U.S. Education Secretary Talks Environmental Education/STEM for EE Week

In honor of National Environmental Education Week (April 14-20), U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan takes a few moments to address the benefits of environmental education and how it complements and strengthens STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math). 

NCSU Researchers Release Environmental Literacy Study

Researchers in the N.C. State University College of Natural Resources have released a study on environmental literacy among North Carolina middle school students. Environmental, Institutional, and Demographic Predictors of Environmental Literacy among Middle School Children can be found in the in the online, open access peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE. 

CNR Research Fact Sheet 

CNR News Release: Outdoor Education Helps Minority Students Close Gap in Environmental Literacy

Complete article in PLOS ONE

The study shows that several factors have a positive effect on environmental literacy for various student groups, including time spent in outdoor learning experiences, the use of published environmental education curricula and teacher experience and education level. 

This project was funded by North Carolina Sea Grant. Kathryn T. Stevenson and Dr. Nils Peterson in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at N.C. State University partnered with members of the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan working group during the research process. The partners plan to use this study as a baseline of environmental literacy in future research and program planning.

For more information about the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan go to the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs website:
http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/educators--literacy-plan.html

EE Certification is Really Hopping!

Jenny Fuller from the N.C. Baptist Assembly at Fort Caswell

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program is really on the move! New enrollments arrive weekly and the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs has recently awarded several certificates. You can read about some of our state's certified environmental educators at on our blog:  http://certifiedenvironmentaleducators.blogspot.com/

You can also access the profiles from the main EE Certification site, which also lists all N.C. Certified Environmental Educators by county. http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/certification--meet-certified-educators.html

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program has certified more than 1,000 individuals. This 200-hour program recognizes professional development in environmental education and establishes standards for professional excellence in the field for formal and non-formal educators. It consists of workshops, field experiences, teaching experiences and an environmental education community partnership project.

To more about the program, including the enrollment process, are available at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/certification--about-the-program.html

NAAEE Releases Status Report on State Environmental Literacy Plans

The North American Association for Environmental Education has released a report on state environmental literacy plans. Forty-eight states (including the District of Columbia) responded to the survey about the progress of their state plan. According to NAAEE, state environmental literacy plans are "comprehensive frameworks that support school systems in expanding and improving environmental education programs." The report can be viewed here: http://www.naaee.net/sites/default/files/us/affiliates/SELP_final.pdf 

North Carolina's environmental literacy plan was developed by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resoruces Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, in partnership with Environmental Educators of North Carolina and the North Carolina Association of Environmental Education Centers, with additional input from a wide range stakeholders in the education and environmental communities. The final draft form of our state plan is currently available on the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs website.