CLEAN Teleconference Call April 8, 2014
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Empowering Pre-college Students to Engage in Climate Change Solutions
Abstract: Educators engaged in the climate literacy movement are aware that possession of knowledge about the earth's climate and the causes and consequences of climate change is not sufficient to empower individuals to change their behavior and become advocates for actions that promote a sustainable future. By educating 9th-12th grade students about our fossil fuel based economy, by featuring scientists and engineers who are working to develop solutions to increase the use of renewable energy sources, and by providing opportunities to develop science communication and leadership skills, the extracurricular science enrichment program, Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness Program (Climate LEAP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill fosters a community of engaged youth and builds the capacity of the next generation of adults to address climate change.
In addition to increasing student knowledge of climate change science and of the solutions proposed to address climate change, program participants engage members of their community on the topics of climate change, energy awareness and/or sustainability through implementation of one or more community outreach project.
This session will include a description of the year-long program and the program evaluation plan which includes assessment of student learning. Measuring the program's impact on student behavior change to conserve energy and resources in daily life will also be addressed.
Bio: Dana Brown Haine, MS, K-12 Science Education Manager for the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill's Institute for the Environment, is program director for UNC's Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness program (Climate LEAP) and for the NC Climate Fellows Program, a teacher professional development program funded by a NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) award. Dana creates and delivers learning experiences to grades 6-12 teachers, students and informal educators that are designed to provide access to current scientific information and relevant resources to help make informed decisions about environmental science topics such as climate change, energy and sustainability. She served on the NC Environmental Education Advisory Council from 2007-2011 and the NC Environmental Literacy Plan Working Group from 2009-2011. Prior to joining the Institute for the Environment, she was a science educator for DESTINY, UNC's Traveling Science Learning Program, and from 1998-2003 she was a science faculty member at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. Dana earned her MS in Biology from Wake Forest University and received her BS in Biology from Appalachian State University.
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