Teaching Context: Environmental Education instruction for pre-service elementary education students

Spring Semester 2020

for undergraduate pre-service elementary education students

Abstract:

Institution:

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Author(s):

Shannon Davis-Foust (davisfos@uwosh.edu) and Michael Beeth (beeth@uwosh.edu)

Current Status of Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Preparation:

Environmental Education is currently offered to pre-service elementary education students largely through a course-based approach (as described by Ashmann and Franzen, 2015). Students complete a science content course for background knowledge in ecology and natural resources and a pedagogy class in science/EE teaching methods that briefly touches on environmental literacy and sustainability. Neither learning opportunity provides students with the engagement in conducting inquiry into an ecological issue of local importance that are the focus of these courses.

Evidence of Need:

Curriculum and learning need to be expanded to include teaching environmental literacy and sustainability through hands-on teaching of citizen science.

Evidence of Success:

Elementary pre-service students will increase their knowledge of local ecosystems, their understanding of human impacts on local ecosystems, and their connections to those systems. Students will engage in inquiry citizen-based science projects that promote environmental literacy and stewardship.

Action plan to revise, improve, or integrate inquiry-based environmental education: 

We are proposing a two part series of courses for elementary pre-service students to gain familiarity with the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy & Sustainability and enhance their knowledge of the Standards with hands-on teaching and citizen science exercises. These courses may be conducted face-to-face or remotely.  Both options are described below.

The first course can be easily adjusted for face-to-face or remote delivery.  It will explore pedagogical aspects of teaching environmental citizen-based scientific inquiry.  Students will be introduced to a variety of activities to select from to develop their own lesson plans for the second course.  Environmental science topics may include: surveys of wetlands, forests, and grassland habitats (possibly leading to inquiry about habitat destruction and climate change); aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys (inquiry into water quality), flowering plant identification (inquiry into insect decline), bird watching (inquiry into biodiversity or climate change), and more.  All topics will be within the framework of science-based inquiry: learning the general biology of the organisms, understanding their role in the ecosystem, examining factors that threaten them, and stewardship to protect them.  The end of this course will include a first field site visit either independently or as a class.  Potential field sites include Oshkosh Area School District’s Sullivan’s Woods or Sheldon Nature Area,  Winneconne School District’s Norbert Rich School Forest, Lasley Point, Waukau Creek Nature Preserve, or Coughlin Nature Area.  The face-to-face field day will begin with a tour of the natural area to exercise observation,exploration and questioning, and then working in small groups to initiate work on lesson plans and connecting them to the ELS standards.

The second course in the series will be centered around completing a field portion of environmental science either as a citizen science or as a teaching experience based on citizen science.  Options will vary depending on whether the class is conducted face-to-face or remotely.

The face-to-face version will entail working directly with groups of elementary students at local partnering schools.  They would schedule 3-5 visits to carry out a progression of science-based inquiry lessons. 

The remote learning version will have two options.  The first option will be to conduct independent field work using apps, such as iNaturalist, GLEDN, Water Action Volunteers, and eBird, that allow for students to report species identification and location information, which is remotely checked by a professional verifier.  Students will be required to keep a field journal of their observations during their outings that documents their exploration routine.  The second option will be similar to the face-to-face teaching option.  Students will develop their lessons as previously described, but instead of working directly with children, they will record their outdoor lessons as a series of videos.

Links to syllabus for each course:

ELEM ED XXX TEACHING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND SUSTAINABILITY

ELEM ED XXX ENGAGING IN CITIZEN-BASED SCIENCE

In what ways will you address Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Standards Addressed (Full Document or searchable spreadsheet)?

ELS.EN7: Students engage in experiences to develop stewardship for the sustainability of natural and cultural systems.

• EN7.A.i (grades 3-5): Inquiry and Investigation

• Describe and analyze ways that youth, acting as individuals or members of a group, create beneficial change, meet individual needs, and promote the common good.

• Investigate sustainability issues that need attention in a school or community, and brainstorm potential solutions, considering perspectives of multiple stakeholders.

• EN7.B1 (grades 3-5): Design and Implementation -- Design and implement a plan to address a sustainability issue, weighing the pros and cons of proposed solutions.

• EN7.C1 (grades 3-5): Evaluation and Reflection -- Reflect on the immediate and potential future outcomes of a stewardship experience, and strategize options that would minimize risks while maximizing outcomes for sustainability of natural and cultural systems.

Consider the following items and incorporate those that are appropriate to address the actions above:

• A syllabus or course outline that integrates environmental education.  

Two consecutive courses proposed to be taught in the Dept of Teaching and Learning:

ELEM ED XXX TEACHING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND SUSTAINABILITY

ELEM ED XXX ENGAGING IN CITIZEN-BASED SCIENCE

• Lesson plans and assessments;

• Steps to implement and evaluate their plan;

• Networks and resources available to help implement their plan;

• Potential grants and funding sources;

• Local and statewide resources;

• Local outdoor learning sites;

• Professional development resources; and

• Policies that reinforce and support plan implementation.