Educators Working Together to Build a Climate & Data Literate Generation
Are you an educator with an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), research, and climate change education? If so, you might be interested in joining a Connected Learning Ecosystem.
Connected Learning Ecosystems (CLEs) are peer communities of formal and informal educators and learning experience designers across the Northeast who are working together to support STEM teaching and learning, and to build a climate literate generation. They connect regularly, both online and in person, to learn with and from one another in order to increase comfort and confidence around climate change topics in both youth and adults. CLE members work together to engage youth in place-based, locally relevant investigations of ecosystems and climate change that are connected across formal and informal learning spaces.
In New Hampshire, there are CLEs at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness and Mount Washington Observatory in North Conway. Each CLE is unique to the science center and community that they are operating within.
The Seacoast Science Center’s CLE focuses on community science (public participation in scientific research and environmental monitoring through observation, inquiry and investigation) because better understanding of our local ecosystems and documenting change over time helps build the climate and data literacy youth need to tackle the challenges ahead.
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is the host of the Squam Lakes Connected Learning Ecosystem that is focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math), climate action and data literacy education. They offer stipends to participants and also mini-grants to help folks collaborate and see their projects come to life.
MWOBS is the host of the White Mountains Connected Learning Ecosystem focused on bringing formal and informal educators in northern New Hampshire together in support of student learning in data literacy and climate change. Stipends are available to participants who attend meetings and gatherings.
These CLE’s are made up of youth, educators, scientists, naturalists, researchers, libraries, and community partners who come together to share resources, ideas, and collaborate on projects to engage with youth in their communities.
If you are not in New Hampshire there are CLE's across the Northeast because this is all part of a larger project called Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE). LENE is a NASA-funded collaborative partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), 4-H, Maine State Libraries, Wabanaki Youth in Science, Gateway Community Services, and science centers across the Northeast. LENE supports the network of Connected Learning Ecosystems (CLE) in the Northeast focused on building partnerships and pathways that provide youth with opportunities to engage in locally relevant climate connected learning experiences. Follow this link to find a CLE near you: https://www.learningecosystemsnortheast.org/community-of-practice/
A great example of the power of these Connected Learning Ecosystems was the recent Middle School Sustainability and Action Summit in New Hampshire led by local youth climate leaders & teachers in collaboration with the Seacoast Student for Sustainability, Squam Lakes Connected Learning Ecosystem, New Hampshire Energy Education Project, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, and New Hampshire Environmental Educators. There were 3 different hands-on workshops for students to attend on themes of Energy, Gardening/Composting/Food Waste Diversion, and Wildlife Habitat Conservation/Restoration, and a "Taking Action'' workshop to help students figure out how to take what they learned back to their schools. One teacher said, “we loved this, we can't wait to come next year!” When asked what one thing you liked about the summit was, a middle school student from Portsmouth said “Learning sooo much! Best day of my life!” The CLE is what sparked this summit and provided some funding to make it possible.
If you are interested in joining a Connected Learning Ecosystem near you email Leigh Ann Reynolds, New Hampshire Environmental Educators Administrator, at info@nhee.org.