Newswise — With children back in school but the last remnants of summer weather still hanging on, there's no better time for teachers to make use of the outdoors in their teaching. Environmental education has been shown to boost student achievement in science, reading, math and social studies as well as increase their motivation, critical thinking skills and interest in science and math as career pathways. In addition, environmental education contributes to healthy lifestyles and helps prevent childhood obesity through outdoor recreation, exercise, play and experience in the natural world.
This month, Congress is set to vote on the No Child Left Inside Act, which will provide funding for local and state initiatives in environmental education, bolstering the resources available to teachers to integrate environmental education in their curriculums. In addition to reconnecting students with the natural world, the Act aims to provide students with the skills to understand complex environmental issues so they may make informed decisions in the future.
The Ecological Society of America has several scientists with expertise in science and environmental education who are available to offer their perspectives on the challenges of education in an increasingly technological society:
Dr. Margaret LowmanNew College Of Florida5800 Bayshore RoadSarasota, FL 34243
Dr. Alan BerkowitzCary Institute of Ecosystem StudiesPO Box AB 2917 Sharon TurnpikeMillbrook, NY 12545-0178
Dr. Carol BrewerCollege of Arts and SciencesUniversity Of MontanaMissoula, MT 59812
The Ecological Society of America is the country's primary professional organization of ecologists, representing 10,000 scientists in the United States and around the world. Since its founding in 1915, ESA has pursued the promotion of the responsible application of ecological principles to the solution of environmental problems through ESA reports, journals, research, and expert testimony to Congress. For more information about the Society and its activities, visit the ESA website at http://www.esa.org.
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