PARENT SESSION
Poster Session # 3: Ecological Education.

Monday, August 4 Presentation from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. SITCC Exhibit Hall B.

Linking academics, skill development, and community involvement: a service learning model for environmental programs.

Mital, Stephen^*,1, Udovic, Daniel¹, ¹ University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

ABSTRACT- Traditional academic courses provide a framework for understanding environmental problems but don't provide students structured opportunities to respond to the issues they are learning about. While conventional internship programs offer the opportunity to work on real-world problems, they often fail to provide a standardized set of skills that complement academic curricular goals. The Service Learning Program was created by the University of Oregon Environmental Studies Program to provide supervised practical learning experiences that support the environmental studies program curricula. Thoughtfully designed projects provide undergraduate students supervised opportunities to apply the knowledge they are gaining in more traditional courses by acting as consultants to local agencies and non-profit organizations. Our team-based approach mimics the professional world. Our year-long project timelines provide students the time needed to acquire skills - data collection, data analysis, use of specialized software programs, report writing, oral presentation, and teamwork - that not only complement their academic interests, but prepare students to enter the workforce. Students receive project specific training and one-on-one interaction with project managers and community partners. Student teams meet weekly with the program coordinator to review assignments and discuss progress. Projects tap students' natural motivation to work on real world issues such as sustainability and invasive species management. Most students devote more energy towards this course than other courses simply because they believe their work will have a positive impact on the environment. We have found that the direct benefits of our projects to our community partners have led to substantial community interest and publicity. This, in turn, is helping the Environmental Studies Program build positive relationships with community-based organizations, attract funding to support the program, and secure student interest in the program. Our poster presentation will include examples of student projects.

Key words: participatory learning, environmental studies, capstone courses