The Ecological Footprint:
Professional Development, Curriculum and Support Packages
Topics: human-environmental interactions; energy, water, atmosphere (The “Commons”); global/regional issues; culture and equity; consumption; biomes; population; technology; climate issues
Audience: grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, higher ed, adult ed
Disciplines: environmental science, earth science, biology, geography/global studies, history, civics, language arts, math
Career Connections: climatology, geology, geography, international studies, law, environmental policy, government, demographics, statistics
Did you know? Creative Change is a licensed user of the Ecological Footprint quiz. We are the premier provider of comprehensive Footprint curricula and course modules for K12, higher education, and adult educational settings. Review samples in the Curriculum and Resource Center.
Level I programs introduce new ways of reframing content and instruction through a lens of human-environmental impacts, population, consumption, energy and related themes. Participants envision and define possibilities for change as they experience approaches they can replicate in their own classes. A typical package includes:
Example: An educational institution is seeking ways to improve student achievement and engagement, and wants to explore sustainability as a possible theme for reframing curriculum. In a two-day workshop, Creative Change engages teachers in hands-on activities that explore human-environmental interactions. Environment trends, energy use, “source and sinks,” and the links between culture and ecology are among the topics explored. Educators review age-specific curricula and resources, and evaluate ways the approaches can be integrated into existing instruction to meet achievement goals. After collecting data on faculty impressions and interests, Creative Change meets with the leadership team to develop a plan for moving ahead.
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Level II programs provide a mix of in-depth content knowledge, multimedia resources, and follow up support as educators begin to create “makeovers” for units or courses. Spread over a year or more, a typical package includes:
Example: After completing the Level I program, the same institution works with Creative Change to map out a year-long initiative focused on reframing core units around Ecological Footprint themes of human-environmental interactions, policies to advance sustainability, and related economic and cultural issues. The initiative unfolds over a calendar year in three steps: A) on-site professional development, B) on-going support for instructional redesign, and C) evaluation and communication.
Workshops begin by immersing teachers in content knowledge and research-based pedagogical strategies. To model effective approaches, the sessions engage staff in hands-on activities they can replicate with their students, followed by thoughtful analysis and discussion. Approaches include:
Through these activities, educators define how the Ecological Footprint can serve as context for improving learning at their grade level. Staff then evaluates their existing units or courses and set goals for reshaping them. A science teacher integrates energy use and impacts on the atmosphere, while a math teacher uses peer-reviewed global footprint data to teach ratios. A geography instructor plans a 6-week investigation of the Ecological Footprint in order to meet requirements for a regional studies course. Each educator develops ways for students to utilize the campus to assess the school’s environmental impacts and make suggestions for reducing the collective footprint. At the college level, faculty would focus on revising their courses so that they are more integrated, and incorporate more real-world data, examples, and hands-on instruction.
The PD now shifts to the on-the-ground work of redesigning the units based on the goals set. Creative Change’s approach to instructional design provides educators with a process and framework for planning units that start with students’ experiences, build an integrated knowledge base, and culminate in meaningful civic engagement. In-depth workshop materials and multimedia curriculum resources from the on-line Curriculum and Resource Center support teachers as they
More on our approach to content, pedagogy and instructional design
As faculty continue their work in a learning community approach, Creative Change provides on-going planning support through phone, email, and in-person meetings. Support strategies include unit planning, developing assessments, and evaluation support. For example, Creative Change helps a teacher team connect with local stakeholders and develop specialized assessment tools to ensure the project meets achievement goals.
By the end of the year, the educators’ efforts have resulted in a collection of instructional modules that demonstrate best practices in content and pedagogy. The faculty has evaluated the impacts of its work and wants to replicate the approaches in other areas of the curriculum. To support this, Creative Change compiles pictures, reports, presentations and other documentation in order to communicate results to the district- or organizational leadership team and provide models for replication. Based on the success of the work, the collaboration with Creative Change grows to other departments or schools through a Level III program.
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Level III programs enable schools and districts to deepen instructional change by building internal capacity to institutionalize successful approaches and/or integrate additional Creative Change programs. Clients gain training, resources and strategic planning assistance focused on preparing an internal team to lead, evaluate, and sustain instructional change. These packages, spread over two or more years, typically include