Museums frequently default to simple attendance measures to define success, measures that fall well short of the mission impact these institutions seek to have. Mixed methods studies can integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to paint a robust picture of the impact a museum's educational programming is capable of having, although this…

Partnerships between K-12 educators and people doing climate work in their communities provides opportunities for teachers and students to engage in consequential climate learning that is both culturally situated and locally relevant. This article features several vignettes that highlight examples from various sites across Washington State where…

Each of the papers in this collection offers a much-needed antidote to the forces that disconnect educators from the places in which they teach, learn, and live. Together, they provide an opportunity to reflect on the power of place in education. This issue offers an opportunity--an invitation--to embrace all that the places both in and outside…

This phenomenological case study investigates the lived experiences of five educators who engage in on-board educational programs, offered by the non-profit environmental organization "Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc", and follows their stories of place-conscious development leading to place-based educational engagement. By analyzing…

This paper focuses on field trip-based experiences across the disciplines of art, culture, and science. The author addresses gaps in the learning sciences' research about children learning both art and cultural content as well as how they learn cross-disciplinary practices. She offers one strategy, video-based interpretive case studies (VICS). By…

Describes a series of new Discovery Programs called Family Zoo Adventures conducted at the Minnesota Zoo for elementary students. The series reflect a '90s approach to nontraditional teaching, focusing on the process of personal discovery and interactive learning. (LZ)

Outlines a cognitive model of visitors based on the concept of mindfulness/mindlessness. Presents an analysis of data on visitors to forestry centers in the United Kingdom. Results support the mindfulness approach as an appropriate cognitive model of visitors. (Author/CW)

Describes the events, and educational strategies used in the events, that make up the Nature Bowl, California's largest third- through sixth-grade competition focusing on regional ecology, natural history, environmental issues, and natural resources conservation. (LZ)

Presents an outline of an environmental program designed for the protected coastal site in the Balearic Islands. Describes the criteria and steps used for the program planning, the characteristics of the resources and available funding. Discusses the educational potential offered by the ecological features of the islands. (four references)…

The National 4-H Wildlife Invitational is a competitive event to teach youth about the fundamentals of wildlife management. Youth learn that management for wildlife means management of wildlife habitat and providing for the needs of wildlife. This handbook provides information about wildlife habitat management concepts in both urban and rural…

Youth field days expose children to outdoor activities, land use ethics, and habitat conservation and encourage adults to be mentors in these areas. A typical youth field day could have programs in archery, fishing, boating, shooting, or safety. The event requires a diverse steering committee that usually includes sporting clubs and state…

The John Muir Award was established in the United Kingdom to respond to minimal environmental awareness, especially among youth. The Award has three levels of effort; all involve discovering a wild place, exploring its wildness, helping to conserve it, and sharing the experience with a wider audience. There is an effort to establish the award in…

Presented are highlights of the research and educational programs of the Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies, which is operated by the Smithsonian Institution. Family-based activities are the focus of the Center's environmental education efforts. (WB)

Describes comprehensively conservation education and interpretation in Australia. Includes discussions of history, range of programs, strengths and weaknesses of types of activities, cost considerations and some strategies to cope with budgetary constraints, and an analysis of the effectiveness of guided programs in Australia in the absence of…

Outlined are the curriculum areas within the formal discipline, as well as the subject areas within the informal mode, dealt with by environmental education in Ireland. Situations and methods common to both formal and informal educational areas are discussed with respect to a summary of new developments being undertaken by the Irish government.…