Environmental and Sustainability Education: An Important

Collaborative Venture

Kathryn Picanco, Ed.D. Doreen Keller, Ed.D. Whitworth University

Washington’s Specialty Endorsement in Environmental and Sustainability Education

The “Specialty Endorsement”

O An enhancement to an existing

teaching certificate

O Not required to teach the subject

O Other examples are deaf education,

gifted talented, visually impaired

O Needs to have national standards

included

A Unique Specialty Endorsement

O The ESE specialty endorsement is different than the other specialty endorsements in our state. All of the other specialty endorsements have competencies that focus on teaching a certain student population. This specialty endorsement prepares teachers in subject matter across content areas. ESE is not in itself a core academic subject, but this specialty endorsement includes competencies from the core subject areas. This specialty endorsement does not make a teacher highly qualified.

Washington’s Specialty Endorsement in ESE

Submitted jointly by the Environmental Education Association of Washington and the Pacific Education Institute with higher education support

K-12 endorsement that will enhance the preparation of teachers

Messages of support from: Environmental Education

Association of Washington; Pacific Education Institute; Central Washington University; Eastern Washington University; Gonzaga University; Saint Martin’s University; Walla Walla University; Western Washington University; Whitworth University; Cheney SD; Mead SD; West Valley SD; Association of Washington School Principals; OSPI

Washington’s Specialty Endorsement in ESE (con’t)

Approved by PESB in July 2008

Committee to develop competencies

Competencies were then reviewed by focus groups and revised.

Committee Members:

Coleen Putaansuu (OSPI) Abby Ruskey; Carole Kubota; Carolyn Carey; David Greenwood; Dennis Sterner; Gilda Wheeler; Kathy Kimball; Lynne Ferguson; Margaret Tudor; Martha Kurtz; Michael Papritz; Mike Town; Patsy Whitefoot; Paul Newton; Tim Bombaci; Victor Nolet

North American Association for Environmental

Education (NAAEE) Standards O Standard 1 – Nature of Environmental Education and Environmental

Literacy

O Standard 2 – Environmental Literacy of Candidates

O Standard 3 – Learning Theories and Knowledge of Learners

O Standard 4 – Curriculum: Standards and Integration

O Standard 5 – Instructional Planning and Practice

O Standard 6 – Assessment

O Standard 7 – Professional Growth in Environmental Education

Sustainability Standards US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development.

National Education for Sustainability K-12 Student

Learning Standards

Version 3-2009

The Education for Sustainability (EfS) standards were developed by

the K-12 and Teacher Education Sector of the U.S. Partnership for

Education for Sustainable Development (USPESD) with input from K-

12 educators in public, private, and pre-service (teacher education)

fields. For more information about the USPESD please visit

www.uspartnership.org.

Defining Education for Sustainability

Education for Sustainability is

defined as a combination of

content, learning methods, and

outcomes that helps students

develop a knowledge base about

the environment, the economy,

and society, in addition to helping

them learn skills, perspectives,

and values that guide and

motivate them to seek sustainable

livelihoods, participate in a

democratic society, and live in a

sustainable manner. McMillan and Higgs(2003). In National Education for Sustainability K-12

Student Learning Standards , www.uspartnership.org.

O EfS Standard 1 – Students understand and are able to apply the basic concepts and principles of sustainability (i.e.: meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs).

O EfS Standard 2 – Students recognize the concept of sustainability as a dynamic condition characterized by the interdependency among ecological, economic, and social systems and how these interconnected systems affect individual and societal well-being. They develop an understanding of the human connection to and interdependence with the natural world.

O EfS Standard 3 – Students develop a multidisciplinary approach to learning the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to continuously improve the health and well-being of present and future generations, via both personal and collective decisions and actions. They are able to envision a world that is sustainable, along with the primary changes that would need to be made by individuals, local communities, and countries in order to achieve this.

USPESD National Sustainability Education Standards – Version 3 September 2009

Washington’s Specialty Endorsement in ESE

O There are a total of 32 competencies in three categories:

O Content

O Instructional Methodology

O Professional Competencies

Washington ESE Competencies Common Core 1.0 – Environmental and Sustainability Education

Content

Teachers know and critically analyze the historical development, purposes, interdisciplinary nature, defining characteristics, and guiding principles of environmental and sustainability education.

Common Core 2.0 – Environmental and Sustainability Education Instructional Methodology: Teachers use the unique features of environmental and sustainability education in the design and enrichment of curricula and school programs. They teach and assess environmental and sustainability curricula and create stimulating and motivating learning environments.

Common Core 3.0 - Environmental and Sustainability Education Professional Competencies: Teachers belong and contribute to the environmental and sustainability education professional community and understand that professional development is a life-long endeavor.

What will the specialty endorsement in ESE Mean for students and teachers?

