5th World Environmental Education Congress

The 5th World Environmental Education Congress invites participants from all continents to attend and to share their views and experiences. The event will be held at the Palais des Congrès/Montreal Convention Center, Quebec, Canada from May 10 to 14, 2009.

Visit the congress website at http://www.5weec.uqam.ca

Launch of ProSPER.Net

Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research(ProSPER.Net)is a network of leading higher education institutions in Asia and the Pacific that have committed to work together to integrate Sustainable Development (SD)into postgraduate courses and curricula. Member institutions involved have strong education and research programmes in sustainable development and related fields.

The network was formally launched on 21 June 2008, in Sapporo, Japan, Currently, sixteen universities from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Thailand are members of ProSPER.Net, in addition to two regional universities in Asia and the Pacific.

ProSPER.Net is an effort of UNU-IAS to bring about understanding and delivery of ESD and SD at the postgraduate level. The creation of the network and implementation of joint activities are currently supported by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. The Australian Government Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts (DEWHA), in conjunction with ARIES, has also been involved in supporting the development of the network.

Membership of ProSPER.Net is limited to higher education institutions located in the Asia-Pacific region that offer postgraduate education and research in sustainable development and in education for sustainable development related fields. Currently RMIT is the only Australian institution involved but there is interest in increasing Australian participation.

For more information on membership and activities see
http://www.ias.unu.edu/sub_page.aspx?catID=108&ddlID=697 or contact:

Mario Tabucannon
Visiting Professor, UNU-IAS; Professor, AIT Bangkok mttabucanon@ait.ac.th or

Nami Akimoto
Programme Assistant
EfSD Programme, UNU-IAS
akimoto@ias.unu.edu

Learning to Change - Changing to Learn

This is a great video entitled "Learning to Change - Changing to Learn" which looks at learning for the 21st Century. It describes our present situation as 'the death of education, but the dawn of learning' which could be a very exiting place to be - if we can get there in time!



For some reason the sound is not in sync with the picture on this version - if you are accessing this from somewhere where YouTube is accessible, you might like to go to the YouTube version

k-12 Online Conference 2008

The K-12 Online Conference invites participation from educators around the world interested in innovative ways Web 2.0 tools and technologies can be used to improve learning. This FREE conference is run by volunteers and open to everyone. The 2008 conference theme is “Amplifying Possibilities”. This year’s conference begins with a pre-conference keynote the week of October 13, 2008. The following two weeks, October 20-24 and October 27-31, forty presentations will be posted online to the conference blog (this website) for participants to download and view. Live Events in the form of three “Fireside Chats” and a culminating “When Night Falls” event will be announced. Everyone is encouraged to participate in both live events during the conference as well as asynchronous conversations. More information about podcast channels and conference web feeds is available!

AAEE Awards

AAEE Executive and the Award Recognition Committee invite nominations for the 2nd Annual Award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Education in Australia. The Award is presented to a person who has made an exemplary contribution to the field of environmental education. The Award is coordinated through the recognition committee within the Australian Association of Environmental Education. Prior Chapter nominations can be entered again. Please send your suggested nominations toyour Chapter representative: NT Birut Zemits: birut.zemits@cdu.edu.au

EARTH CHARTER IN ACTION

Learn about the Earth Charter, the consensus-building process, and the activities that Earth Charter in Action is undertaking. Visit the Web site to check out their educational materials and resources available, actions you can take, and subscribe to their newsletter. Earth Charter just released the guidance paper Earth Charter in Business: New Guidance Paper on the Earth Charter, GRI and Global Compact
www.eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/newclick/4915874

HIPPOWORKS

HippoWorks Helps Teach Kids about Global Warming

HippoWorks.com has just produced a new 12-part cartoon series "One by One, Ton by Ton, Let's Stop Global Warming!" to help teach kids about this important environmental issue and what they can do to stop it. A new episode will air every week.

As an educational tool for teachers, each episode concludes with questions and a glossary for a follow-up classroom discussion. Previous cartoons from Hippo Works have promoted energy conservation, awareness about animal extinction, and green living. The weekly cartoonlets are a free offering, for subscribers or for your Web site!

SCHOOLS TO SCALE 2020 SUMMIT

Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard has invited all schools to participate in the proposed 2020 summit involving 1000 of Australia's best and brightest minds in April.

