus
opening the door for debates about sustainability. This is when doing
your homework can really help: read up on subjects that may be
unfamiliar, visit local museums that deal with these issues regularly
and ask how previous host institutions handled the questions raised by
the exhibition.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">§ </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Institutional Events</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:
Did your institution just complete its LEED certification? Has it
successfully bred an endangered specie in captivity? Was it criticized
in Newsweek for its massive carbon footprint? Events such as these will
draw attention to your institution’s role in related environmental
controversies. Whether that attention is positive or negative, be sure
to familiarize yourself with your institution’s official response.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The issues discussed in this blog can be tough to deal with – don’t make
things harder for yourself by being caught unawares. Pay attention to
what’s happening inside and outside your institution and you’ll have a
better idea of what’s on your visitors’ minds and how to engage them in
meaningful discussion.</span></span>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-237354282216344202011-11-01T22:27:00.000-04:002011-11-01T22:27:01.146-04:00Conservation Messages<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">“<i>Well, I really like sea turtles but our
pollution is killing all of them and there is nothing I can do about it.”</i> –
Conversation with a six year old at Disney’s Animal Kingdom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the post “Honoring the Developmental Stages,” Sobel is cited saying that one of
the first steps to protecting the environment is to foster a love of nature in
children. Ways to foster this love are through the development of animal
friends, Imagination and free exploration and play. So what do you do
after you have succeeded in getting people to care about nature? The next
step is to give people options or manageable tasks, or conservation
messaged to complete. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
conservation messages are so important because without them, museum guests are
in danger of suffering from ecophobia. The media tends to lean towards
the doom and gloom approach when trying to probe people into environmental
action. This can cause adverse reactions, especially in children who have
grown to love nature. People are often left feeling like the problem is
too big for them to have any effect, just like the six-year-old at Disney’s
Animal Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disney’s
Animal Programs has 7 Guidelines to Wildlife Conservation Action that their
educators go to when having conversations with guests out in the park just for
this reason. These manageable tasks allow people of all ages, especially
children, to feel like they have the ability to help and protect the things
they love so they are not left feeling the effects of ecophobia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
guidelines are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1.)
Seek out information about conservation issues<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2.)
Spread the word to others about the value of wildlife<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3.)Look
for and purchase products that are friendly to the environment<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4.)
Create habitats for wildlife in your backyard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5.)
Reduce, reuse, recycle and replenish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6.)
Choose your pet wisely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7.)
Support conservation organizations through contributions and volunteerism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
messages can be applied to every age group in almost every situation. One
great way to do this is to use the idea of Place-Based education that was
mentioned in the last post. Use the wildlife in your area to inspire
conservation action. Nature is every where and even in a city, you can
find some great ways to connect museum visitors to their environment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
is an example using watersheds in Washington DC:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1.)
Look up your local Watershed and learn more about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.dcwasa.com/wastewater_collection/css/watershedissues.cfm"><span style="color: #00008a;">http://www.dcwasa.com/wastewater_collection/css/watershedissues.cfm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2.)
Spread the word to your friends about what you discovered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3.)
Start using re-usable bags at the grocery store or purchase cleaning products
that are environmentally friendly after realizing that your waste often ends up
in the watershed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4.)
Plant a tree at a local park or pick up trash when you see it on the ground.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5.)
Reduce, reuse, recycle and replenish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6.)
Did you know that outside cats are harmful to local animals, especially birds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7.)
Did you know D.C. has food co-ops? Find one near you to see of you can
join to help reduce emissions from food having to be transported into the city.
