PARENT SESSION
Symposium 6: Pathways to scientific teaching in ecology education
Organized by: C D'Avanzo and M Mappin
Tuesday, August 9, 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Meeting Room 517 C, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Introducing academic ecology to adult learners.

Berkowitz, Alan^*,1, Panarotti, Luanne¹, Wiesenthal, Richard¹, ¹ Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA

ABSTRACT- Adult learners participating in evening or week-end classes offered by continuing education programs such as that at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies represent a unique challenge to the ecology educator. Students have an exceptional diversity of backgrounds, learning styles, interests and motivations. We have designed an 8 session ecology course (20 contact hours) for students in our Gardening and Landscape Design Certificate Programs to help students: understand ecology, gain skills and confidence at ecological thinking, understand how ecology applies to their lives and work, and appreciate what ecologists do. Big questions and applications in ecology are addressed in lecture/discussions and two guided field sessions with IES scientists, and students complete individual projects designing an educational display relating ecology to one of the IES gardens. Pre- and post-course surveys, student projects and a final exam shed light on our results, and have been used to shape subsequent programs. Students make impressive progress in understanding what ecologists do as a result of their direct interactions with practicing ecologists, both in terms of vocational appreciation and ecological modes of thinking. Though many students appreciate academic ecology only as they see it applying to real-world problem (or, conversely, show dis-interest from an impression that it lacks application), others find in it an intellectual foundation for already held beliefs about the environment. Insights and challenges faced in both measuring adult ecological literacy, and fostering its development in short, free-choice adult education settings, will be discussed.

Key words: ecology education, adult education, ecological literacy, assessment of learning