Seminar: Dr. Alan Berkowitz, Cary Inst. of Ecosystem Studies

Abstract 

What should every student in Baltimore know, feel and be able to do with respect to the urban ecosystem they live in? How can we help them develop these understandings, attitudes and skills through the formal education system? These are the questions that have motivated and vexed BES educators for the past 20 years. We have been guided and inspired by BES’s science as it has embraced ecology “in,” “of” and “for” perspectives, and have experimented with ways to bring these perspectives into the schools. In this seminar I will share insights gained from both our programmatic efforts focused on students and teachers, and our education research into learning and teaching. Accomplishments and challenges from our two current projects that merge earth science concepts and practices with environmental science or chemistry will be used to paint a cautionary tale of the promise and perils of school-based work towards environmental literacy.