They are also often organic, meaning pesticides will not run off into
your watershed. You could also volunteer for a river clean-up or start
your own organization to help spread the word about your local watershed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-86096001186129967382011-11-01T22:05:00.001-04:002011-11-01T22:05:05.190-04:00Place-based education<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The best teaching
occurs when the emphasis is less on imparting knowledge and more on joining the
child on a journey of discovery.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
–David Sobel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkbnRuHzA1DoJCSfLcc0aJ7w_HIjgMJoVIUYyiCkyuMeAMRjGWtVWFfqzKuD9TOMDCszk4K_wOxeDwmX_W_q1Zr9mII1aZzvFNDbuDVGv-3M2CDb5ck44L_qO4PCat6mqr1ef1LD52nWo/s1600/DSC_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkbnRuHzA1DoJCSfLcc0aJ7w_HIjgMJoVIUYyiCkyuMeAMRjGWtVWFfqzKuD9TOMDCszk4K_wOxeDwmX_W_q1Zr9mII1aZzvFNDbuDVGv-3M2CDb5ck44L_qO4PCat6mqr1ef1LD52nWo/s320/DSC_0194.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b>Place-based education </b>is the
process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to
teach concepts in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science &
other subjects across the curriculum. Emphasizing hands-on, real-world learning
experiences, this approach to education increased academic achievement, helps
students develop stronger ties to their community, enhances students’
appreciation for the natural world, & creates a heightened commitment to
serving as active, contributing citizens. David Sobel, director of the Center
for Place-based Education at Antioch University New England, is one of the
founders of the place-based movement. He writes of the process, “If we want
children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love
the earth before we ask them to save it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jerome Bruner, a social psychologist concerned with motivating and
educating students, developed the theory of a spiral curriculum. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">A spiral curriculum
teaches a subject at successively higher grade levels in an increasingly
abstract manner. Bruner argues that any subject can be taught effectively in
some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development. If
teachers begin teaching the foundations of these subjects in an appropriate
manner consistent with the pupils’ intellectual levels, students can learn
important basics at any stage of mental development. Then, by applying the
principles of the spiral curriculum, they can steadily proceed to more complex
forms of the subject.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Sobel argues that one major problem associated with environmental
education is premature abstraction. We teach too abstractly, too early. <b>Ecophobia</b></span>
is a fear of ecological problems & the natural world. As with any phobic
reaction, the afflicted person feels unspecific anxiety and wants to flee from
the situation. The problem, Sobel argues, will diminish with a more
child-centered approach to environmental education. He writes, “My fear is that
our environmentally correct curriculum will end up distancing children from,
rather than connecting them with, the natural world. The natural world is being
abused and they just don’t want to have to deal with it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Place-based education is largely
prescriptive, designed to combat ecophobia. The theory understands the
community and nature as a place for learning and relies on the uniqueness of a
place – its art, culture, environment, history – to help students develop their
“sense of place,” or community identity. It encourages hands-on, project-based
outcomes that have real world application and honor the developmental stages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I’m more interested in figuring out how to cultivate
relationships between children and trees in their own backyards as a precursor
to their working to save rain forests as they get older, when they can actually
do something about it. <b>Talking to trees and hiding in trees precedes saving
trees.</b></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
–David Sobel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Learn more:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/education-for-life/803" target="_blank">Beyond Ecophobia</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An essay by David Sobel, <i>Beyond Ecophobia</i> is reproduced in part on this page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://parkshealthguide.org/youth-nature/healthy-kids-healthy-forests" target="_blank">Healthy Kids, Healthy Forests</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An example of a place-based educational program in Montana. You will also find information about "<a href="http://parkshealthguide.org/park-prescriptions" target="_blank">park prescriptions</a>" linked to this page. (A park prescription<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">partnership between healthcare and park professionals focused on increasing physical activity in the outdoors as a way to promote health.)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.childrenandnature.org/naturestory/" target="_blank">Where Nature Meets Story</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stories about animals, plants, and wild places can be a big part of helping kids connect to nature. This page on the <a href="http://www.childrenandnature.org/" target="_blank">Children & Nature Network</a> site guides educators and parents to enrich their experiences in the natural world with literature.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Compiled by <a href="mailto:eeanders@gwmail.gwu.edu" target="_blank">Erin E. Anderson</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<!--EndFragment-->Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-86328195386503260102011-11-01T21:46:00.004-04:002011-11-01T22:11:40.021-04:00Honoring the Developmental Stages<div dir="ltr" id="internal-source-marker_0.7303411806673357" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When
