| Objective: Support existing environmental education centers in North Carolina. Ensure communication among environmental education centers to identify needs and opportunities for coordinating programs to the mutual benefit of the centers and their customers.
Explanation: North Carolina has many public and private environmental education centers serving a diverse statewide audience. Identifying and coordinating these centers, addressing their needs and opportunities, ensuring communication among them and coordinating their educational resources with the needs of the general public will further their missions. Promoting these centers will further enhance the availability of valuable environmental education resources to schools and the general public.
Action:
Support and promote the creation of a state association of environmental education centers.
Evaluate opportunities to incorporate residential experiences and the uses of technology to enhance environmental education.
Explore the establishment of voluntary accreditation and standards for environmental education centers.
Facilitate communication and sharing of information among environmental education centers and between environmental education centers, the schools and the general public.
Promote the use of these centers by educators and the general public through effective marketing.
Develop funding and administrative support for field trips, site visits, internships and volunteer programs.
Publish and maintain the Guide to Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina and include in it information on resources for pre-service teacher candidates.
Integrate environmental education center programs into interdisciplinary school curricula. |