In a bid to tap into the minds of Australia's best and brightest students, Ms Gillard said she wanted all primary and secondary schools to host their own ideas summits. She said the schools summits would offer a unique opportunity for students throughout the country to make sure their views are heard on the 10 key themes of Australia 2020.

Each school will be able to hold their summit at a convenient time over a three-week period beginning March 17, with every school being encouraged to participate. Feedback from the schools summits will be collected and consolidated by the Federal Government, and will provide material for discussion at the youth summit, to be held on 12-13 April 08.

Register at:www.australia2020.gov.au

PCA National Schools Packaging Design Challenge

The Packaging Council of Australia (PCA), is running a national packaging design challenge to encourage innovative, functional and environmentally friendly approaches to modern packaging and consumer issues. Students from senor primary to Year 12 are encouraged to enter. Students and schools can win cash prizes, with the national winners also winning a trip to Melbourne to receive their prize at the 2008 Packaging Awards Presentation Dinner to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel October 9. Registrations close in late April to late May depending on location. Please check closing dates for your state/territory closely to avoid missing out.
The PCA has been developing curriculum materials and supporting teachers to develop a comprehensive understanding and approach to packaging sustainability issues for the past three years. 2007 winning designs and competition video can be viewed at http://www.pca.org.au/awards07/schools/
For more information contact Prudence Frost E: prudence@pca.org.au or T: 03 9690 1955

Resources available from the PCA include:
The Pack pack – highly visual resource originally aimed at years 5-8. Currently being used by years 2-10 as a starting point for studying packaging issues. ($55) Also used as a reference for units of work in the Packaging Unwrapped series.
Packaging Unwrapped series – 4 titles each with 4 units of work covered for secondary students to Year 10.
Packaging Unwrapped – A Geography Perspective ($10)
Packaging Unwrapped – An Art, Design and Technology Perspective ($10)
Packaging Unwrapped – An ESL Perspective ($10)
Packaging Unwrapped – A Values Perspective ($10)

Packaging and Marketing Case Studies for Schools: 2.6 seconds to beat your competition – 18 case studies on packaging and its relationship to marketing strategies ($20)
All resources are only available from the Packaging Council of Australia. More information and order forms available on the website www.pca.org.au/education

Sustainability Wiz Online Program

Based on best-practice international research and Gould Group's practical experience with thousands of schools, Sustainability Wiz guides schools through the steps essential to incorporate sustainability in meaningful ways into curricula, operations and culture - and from there into homes.

Using a range of fun online tools and resources, engaging and empowering activities, and through a community of support, Sustainability Wiz provides a one-stop shop for schools and their wider communities.

Importantly Sustainability Wiz allows students from around the world to engage in addressing climate change through actions in their school and the community and tackle issues such as carbon footprint, and water and energy usage to create schools for the future.

Being, Becoming and Belonging

BEING, BECOMING & BELONGING
26-28 June 08, Adelaide SA
World Education Forum SA - International Conference

How do we care for and educate children and young people for the world in which they live now and in which we hope they will flourish as citizens of tomorrow?

The World Education Forum, South Australia, thinks that it is time to take stock of the effectiveness of the effort that has been made to date. They urge you to join them and share your expertise and re-examine the values which underpin many of the assumptions that drive modern educational policy.

For more information, go to http://www.infront.com.au/evt/wef/

Wikispaces

Have you used wikis yet?

A wiki is a website which allows users to add and edit content collectively.

One wiki that you might like to look at is the Desert Park Education Wiki which will help you to plan educational visits to the Desert Park and to share resources with other teachers.

Another is Eduwiki. Eduwiki is a collaborative partnership between educators across the world that enables us to instantly share ideas, resources, projects, and more importantly to connect to one another. The wiki talks about various digital tools and how members of the wiki find them useful in their classrooms.

Recently a group of NT teachers, some in Darwin and others in Alice, came together via a wiki to work on Re-thinking Waste in Schools. To find out more about this project visit the Rethinking Waste wikispace

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Educational Resources

The USA Department of Energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy section have just released an updated energy education website with over 350 lesson plans covering all ages. http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/

ENO-Environment Online

Have you been wondering how to use ICT in your teaching and find interactive ways in learning? Are you interested in environmental issues and global education? Would you like to improve your teaching, and network with colleagues from all over the world? This is your chance.

