Orr & Leopold
Orr (2004) suggests, "Ecological education, in
[Aldo] Leopold's (1966) words is directed toward
changing our "intellectual emphasis, loyalties,
affections, and convictions" (p. 246). It requires
breaking free of old pedagogical assumptions, of
the strait-jacket of discipline-centric curriculum,
and even of confinement in classrooms and
school buildings. Ecological education means
changing (a) the substance and process of
education contained in curriculum, (b) how
educational institutions work, (c) the architecture
within which education occurs, and most
important (d) the purposes of learning (p. 33).
Academic Standards
• “…standards are designed to improve education
through increased rigor, consistency, and
accountability” (Burden & Byrd, p.6)
• “A central feature of the [standards] process has
been to involve education stakeholders (e.g.,
policy makers, educators, parents, students and
community members) in the identification of what
students should know and be able to do to be
productive citizens.” (Burden & Byrd, p.30)
Academic Standards cont.
• The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
- the Nation’s Report Card - evaluates the progress of the
nation’s educational system.
• National Content Area Standards (e.g., National Science
Teachers Association - NSTA)
• Minnesota Academic Standards
– In July 2005, legislation was passed which changed the graduation
requirements for Minnesota students. Beginning with the graduating
class of 2010, students will be required to complete 21.5 course
credits, pass the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments(MCA-II)
in Reading and Mathematics and the Basic Skills Test of Written
Composition, and meet other local graduation requirements.
– Within each course is a set of Academic Standards that students
must achieve.
Environmental Education
Environmental education is a process
that aims to develop an environmentally
literate citizenry that can compete in our
global economy; has the skills,
knowledge, and inclinations to make
well-informed choices; and exercises the
rights and responsibilities of members of
a community.
(http://naaee.org/pages/npeee/index.html)
Environmental Education
Guidelines
• NAAEE through the National Project for
Excellence in Environmental Education EE
Guidelines
• MN Environmental Literacy Scope and Sequence
• Center for Global Environmental Education and
MN Office of Environmental Assistance
developed the Minnesota Report Card on
Environmental Literacy
1 + 1 = Stand-a-pold
aka Leostand
Why should we combine deep
ecology and academic standards?
Do guidelines do enough?
Fred Newmann
• Why are students so disengaged from schoolwork?
• What kind of work should students be doing in
school?
____________________________________________
Students should be:
• Constructing knowledge
• Working with significant disciplinary concepts and
methods (disciplined inquiry)
• Making connections to the “outside world”
Constructing knowledge +
Discipline Inquiry+
Making Connections =
Authentic Achievement
Authentic Pedagogy
Therefore,
In student work products, assessment tasks, and
instruction, we should see evidence of students:
Constructing Knowledge
Engaging in Disciplined Inquiry
Making Connections to the Outside World
Authentic Instruction
Construction of Knowledge
• To what extent are students engaged in higher-order thinking?
Discipline Inquiry
• To what extent are students developing deep knowledge of a
significant topic or concept?
• To what extent are students engaged in substantive
conversation?
Value Beyond School
• To what extent is the topic or issue connected to the world
beyond the classroom, and to what extent is it apparent students
recognize this connection?
Pragmatics of Getting Them Together
• How do we get formal and informal
educators together?
• What does each entity get from the
experience?
• Most importantly, what do the students
get out of it?
Golden Gate NRA how we got them together
• Solicited grants through our park association
• Paid and fed teachers to help us design and test
the curriculum both in the park and in school
setting
• Provided free programming
• Provided buses to those in need
• Targeted certain school districts
• Built on successes (high school program helped
us design service learning program)
What We (both GGNRA and teachers) Got Out of It
• Park curriculum capitalizes on collaboration of the
experts - park personnel and teachers
• Teachers are now stakeholders in the park
• Park curriculum meets academic standards
• Park curriculum meets overall park goals
• Park curriculum recognizes limitations of classroom
• Park curriculum recognizes limitations of park
setting
• Authentic Achievement and Pedagogy
• Kolb’s Learning Framework
Theory of Action
• Let’s build a model:
– When we get Deep Ecology, Standards
and Guidelines together what does it look
like?
– Why is it important to bring the formal and
informal together?