O Create new roles and leadership opportunities for teachers O Developing courses, outdoor learning opportunities,

sustainability coaches, overseeing school gardens

O Enhance preparation O Teachers will have more knowledge and skills to enhance

their teaching

O Professional development opportunities

O Offer students new opportunities for learning O Senior projects related to ESE, community partnerships

O Encourage interdisciplinary teaching and learning O Connections between science, social studies, CCSS in

math and ELA

The Literature

PBE/SE Definitions

Current Educational Landscape

Social Justice Orientation

-Critical Pedagogy (Freire)

-Re-Imagined Student-Teacher Relationship

-Problem-Posing

-Dialogical

-Democratic Learning Environment

-All Learners Need Access to Power

-PBE/SE Can Fit Here

Reform or Progressive Orientation

-Constructivism (Piaget)

-Social Constructivism (Vygotsky)

-Situated Learning (Lave)

-Experiential Learning (Dewey)

-Project Method (Kilpatrick)

-PBE/SE Can Fit Here

Traditional Orientation

-Behavior Control (Thorndike)

-Rigorous Routines of Recitation

-Teacher Centered

-Stimulus-Response

-Assessments Based on Students’ Ability to Recall

Facts

More Progressive More Traditional

Place-Based Learning Place-based education immerses students in local heritage, culture, landscapes, opportunities, and experiences as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and other subjects. Place-based education encourages teachers and students to use the schoolyard, community, public lands, and other special places as resources, turning communities into classrooms. Place-Based Education Evaluation Collaborative. In Wheeler, G., Bergsman, K., Thumlert, C and Kelly, B. (2010). Sustainable Design Project Teacher Manual. Olympia, WA: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Place-Based Learning Where am I?

What is the nature of this

place?

What sustains this

community?

Project Based Learning

“Project-based learning is a dynamic approach to

teaching in which students explore real-world problems

and challenges, simultaneously developing cross-

curriculum skills while working in small collaborative

groups.”

~The George Lucas Educational Foundation

The Sustainable Design Project Education for Environment and Sustainability

http://www.k12.wa.us/EnvironmentSustainability/De

signProjects/default.aspx

Sustainability Themes

O Intergenerational Perspectives

O Stewardship

O Social Justice and Fair Distribution

O Respect for Limits

O Systems Thinking and Interdependence

O Importance of Local Place

O Economic Restructuring

O Nature as Model and Teacher

O Global Citizenship

Nolet, V. (2009). Preparing Sustainability -Literate Teachers. Teachers College Record. Retrieved from http://www.nnerpartnerships.org/wp-content/files/Preparing-Sustainability-Literate-Teachers.pdf.

Impacts

Test Scores

O Findings from empirical, SE/place-based

studies (Powers, 2004; Volk & Cheak, 2003)

and stories of SE/PBE programs (Sorensen,

2007; Smith, 2007; Swaminathan, 2004;

Swayze, 2009) reveal discoveries

researchers sometimes were not expecting—

noticeable gains for students with

disabilities, special education students, or

students relegated to the margins of society

because of race or class.

Other Impacts

Robert

Safety

Jason

Engagement

Vicki

Stewardship

Christopher

Acceptance

Initiating Collaboration: Developing a Program

O Individual colleges and universities can develop programs to meet the competencies and submit them for approval.

O The submissions will need to include plans for the institution to assess the competencies including a final culminating assessment.

O Programs can be pre-service or in-service, undergraduate or graduate.

Approved Programs

O Antioch University Seattle

O Eastern Washington

University

O Lesley University

O Seattle Pacific University

O Walla Walla University

O Western Washington

University

O Whitworth University

Environmental Studies Minor

OInitiated by a commitment to sustainability

and environmental studies by the university.

ODeveloped by an interdisciplinary team of

professors across disciplines over two years.

ONatural science

OSocial science

OHumanities

Whitworth’s Program

O Competencies are met by completing the 21

semester credit Environmental Studies

minor with the EDU 410 Environmental and

Sustainability Education in the K-12

Classroom course as one of the electives for

the minor.

ESE Course Development O Capstone Course

O Partnerships Yet to be

Developed/Considered

ESE Course Development O Capstone Course Syllabus

EDU 410:

Environmental and Sustainability Education

in the K-12 Classroom

Course Syllabus

Course Information

Instructor: (TBD)

Office: (TBD)

Office Hours: (TBD)

Meeting time: (TBD)

Location: (TBD)

Credits: 3 Semester Credits

Required Texts

Roa, M. L. (2009). Environmental science activities kit (2nd

edition). San Francisco: Jossey Bass

Smith, G.A. & Sobel, D. (2010). Place—and community—based education in schools. New York: Routledge,

Wheeler, G. & Ruskey, A. (2011). Washington state environmenal and sustainability literacy plan. Office of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA

Wheeler, G., Thumlert, C., Glaser, L., Schoellhamer, M., & Bartosh, O. (2007). Environmental education report:

Empirical evidence, exemplary models, and recommendations on the impact of environmental education on K-12

students. Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA

ESE Course Development O Capstone Course Learning Activities

Assignments

Systems thinking group work

Research Project on Place-Based Learning

Web-based study of careers in ESE

Lesson plan with place-based methodology

Media activity

Unit plan

Teaching event in ESE (could be in a classroom or outdoors)

Final Research Paper

Systems thinking group work

Research Project on Place-Based Learning

Community Connections

OElementary Science Methods

O Sustainable design project

O Science nights with local schools

O Summer Camps

ORiver Mile Science Symposium and trainings

OClassroom Observations

O Riverpoint Academy

O Project Lead the Way

OVerbrugge Environmental Center

Next Steps in Collaboration O Partnerships to Develop

O In-service practitioners

O Practicum/field experience sites

O Coursework from other universities to meet

endorsement requirements

O Capstone course offered at WU and available

to other universities/candidates/teachers

“Sustainability means thinking not

just about yourself but about the

world and everything in it, on it,

and around it - taking care of

these things for the future.

Everything is connected.”

-Third grade student, Bellingham School District.

In Wheeler, G., Bergsman, K., Thumlert, C and Kelly, B. (2010). Sustainable Design Project

Teacher Manual. Olympia, WA: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. P. 7.

Questions/Discussion