Spotlight on Environmental Education
Information about environmental issues can be found all around us in popular magazines, television shows, documentaries and newspapers. A 2005 study showed that between 50% and 70% of American adults had heard of major environmental issues like air pollution and climate change. However, it is estimated that only 1%-2% of American adults are considered to have the critical thinking skills needed to make informed decisions regarding the scientific, social and economic aspects of environmental issues.i
Environmental educators foster these critical thinking skills through a specific pedagogy that includes:
- Student directed learning
- Investigational approaches
- Analysis and application of environmental issues
- Fostering a personal connection to the world around us ii
Without supporting any one solution to environmental issues, environmental educators helping individuals practice the critical thinking skills they need to respond to contemporary problems in thoughtful and creative ways.
Who We Are And What We Do
Environmental education doesn’t take place in just one place. Students and alumni work in a wide variety of careers. Click the links to find out more!
Art
Citizen Science
Parks and Recreation
Local and National Government
Early Childhood Education
Kristin Sanzone – Early Childhood Educator
K through 12 Education
Stacey Rashti
Higher Education
Jessica Zane – Alumna ’08
Katie Stoner – Alumna ’08
Adult Education
Kim Hoff – Alumna ’08
Non-Profit Sector
Bonnie Hudspeth – Communications Coordinator, Monadnock Ecological Research and Education Project
Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums
Nicole Scola – Coordinator of Teaching Services, New England Aquarium
Business Sector
Amy Perron – Exhibit Developer
Rebecca Rodomsky – Manager and Education Specialist at Home Green Home
Tourism and Ecotourism
Mark Suomala – Naturalist and Tour Guide
Media, Communications and Journalism
Bonnie Hudspeth – Communications Coordinator, Monadnock Ecological Research and Education Project
Agriculture
Amanda Hopkins – Garden Manager, Stonewall Farm – Alumna ’07
Nature Centers
Jamie Hutchinson – Teacher/Naturalist, Harris Center for Conservation Education
Content for this page was gathered by Amy Borgia, Kristin Sanzone, Katherine Stoner, Rosie Perera and Jessica Zane.
i Coyle, K. (2005). Environmental literacy in America: What ten years of NEETF/Roper research and related studies say about environmental literacy in the U.S.
ii U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2007) 2008, from http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/basic.html
