Instructor:  Dr. Elaine AbuSharbain
Office:   SL 3319                            Office Hours:  Daily 12:20 - 1:20 M-F
Phone & email: 650-2453        eabusha@siue.edu         Homepage:  http://www.siue.edu/~eabusha
 

Course Information

Course Content
 Course will cover environmental education history, practices, curriculum, organization, evaluation, project development and research required of successful practitioners in the field.

Preparation/Prerequisites:  None, Consent of instructor

Course Objectives:
 1)  To assist formal and nonformal educators in developing EE curriculum applicable to their profession,
 2)  To understand the history and current programs in use nationally,
 3)  To understand and evaluate educational research articles for their significance and limitations,
 4)  To demonstrate ability to develop interdisciplinary EE programs with plans for funding and evaluation.
 

Class Schedule:   Monday - Friday   9-12:15     Course meets 3 weeks July 6 - 23

Class Exams:
 On the last day  there will be two comprehensive exams.  This written exam will cover the lecture notes and assigned readings.  The other lab practical will include up to 40 prairie species identified during the two weeks at the field trip or outside prairie plot.

Class Assignments
 Students will be required to do the following assignments preceeded by point allocation:
 1. 10 Identify 40 prairie species.
 2. 10 Choose one form of EE strategy and design a unit.  A summary report will be presented to other members in the course.
 3. 10 Write an interdisciplinary project narrative and complete an appropriate grant application.
 4. 10 Design an evaluation plan for above project utilizing quantitative and qualitative data and analysis.

Attendance:
This course is a participatory experience and this requires attendance to each session. The group project is essential to the learning of the action model and all must participate equally.
                                                  1

Grading System	Percentage	Grade Equivalents
Final Exam	30	>90 = "A"
Lab Practical	30	>= 80 and <90 = "B"
Group Project	30	>=70 and <80 = "C"
Attendance and Participation	10	<70 = "E"

No incompletes will be given except for unusual circumstances.

Course Topics:
1.  Introduction to Environmental Education (EE)

•  Theory - Carl Von Matter, Tanner, etc.
•  Definitions - Varied; Interpretation Vs EE
•  EE Paradigm and Goals (North American Association of Environmental Education)
•  Standards for EE - National
•  Integrating Engaged Learning into the EE curriculum

2. History of Environmentalism

•  Founders
•  Early research
• Paradigms in Scientific Thinking
•  Values Clarification Activities (Simon, Howe and Kirschenbaum)

3. Research
  Current research in Environmental Education - Journal of Environmental Education.

4. EE for other populations

•  Minority Communities
•  Underserved Communities
•  Environmental Racism

•  William Stapp - Environmental Education for Empowerment
•  Earthforce
•  SIUC Environmental Clearinghouse
•  Adopt-a-Wetland

•  IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources)
•  Project WET, Project WILD, Project WILD Aquatic, Project Learning Tree, Leopold Education Project
•  Environmental Association of Illinois

8. Environmental Issues at the Public School

• What issues are appropriate for middle and high school?
• Pets in the Classroom
• Assessing the community climate for issue remediation
• Creating a core network of volunteer organizers.
• Service Groups - organization and support

9. Schoolyard ecology as a foundation for ecological concepts.

• Ecological Foundations (Content: essential for scientifically literate society) McWethy, P (1994).  Basic Biological Concepts:  What Should the World’s Children Know?  Proceedings from the IUBS/CBE symposium.  Reston, VA:  National Association of Biology Teachers.
• Schoolyard laboratory development and design
• Implementation
• Support

10.  Field trip to Heartland Prairie at Gordonmoore Park, Alton Illinois

11.  Establishing research opportunities for students at colleges, universities, or scientific field stations etc.

12.   Funding sources for environmental projects.

• I.D.N.R.   National Gardening
• N.E.E.T.F.   Lake Education Awareness Program (LEAP)
• Toyota Tapestry Grants Soil Conservation Service (Counties)
• Honda EE Grant  U.S.G.S.
• E.P.A.
• Local Sources
• Tips for good grantwriting,   Systemic Initiatives,  Partnerships