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| navigate: home: magazine: winter 2000: article | |
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School of Forest Resources program Helping teachers enhance their instruction on environmental topics By Celena E. Kusch | ||||||||||||
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In a 1998 report, the Pennsylvania 21st Century Environment Commission outlines its vision of a new century in which transformations in environmental consciousness “will change us from bystanders and consumers to stewards of the environment.” Nonetheless, the National Report Card on Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors indicates that despite widespread environmental awareness and support, two-thirds of Americans fail a simple 12-item test of environmental knowledge. As a result, the report continues, education will be a vital tool for achieving the commission’s goals. The Penn State Forest Resources Institute for Teachers actively addresses this need. The pilot offering of the four-day institute took place in June in Dauphin County. Its long-term objective is to improve student skills and knowledge in recognizing, analyzing and making decisions related to Pennsylvania’s forest and wildlife resources. This is accomplished by providing teachers of grades three to 12 with the information and educational tools they need to teach a balanced curriculum in environment and ecology. “We are finding that many young people are misinformed about forestry, and teachers have some misconceptions about Pennsylvania’s forest resources as well,” said Sanford Smith, extension associate in Penn State’s School of Forest Resources. “The state is in the process of approving environment and ecology standards for teaching, and more and more teachers are looking for ways to develop a stronger curriculum in this area.” “At Penn State, we have trained many generations of teachers, but there is also increased pressure for teachers already in the workplace to continue their education through advanced degrees and lifelong learning,” Fred Rudy, Dauphin County extension agent, said. “A new door is opening for more of this kind of outreach programming, and the Forest Resources Institute for Teachers takes advantage of this important opportunity. “With this program, we wanted to reach out to a group of educators to dispel myths about forestry and acquaint them with the curriculum resources available to them through the College of Agricultural Sciences and 4-H,” Rudy added. According to Rudy, the pilot program broke important ground both in delivering the information teachers want and need and in providing a model for collaboration among Penn State units and departments to deliver outreach programming. This year’s institute was organized by Penn State’s School of Forest Resources, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, the Dauphin County Cooperative Extension Office and Penn State Harrisburg Continuing Education. Along with leaders in these units, the program also received significant support and encouragement from L. Riegel Haas, a Cooperative Extension board member and VIP Forestry Stewardship volunteer in Dauphin County. Participants attending the graduate-level institute included Pennsylvania teachers, environmental educators and state agency representatives. Students were allowed both credit and noncredit options. Those taking the course for credit were required to design and submit two detailed lesson plans as the basis for determining their grades. Credits were administered through Continuing Education and the School of Forest Resources. The College of Agricultural Sciences delivers a number of outreach programs for teachers, including “Ag in the Classroom,” an annual 3-credit in-service training program and the Bug Camp for Teachers. Smith, an extension educator for the School of Forest Resources, was excited about the opportunity to conduct in-depth teacher training in forestry. “In the institute,” Smith said, “we are not teaching the teachers how to teach; they already know that. And although they receive sample classroom activities from a wide range of sources, teachers want to have a basic understanding of the content. Our program is subject-matter rich and reaches teachers at their own level of knowledge.” Topics covered included forest ecology and the community of forest plants, wildlife ecology and game management, water resource management, forest products, urban and community trees, and using forestry to meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s environment and ecology standards. Faculty from the School of Forest Resources were responsible for most of the instruction. Dr. James Finley, associate professor of forest resources, introduced students to the basics of tree and forest ecology through lectures, tree growth and identification activities at the Ibberson Tree Farm, and he led them on a tour of the Forest Stewardship Demonstration Site and State Game Lands Timber Sale at Stony Creek. Finley also moderated a discussion on current issues surrounding forests and their use. Penn State faculty members Dr. Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources, and Dr. Gary San Julian, professor of wildlife ecology, delivered lectures and led field trips during the institute’s wildlife day. Through both individual presentations and team-teaching, they delivered instruction in wildlife ecology, Pennsylvania wildlife, a case study of deer in the Commonwealth and a wildlife management educational tour, including wildlife observation and endangered species reintroduction at Halderman Island and an overview of gamelands at Clark’s Valley Barn-Gamelands. Bryan Swistock, extension associate in the School of Forest Resources, conducted sessions in water quality and watershed management in the forest, offering opportunities for field study at Clarks Creek and Fishing Creek. Other instructors included Smith, Rudy and representatives from Pennsylvania’s Game Commission, Department of Education, State Parks and Bureau of Forestry. “The original purpose of this year’s institute was to do a pilot program,” Smith explained. “Having a small group of participants for this first offering allowed us to communicate well with the teachers to tailor future offerings to meet their needs. All were extremely supportive of the idea of offering the institute widely around the state.” According to Smith, a pre- and post-test revealed that participants doubled their knowledge. Institute organizers also plan to use follow-up evaluations to determine the long-term impact of the institute on classroom activities. The School of Forest Resources, Penn State Cooperative Extension and Continuing Education are already planning to offer at least two additional institutes next summer in State College and Warren, Pa. An outreach program of the School of Forest Resources, Cooperative Extension and College of Agricultural Sciences | |||||||||||
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