Utah State University Environmental Education Class Visit

By Elizabeth Terp,
Volunteer

Professor Barbara Middleton, who teaches Interpretation and Environmental Education at Utah State University in Logan, brought seven of her undergraduate students here for a three day program. Their goal was to strategize their project to expand the animated Web Rangers site for Grand Teton National Park as a service for the Park.

Anne Winters, USU graduate student in Environmental Education, also came with the group. As part of her Master’s thesis, Anne will be developing an interpretive program for visitors to the extensive Murie Museum here on campus. Anne introduced students to the resources in the museum which the students, in turn, will access for the Web Rangers project they develop for the Park.

The students’ research of other interpretive centers finds that a web page whets appetites to visit the park and notes that people ask more in-depth questions after a park visit. The web page enriches and satisfies this curiosity by looking at cognitive, affective and behavioral aspects of an activity. The general theme is, “How You Interact With Nature.”

Professor Middleton appreciates the partnership Utah State has with Teton Science Schools. USU initially helped Teton Schools’ Kelly Campus to take our curriculum and transpose it to college credited courses. She values being able to bring students here to follow a residential education program in a school where environment is integrated into everything that happens here. The biological and behavioral interaction enriches her university programs. In Professor Middleton’s words, “Teton Science Schools is a stellar model of environmental education.” For example, taking her students out on a snowshoe hike and asking them how they would keep a group warm had them exploring/learning in a way they could not experience in the classroom. In addition to bringing students here, she also brings them to the K-12 Journeys School on the Jackson Campus.

The above account is an exciting example of what can happen when the University, the Park, and the Teton Science Schools are attuned to each other and pool resources that ultimately enrich the general public.