Plug In to Your Corporate Habitat: Tech Tools for Connecting Kids to Nature

Jennifer Tabola & Sarah Kozicki,Senior Director of Education & Education Program Coordinator,

National Environmental Education Foundationwith

Thelma Redick,Director of Conservation Education & Outreach, The Wildlife Habitat Council

April 9, 1 p.m. EDT

Overview• Introduction to NEEF/WHC partnership and connection to

Wildlife Habitat Council programs• Overview to NEEF• EE Week, Greening STEM & Focus on Tech• Activities and resources for Taking Technology Outdoors

Jennifer TabolaSenior Director of

Education, National Environmental

Education Foundation

Sarah KozickiEducation Program

Coordinator, National Environmental Education

Foundation

Thelma Redick,Director of

Conservation Education, Wildlife

Habitat Council

Learning Goals of the Course

•An overview of our partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation, and explanation of how that may be used as a resource for on-the-ground WHC programs.•Ideas and resources for the latest technical tools to be applied in your corporate habitat.

To provide participants with

Introduction to NEEF

We provide knowledge to trusted professionals who, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmental problems. Together, we generate lasting positive change.

Introduction to NEEF

Introduction to NEEF

Introduction to NEEF

Introduction to NEEF

Introduction to NEEF

Environmental Project-Based Learning

Greening STEM • Solutions to 21st century

environmental challenges often result from STEM knowledge and skills.

• Hands-on environmental education projects enrich STEM learning and offer an exciting opportunity to engage more students in STEM.

• 78% of businesses & organizations believe that the value of a candidate’s environmental knowledge will increase in importance as a hiring factor

Greening STEM

Greening STEM• 75% of 1,900 surveyed

educators said students who spend regular time outdoors tend to be more creative & better problem-solvers

• 77% of teachers believe using tech in the classroom increases student motivation to learn.

• Children who experience the natural world & have opportunities to play & learn within it are more likely to choose science or related fields as careers

Available at: www.eeweek.org

Greening STEM

“We know so many of the jobs of the future are in the STEM fields, and there are so many great ties between STEM education and environmental education. If we really want to keep those good jobs in this country, if we want our students prepared, I think there’s no better way to start to get at that, whether it’s in 2nd grade or in 11th or 12th grade, than to get kids out in the outdoors with environmental education.”

Ways to Take Tech Outdoors

Put QR Codes on plant labels and outdoor signs to link to changeable online information including videos, text, images and sound.

Use smartphones and apps to create a scavenger hunt on corporate landscapes.

Ways to Take Tech Outdoors

Ways to Take Tech Outdoors “By incorporating technology and taking my kids out into the field, they’re so much more engaged. They don’t see the writing and revision and editing and drafting as a chore when they know that there’s a real purpose.” – Patty Crawford, Science Teacher, Islesboro Central School

“If I can help kids be excited about being outdoors, have positive experiences outdoors, especially when they’re young, it turns technology from a distraction and from something that’s pulling them away from what’s important in life into something that’s directing them towards and helping them learn about the things that are really important in life.” – Aaron Maguire, Director, Islesboro Island Land Trust

The Big Picture

Available at: www.neefusa.org

Resources

• Top 10 Apps for Taking Technology Outdoors

Available at www.eeweek.org/ :

• Using Technology to Connect Students & the Environment (video + educator toolkit)

• Tech & Our Planet / STEM & Our Planet infographics• Archived EE Week webinars• EE Week 2013 Photo Contest • Google+ Hangout

Contact Information

• Thelma Redick: tredick@wildlife.org• Sarah Kozicki: skozicki@neefusa.org• Jennifer Tabola: jtabola@neefusa.org

Questions?

Following Q/A session, all participants will be invited to fill out our online survey for the course.