The Nature of Learning

Endangered Species Bulletin, Dec, 2004

"The Nature of Learning" is an education partnership involving the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Conservation Training Center, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Wildlife Refuge Association, and the Keystone Center. It supports community-based environmental education programs, using national wildlife refuges as outdoor classrooms, and seeks to promote a greater understanding of conservation issues while enhancing student academic achievement.

Central to each Nature of Learning site is a partnership among a neighborhood school, natural resource professionals, and community members. These members use Nature of Learning methodology to create site-specific goals and an action plan. Using the standards-based curriculum from collaborating schools, teams of teachers and resource specialists blend the resources from the classroom with existing activities and programs used on public lands. The framework guides educators in a standards-based instructional process that encourages an interdisciplinary approach.

Community projects are planned and implemented as a culminating activity of this initiative. After building an understanding of conservation issues, students are encouraged to identify tasks that put their awareness into action and enhance their community.

The Nature of Learning framework assists teams with local site workshops to meet professional development needs. Partnerships with organizations that have similar missions are highly recommended. In addition, the National Conservation Training Center and The Keystone Center offer many courses that can be directly applied to the Nature of Learning initiative.

For more information, visit http:// refuges.fws.gov/educaton/ natureOfLearning/index.html.