introducing and exploring the complex ideas surrounding environmental
controversy, it is essential to consider the wants and needs of our
audience. As with any topic discussed in a museum, there are different
ways to approach the subject with different visitors. In his book </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,
David Sobel argues that, due to their unique developmental needs,
special attention must be paid to the way children are introduced to
concepts in nature.</span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sobel
focuses on three stages of development: early childhood (4-7),
elementary years (8-11) and early adolescence (12-15). According to
Sobel, “environmental education should have a different tenor and style
during each of these stages.” The different styles he espouses are based
on a child’s continually expanding concept of the world and his or her
place in it.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In
the early childhood stage, when the world is small and close to home,
empathy with nature is the ultimate goal. Programs and lessons should
focus on familiar plants and animals and encourage make-believe play. By
embodying something that exists in nature, children in this first stage
will naturally care more deeply about that something, and once that
initial connection is forged, the stage will be set for teaching more
concrete concepts.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The
elementary years are marked by curiosity and exploration. During this
stage, children should be encouraged to bond with nature, to make it
their own. Hands-on interactions with the environment will foster these
bonds. Activities such as caring for the animals they once emulated,
discovering where paths lead and planting trees or flowers are
appropriate at this stage.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Successful
programming during the elementary years will inspire social action
during early adolescence. In this final stage, solutions to
environmental problems can be explored as children feel a strong
inclination toward saving the environment that they cared for and bonded
with when they were younger.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As
educators, we can honor these developmental stages by focusing our
lessons on the appropriate goals for the appropriate age groups. Trying
to press children too far out of these comfortable zones can lead to
ecophobia or disinterest in nature. Children who have successfully
connected with their environment during all three stages will be primed
to care about environmental issues as they grow older.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take A Child Outside Week</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
is a program designed to help break down obstacles that keep children
from discovering the natural world. By arming parents, teachers and
other caregivers with resources on outdoor activities, our goal is to
help children across the country develop a better understanding and
appreciation of the environment in which they live, and a burgeoning
enthusiasm for its exploration." </span></span><a href="http://www.takeachildoutside.org/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000c4; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.takeachildoutside.org/</span></span></a>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-409960495673577362011-11-01T21:37:00.002-04:002011-11-01T21:37:48.286-04:00Modeling Infections Enthusiasm<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The natural world does
not judge. It exists. One route to self-esteem, particularly for shy or
undervalued children, lies in the out-of-doors.</i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: .5in;">
–Stephen Trimble</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07s7gzvt02nYCFVTYh8Nefzm41Z2_0NgSR-a8cDJSK_Bb2RwGi1wsxcFgmV-pLg7Qe87XR2ciWGn0_kFMz5ngBL7PbqwdD6SWL78wo-IRLHPzOiLJagkSwtc9oWPBAuczDH9Fp_tIMsHE/s1600/last-child-cover-lrg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07s7gzvt02nYCFVTYh8Nefzm41Z2_0NgSR-a8cDJSK_Bb2RwGi1wsxcFgmV-pLg7Qe87XR2ciWGn0_kFMz5ngBL7PbqwdD6SWL78wo-IRLHPzOiLJagkSwtc9oWPBAuczDH9Fp_tIMsHE/s320/last-child-cover-lrg.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Richard Louv, in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children
From Nature-Deficit Disorder</i>, argues that when children and adults lose
contact with the natural world, they experience Nature-Deficit Disorder. He
links a growing body of evidence to the rise in childhood obesity, attention
disorders, and depression. Louv argues that direct exposure to nature is
essential for a child’s physical and emotional health and development. He
writes, “The health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Parents, guardians, and other adult
family members are the first line of defense, but informal educators and
classroom teachers are important role models for helping children find their
place in the natural environment. Louv argues that adults can give children
“the gift of enthusiasm” for time outdoors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
This can often be hard for
educators who don’t have much experience with the “real outdoors” – camping,
hiking, fishing and the like. Many suffer from the belief that something isn’t
worth doing with visitors unless it’s done right. If getting kids out into
nature is seen as an exercise in perfection, then it’s no more than another
chore on the list. The search for perfection defeats the joy of being outside.
