National Project forExcellence in Environmental Education

Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for

Excellence

Presenters Bora Simmons, Bora Simmons, National Project for

Excellence in Environmental Education

Katie Navin, Colorado Alliance Katie Navin, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

Jolon Clark, Greenway Foundation

QUICK TOUR OF ADOBE CONNECT

Tell us something about yourself …

Promoting Excellence for

Environmental Education

Primary Sponsors:

U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Education

EECapacityEPA funded national EE training program housed in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology Lab

Other Partners U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Forest Service National Environmental Education

Foundation State EE Associations – such as the

Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE)

Organizational partners – such as Project Learning Tree, Arbor Day Foundation, Project WILD, Keep America Beautiful, Project WET

Where does your program content come from?

Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence

Materials: Guidelines for Excellence

A Resource That Provides:• Recommendations for selecting quality

EE materials• Tools for evaluating a wide array of

materials• Guidance for developing new EE

materials Developed through a broad-based

review and comment process

Materials: Guidelines for Excellence

Six Key Characteristics1) Fairness and accuracy2) Depth3) Emphasis on Skills Building4) Action Orientation5) Instructional Soundness6) Usability

Key Characteristic One

Fairness and Accuracy1.1) Factual Accuracy1.2) Balanced Presentation of Differing Viewpoints and Theories1.3) Openness to Inquiry1.4) Reflection of Diversity

Key Characteristic Two

Depth2.1) Awareness2.2) Focus on Concepts2.3) Concepts in Context2.4) Attention to Different Scales

Key Characteristic Three

Emphasis on Skills Building3.1) Critical and Creative Thinking3.2) Applying Skills to Issues3.3) Action Skills

Key Characteristic Four

Action Orientation4.1) Sense of Personal Stake and

Responsibility4.2) Self-Efficacy

Key Characteristic Five

Instructional Soundness5.1) Learner-Centered Instruction5.2) Different ways of Learning5.3) Connection to Learners’ Everyday Lives5.4) Expanded Learning Environment5.5) Interdisciplinary5.6) Goals and Objectives5.7) Appropriateness for Specific Learning Settings5.8) Assessment

Key Characteristic Six

Usability6.1) Clarity and Logic6.2) Easy to Use6.3) Long-Lived6.4) Adaptable6.5) Accompanied by Instruction and Support6.6) Make Substantiated Claims6.7) Fit with National, State, or Local Requirements

Key Characteristics and your work…

1) Fairness and Accuracy2) Depth3) Emphasis on Skills Building4) Action Orientation5) Instructional Soundness6) Usability

Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

Want to Learn More? Offer a workshop thru our

Guidelines Trainers’ Bureau

Access information thru EELinked:

eelinked.net/n/guidelines

Attend another webinar

eelinked.naaee.net/n/guidelines

Future WebinarsApril 24th 4:00pm (Eastern)Excellence in EE: Guidelines for Learning (K-12)

May 1st 1:00pm (Eastern)Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development

May 8th 4:00pm (Eastern)Nonformal EE Programs: Guidelines for Excellence

June 26th 4:00pm (Eastern)Early Childhood EE Programs: Guidelines for Excellence

Get Involved:Community EE Guidelines

For more information:For more information:Akiima Priceakiima@apriceconsulting.com

Questions?

Join us at the NAAEE Conference