SERVICE-LEARNING IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

March 28-29, 2003
St. John's University, St. Joseph, Minnesota

Co-sponsored by:
Minnesota Campus Compact
The American Association for Higher Education
Campus Compact
The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning
The College of St. Benedict/St. John's University Liemandt Family Service Learning Program and the CSB/SJU Environmental Studies Program
The Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs

The most widely accepted definition of environmental education, adopted at the world’s first Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, convened in 1977 at Tilisi, Georgia, includes the attitudes, skills and participation to provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be involved actively in identifying and solving environmental problems.

While a growing majority of U.S. citizens profess to be environmentalist, all too frequently these environmentalists are driving their bottles and newspapers to recycling centers in low-efficiency vehicles. Education with a firm sense of purpose is required to assist in building knowledge and changing both values and behaviors. Service-learning is an effective tool for engaging students in environmental studies. It can be integrated into a range of courses and programs in the community college, the liberal arts college, to research and comprehensive universities. Student benefits include integration of disciplinary information, confidence and motivation, and improved communication and problem solving skills. The community also benefits in both the short and long term.

Whatever your academic background and your service-learning experiences and responsibilities, this workshop will offer you and your colleagues a valuable opportunity to learn more about different models and strategies for implementing service-learning, to discuss with peers the benefits and challenges of service learning, and to develop ideas for further action at your institution in your partnerships.

Featured Facilitators:

Beth Blissman, Director, director of the Center for Service and Learning and lecturer in Environmental Studies at Oberlin College.

Cathy Geist, Diane Peterson, and John Plomondon, faculty in "Race to Save the Planet" courses at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

Rusty Low, director of the Science CentrUM Consortium of Science and Education Colleges; research associate at the University of Minnesota Limnological Research Center.

John Oughton, lead faculty in environmental studies research and course development at Century College.

Harold Ward, director and founder of the Center for Environmental Studies and professor of Chemistry at Brown University; editor of Acting Locally: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Environmental Studies.

Workshop Cost:

$95 individual from a Campus Compact member campus or a community-based organization

$65 member of a team (3 or more people) from a Campus Compact member campus or a community-based organization

$150 individual from a campus that does not belong to Campus Compact

$120 member of a team (3 or more people) from a campus that does not belong to Campus Compact

Information on hotel accommodations and shuttle service from the Minneapolis/St. Paul and St. Cloud airports is available with the registration brochure.

Early bird registration deadline is February 28, 2003. Anyone registering between March 1 and March 18 must pay $20 more than the appropriate rate above. No registrations will be accepted after March 18. Cost includes all meals and a copy of Acting Locally: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Environmental Studies.

To request registration materials, or to get more information, please contact:
Jean Strait, Director of Faculty Development
Minnesota Campus Compact
(651) 603-5088
jeanstrait@mncampuscompact.org

Provide your name, phone number, and mailing address or fax number and registration materials will be sent to you.
SHARON HAS THE REGISTRATION MATERIALS IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING.