Civic ed curriculum helps frame environmental problem

   Students enrolled in a spring 2009 University of Wyoming College of Education course not only had a chance to explore approaches to teach environmental topics to children of all ages, they also had the opportunity to pilot a renowned international citizen engagement framework as an innovative process for UW's teacher education program.
    William Medina-Jerez's "Environmental Education for Teachers" class (EDCI 4000) researched energy conservation issues related to electricity savings using the Project Citizen curriculum (http://www.civiced.org/).  Class members identified the problem they wanted to explore, researched the issues related to that problem, and developed policy recommendations to university administrators.
   Faculty members William Medina-Jerez, Carol Bryant and Carolyn Taylor from the Department of Secondary Education already have ties to Project Citizen (PC) through an international partnership with Bolivian schools and the group Educadores para la Democracia. Several Wyoming schools also participate in Project Citizen. This was, however, the first official incorporation of the PC framework in the preparation of pre-service teachers at UW.
   "We are trying to implement Project Citizen in our teacher education program," Medina-Jerez says, "in science education, social studies education, and foreign language education."
   The environmental education project served as the pilot and a model for expansion into the other content areas.
   The PC framework fit Medina-Jerez's instructional goals perfectly.
   "One of the elements of Project Citizen that relates to the national science education standards is having the students conduct real investigations," he says. "In Project Citizen, students follow an inquiry-like approach: there is a question, a concern, that comes from the students. It is not suggested or imposed by the teachers. There is an ownership and students are the leaders."
   The approach proved to be a rich, useful environment for teaching the intended concepts.
   "As the instructor, I confirmed that authentic scientific investigations are great tools to convey to future teachers how their future students will feel," Medina-Jerez says. "The idea was to put them in their future students' shoes to walk them through the whole process. Our hope is that they will take this approach and implement it in their schools, in order to solve problems and instill democratic principles, and to teach science."
   The group inquiry process ended in a different place than it began, according to Medina-Jerez.
   "The topic they chose at the beginning was totally different from what they ended up doing," he says.
   "Saving electricity" was the theme of the group's final project. Their survey data showed only 5 percent of those asked cared about energy conservation; that finding helped the group define a shift in focus to education and a range of alternatives that individuals and the institution can take to save both resources and money.
   The final step of the Project Citizen is presentation of findings and public-policy recommendations to decision makers and others interested in the issue. The class unveiled its presentation at a meeting of the Laramie Audubon Society.
   "It was a great challenge for my students," Medina-Jerez says. "It was the first time that they presented for a new audience, outside of the university campus."
   The group officially wrapped up the project with a presentation to UW Physical Plant and College of Education administrators. However, many of the students were inspired to continue work on the project following the conclusion of the class. Among the next steps they are likely to help facilitate are informational presentations to high school classes and production of an educational video that will be made available for sharing across campus.
Carie Green, a doctoral student in Science Education, was assistant instructor to the course.   Students participating in the project are:
   CHEYENNE Lyndsey Neelands and Cody Pate
   GREELEY, COLO. Amanda Reimer
   LARAMIE Beth Fernstrom
   WHEATLAND Liz Masie
   WINDSOR, COLO. Bonnie Cummins
   WINNETKA, ILL. Laura Willson
  
  
 

Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2009