Louv writes, “It’s a good thing to learn more about nature in order to share
this knowledge with children; it’s even better if the adult and child learn
about nature together. And it’s a lot more fun.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What will
stick with program participants is not your vast knowledge about a subject;
what will stick is your infectious enthusiasm. Rachel Carson, known as the
mother of the modern environmental movement, wrote, “If a child is to keep
alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one
adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery
of the world we live in.” There’s no such thing as a grown-up person, and it’s
not too late to discover the awe of a child!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Additionally,
spending time with a parent or positive adult is an excellent way to combat
boredom in children. Encourage young visitors to disengage from electronics
long enough to stimulate their imaginations. Employ animal allies and
exploration of the world around you as your helpers towards getting kids
excited about the natural environment. John Burroughs wrote, “Knowledge without
love will not stick. But if love comes first, knowledge is sure to follow.” If
visitors (adults and children alike) sense your genuine enthusiasm for getting
outside, they’ll want to emulate that interest and join in the fun!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nature education is a
contradiction of terms, because formal education is where you’re </i>supposed<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> to be, and nature is where you go when
you’re </i>truant.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
–Franklin Burroughs<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Learn more:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://eartheasy.com/blog/category/connect-with-nature/" target="_blank">Connect With Nature: Eartheasy Blog</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://eartheasy.com/blog/2010/02/connecting-to-nature-close-to-home/" target="_blank">Eartheasy Blog: Connecting with nature close to home</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eartheasy <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">encourages, inspires and informs people about the benefits of a simpler, less material lifestyle, and the importance of protecting our natural environment as the source of our well-being. It provides a wide range of information about sustainable living from the authors' first-hand experiences.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://sageplace.com/on_connecting_with_nature.htm" target="_blank">On Connecting with Nature: An Interview with Mike Cohen</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eco-psychologist Mike Cohen is an outdoor educator, counselor, author, and traditional folk singer, musician and dancer. He utilizes his background in science, education, and counseling as well as his musical expertise<o:p> "</o:p>to catalyze responsible, enjoyable relationships with nature in people and places." He has one several awards including the Distinguished World Citizen Award from the University of Global Education.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Compiled by <a href="mailto:eeanders@gwmail.gwu.edu" target="_blank">Erin E. Anderson</a></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454925057323107566.post-4371363788717006862011-11-01T20:43:00.000-04:002011-11-01T22:46:29.930-04:00Learn the Facts and Hear the Other Side<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
As Museum educators, we are in a unique position to engage
audiences in meaningful discussions about controversial topics. Whether you are
a history museum interpreting issues of race, an art museum creating
conversations about censorship in modern art, or a science museum or zoo
discussing evolution, the collections of a museum can create an interesting
context for relevant conversations. However, the last thing a museum wants to
do is alienate their audience by having those conversations, and subsequently
create a contentious dialogue.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is only natural that a zoo, aquarium, natural history
museum, or science museum, whose mission is largely based on protecting the
environment of this planet in order to preserve biodiversity, will at some
point have to advocate for topics that could be considered controversial by an
audience. It is our hope that we will better equip museum educators to handle
these controversial topics successfully to create meaningful conversations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first step in successfully interpreting environmentally
controversial topics is to gather all of the facts and then create a
conversation about ALL sides of an issue. Without being held accountable for
verifiable facts, a museum will quickly lose their credibility with an
audience. It is important for the museum to use accurate language and use
sources considered to be an authority in the field. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Relevant
Museum: A Reflection on Sustainability</i>, Emlyn Koster states that “given
that museums exist to be places for reflection and inspiration, the field is
not justified in using this descriptor unless it is comfortable with and
capable of tackling contemporary and consequential subject matter. Relevancy
entails a comfort with controversy that, in turn, involves fostering an
atmosphere where difficult questions can be broached and a variety of opinions
expressed. Preferably, relevant museum experiences go beyond fostering an
intellectual appreciation of their subject matter to stimulating new behaviors
in their visitors.” This underlines the need for museums to create a dialogue
about controversial topics where the audience can hear all sides of an issue.
At the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Phlean R. Fretz describes a way
in which they are doing just that. The
Science Café offers community members the chance to engage with an expert
coached by ECHO to “offer 20 minutes of background followed by audience
discussion around candle-lit tables. The evening concludes with a lively
discussion that positions the audience in the information driver seat.” At the
Science Café “we advocate not for a particular point of view, but for being an
active and engaged citizen of the community.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The divisive nature of controversial topics begs for careful
consideration by museums when interpreting these topics. In our succeeding
posts, we will explore additional ways for a museum to successfully navigate
environment controversy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Source- Fretz,
Phlean. “Environmental Advocacy in Free Choice Institutions.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NEMA News </i>Winter 2011: 6-7, 16. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Museum Audiences 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/06980325299858044843noreply@blogger.com1