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  • 2022
  • ERI brings expanded professional development opportunities to K-12 educators

ERI brings expanded professional development opportunities to K-12 educators

By: Jonathan Hines

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

teachers talking outside

To help Indiana K-12 teachers better teach climate and environmental science in the classroom and meet new state science standards, Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) is offering expanded professional development opportunities, including single-day and multi-day workshops and greater access to teaching resources and IU scientists.

The offerings are part of Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC), a collaboration between ERI, IU faculty, K-12 educators, and the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology. Expanded programming in 2022-23 is made possible by two anonymous donors and the IU Center for Rural Engagement.

“In 2022, preparing students for the world they are inheriting means teaching them about climate change,” said ERI Managing Director Sarah Mincey. “Indiana’s new science standards, which reflect that, are good for students, but they’re only a first step. Teachers need support to help them develop engaging, age-appropriate lessons on this critical topic. For the last five years, EfEC has been delivering just that, and it’s exciting that this program will be able to reach even more teachers in its sixth year.”

Since 2017, EfEC has offered free in-person and virtual workshops to K-12 science teachers. During the academic year, one-day workshops are held at the IU Bloomington campus. Over the summer, EfEC hosts three-day workshops for elementary, middle school, and high school teachers that equip attendees with new ideas, skills, and lessons they can take back to the classroom. The professional development opportunities, which teachers receive a stipend for attending, are helping to address a gap in reputable materials and lesson plans on climate change. So far, more than 225 teachers have participated in the program.

Teachers attending the 2022 Educating for Environmental Change Summer Science Institute examine homemade ice cores as part of a science activity. One of the major goals of EfEC is to give K-12 teachers climate curriculum ideas they can easily incorporate into their classroom teaching. Gillian Paxton
IU Professor Paul Staten talks to attendees during the 2022 Educating for Environmental Change Summer Science Institute at the IU Bloomington campus. The workshop gives teachers a chance to hear directly from climate scientists, like Staten, about current climate research. Gillian Paxton
Teachers participating in the 2019 Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) Summer Science Institute conduct an outdoor science exercise in Dunn Woods on the IU Bloomington campus. More than 225 educators from Indiana and beyond have participated in EfEC programs.

“Many teachers have never taken a class on climate science or had a chance to interact directly with a climate scientist,” said Adam Scribner, Director of STEM Education Initiatives for the IU School of Education and one of the EfEC organizers. “We’re trying to change that, while also connecting teachers to the resources they need to help their students understand the science and take charge of their own learning.

“Nearly all the teachers who have participated in our workshops report that they increased their understanding of how the climate is changing and that they plan to apply what they learned in their own classrooms. Collectively, these teachers are reaching thousands of students, and we’re thrilled to be offering new programs this fall to continue this work.”

One new offering is a series of “First Tuesday” webinars covering a different climate science education topic each month. IU Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Michael Hamburger will present the inaugural “First Tuesday” webinar on Nov. 1, delivering a program on how teachers can turn headline-grabbing natural disasters into meaningful classroom discussions.

Additional programming this fall includes one-day workshops on geoengineering and climate justice. More information about EfEC is available on the program web page.

About the Environmental Resilience Institute

Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute brings together a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. By integrating research, education, and community, ERI is working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.

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