When we connect our adult learners with nature, share the wonder of natural history, create caring nature center communities, and provide information about environmental issues, we tend to expect that all involved will self-identify as environmentalists and be inclined to act in environmentally responsible ways. This assumed progression, from interest to understanding to action is a key goal of environmental education, but do we know if individuals in our adult learning  communities are actually behaving in ways that are protective of the living things and systems they are so interested in learning about? Over thirty years of research studies have found that there are many psycho-social factors and influences at play in people’s lives and behaviors, quite reliably predictive of how individuals engage with conservation behaviors. 

The goal of this course is to help environmental educators become proficient in developing and delivering new EE content and using new research-based approaches for program development, teaching, designing materials, and facilitating engagement to support learners in their progressive environmentalism. We’ll look at how the Environmental Education community of practice is evolving, and becoming more focused on Environmental Education for  sustainability. We’ll look at landmark research studies in conservation behavior and sustainability behavior change. We’ll cover the approaches, theoretical frameworks, and best practices for effectively teaching adult learners including Adult Learning Theory, learning styles, teaching models, and adult lifespan development. We’ll review past and current educational initiatives and campaigns developed to
promote individual behavior change, looking at what was learned in design and implementation. We’ll incorporate all of these components as we expand our individual and collective EE practices.

This course is designed as an in-depth, 12-week, professional development training and learning opportunity for adult environmental educators and other interested conservation professionals whose work prioritizes moving people to act in environmentally responsible ways. This course is applicable for anyone who teaches or communicates with an adult learning community. Instructor: Lucy Gertz, an acclaimed environmental educator with over 40 years experience, is Mass Audubon’s Director of Adult Education. Lucy is currently a Lesley University doctoral candidate researching the relationship between environmental education and conservation behavior in adult learners.

Fee: $150 per person to take this as a non-credit course.