Summary of the
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence
#1 Fairness and accuracy: EE materials should be fair and accurate in describing environmental conditions, problems, and issues, and in reflecting the diversity of perspectives on them.
1.1 Factual accuracy
1.2 Balanced presentation of differing viewpoints and theories
1.3 Openness to inquiry
1.4 Reflection of diversity
#2 Depth: EE materials should foster an understanding and appreciation of environmental concepts, conditions, and issues, as appropriate for different developmental levels.
2.1 Focus on concepts
2.2 Concepts in context
2.3 Attention to different scales
#3 Emphasis on skills building: EE materials should build lifelong skills that enable learners to address environmental issues.
3.1 Critical and creative thinking
3.2 Applying skills to issues
3.3 Action skills
#4 Action orientation: EE materials should promote civic responsibility, encouraging learners to use their knowledge, personal skills, and assessments
of environmental issues as a basis for action.
4.1 Sense of personal stake and responsibility
4.2 Self-efficacy
#5 Instructional soundness: EE materials should rely on instructional techniques that create an effective learning environment.
5.1 Learner-centered instruction
5.2 Different ways of learning
5.3 Connection to learners’ everyday lives
5.4 Expanded learning environment
5.5 Interdisciplinary
5.6 Goals and objectives
5.7 Appropriateness for specific learning settings
5.8 Assessment
#6 Usability: EE materials should be well designed and easy to use.
6.1 Clarity and logic
6.2 Easy to use
6.3 Long lived
6.4 Adaptable
6.5 Accompanied by instruction and support
6.6 Make substantiated claims
6.7 Fit with state or local requirements |
Workbook Objectives |
Corresponding Materials
Guidelines |
| |
| Fairness and Accuracy |
| 1) Assess materials for current, factual information and appropriate language. | 1.1 |
| 2) Identify potential bias in environmental education materials. | 1.1, 1.2 |
| 3) Evaluate materials in terms of cultural and ethnic diversity. | 1.3, 1.4 |
| |
| |
| |
| Depth |
| 4) Distinguish the factors contributing to environmental awareness. | 2.1 |
| 5) Demonstrate an understanding of conceptual frameworks and concepts in context. | 2.2, 2.3 |
| 6) Recognize the relevancies and relationships of various scales. | 2.4 |
| |
| Emphasis on Skills Building |
| 7) Classify curriculum materials according to their support of higher-order thinking skills. | 3.1 |
| 8) Distinguish the skills necessary for issue analysis and action. | 3.2, 3.3 |
| |
| Action Orientation |
| 9) Choose aspects that encourage learners to reflect on the consequences of their action choice. | 4.1 |
| 10) Distinguish patterns that contribute to learner empowerment. | 4.2 |
| |
| |
| Instructional Soundness |
| 11) Classify instructional methods and ways of learning. | 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 |
| 12) Evaluate the use of various instructional environments. | 5.4, 5.5, 5.7 |
| 13) Differentiate the role of goals, objectives, and assessments. | 5.6, 5.8 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Usability |
| 14) Recognize the necessary structural elements for quality environmental education materials. | 6.1, 6.2 |
| 15) Identify characteristics that contribute to longevity and adaptability. | 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 |
| 16) Assess the validity of claims and degree of correlation. | 6.6, 6.7 |
|