ENO-Environment Online © is a global virtual school for sustainable development and global education. Four environmental themes are studied within a school year on a weekly basis. About 400 schools from 104 countries take part. The ENO programme has been running since 2000. It is coordinated by Pataluoto School and administered by the Department of Education in the city of Joensuu, Finland.

Although the term dates don't line up too well for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere this project provides some great opportunities for education around environment, ICT and twin relationships with students in other parts of the world.

If you use this, we'd love to hear your stories - share them using the comments below.

New Desert Website Teacher info session

Jodie Clarkson of Bioparks NT has been working with Sonora Desert Museum in Arizona to build a website for kids which compares and contrasts the Central Australian Desert with the Sonoran Desert. Teachers are invited to come along to the Desert Park on Monday 20th August 2007 to preview the site and to discuss how you might use it in the classroom.

Please call me by 12noon on Monday to reserve your place and get directions - 8951 8718

Australian Association for Environmental Education

The Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) is the national professional association for those who identify themselves as working in the fields of environment or sustainability education.

Members include teachers and people working in other organisations that provide environmental and/or sustainability education.

Members have access to a number of online resources and receive a monthly electronic newsletter. The association also publishes the Australian Journal of Environmental Education (AJEE). There is also a biennial conference which will be held in the NT (Darwin) in 2008.

Teachers interested in Environmental and Sustainability education may benefit from joining this association.

My Environment

The Australian Government Department of Environment and Water Resources has recently launched My Environment which provides a window onto the environment and heritage around your place.

Enter your address details and create a report that includes:

• vulnerable and endangered plants and animals that may live near your place
• where your nearest heritage sites and important wetlands are
• where your nearest waste oil disposal depot is

and many other things

This website can provide an excellent point from which to begin a project on exploring your local environment. The site has some good information on the Alice Springs region - I would be interested to hear how much information it has on more remote locations. Perhaps your students can inform DEW if there are things of interest around your school that they have not yet included - you can contact them through the website.

Scientists in Schools

The 'Scientists in Schools' initiative was officially announced by the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Education, Science and Training in Perth last month.

The 'Scientists in Schools' initiative will promote science education in primary and secondary schools, help to engage and motivate students in their learning of science, and broaden awareness of the types and variety of exciting careers available in the sciences.

Practising scientists will work with schools on a voluntary basis, bringing the practice of real world science to students and providing teachers with the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge their knowledge of current scientific practices.

A website has been created that will enable schools and scientists throughout Australia to register their interest in becoming involved. See http://www.scientistsinschools.edu.au/

Using the Alice Springs Desert Park as an Educational Resource

The Alice Springs Desert Park is a habitat based nature park. Three desert habitats are represented in their entirety - Desert Rivers, Sand Country and Woodland.

The plants and animals are shown as part of the habitats in which they are usually found. Stories of how people have lived and continue to live as part of these ecosystems are illustrated. The roles of fire and water are presented. The overall focus is on how both living and non-living components of these habitats are linked in complex webs of interdependence.

Major Features:
• Exhibition Centre with displays and a film introducing life in the desert
• Three arid zone habitats:- Desert Rivers, Sand Country, Woodland
• Aviaries in every habitat
• Many species of desert plants with labels explaining aboriginal use
• Nocturnal House including threatened species of the arid zone
• Walk through kangaroo and emu exhibit
• Nature Theatre featuring birds of prey
• Guided walks and talks on topics ranging from bush tucker to nocturnal life

A visit to the Desert Park will give students:
• An understanding that the country around them is alive, exciting and dynamic
• An awareness of the complexity of the habitats they encounter
• Cross-cultural awareness and appreciation
• An appreciation that the desert is an enjoyable place to visit and worth protecting

Getting started with planning your visit:
Download the booklet Using the Alice Springs Desert Park as an Educational Resource
For more detailed information on the features of each habitat download Desert Rivers, Sand Country and Woodland.

Entry for all NT School Groups is FREE, providing students are adequately supervised and advanced booking has been received. Click here to download booking forms and the code of conduct

NT teachers may also use the services of the NT DEET Project Officer to assist them with planning their visit and units of work in line with the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework . You can contact the Project Officer by calling 8951 8718 or by e-mailing Emma.Bliss@nt.gov.au