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2015 Autumn | Education & Outreach

Building Ecological Awareness: an Investigation into the Benefits and Barriers of Project Based Instruction for Environmental Education

Student(s):

Jesse Barr

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Bev Walker

Partner(s):

  • City of Vancouver Water Resources Education Center

Faculty advisor(s):

Tim Billo, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a research proven form of instruction that engages students more effectively than traditional teaching techniques. During my time as an Environmental Educator Intern I learned a lot about the Project Based Learning Model and how it can improve upon current Environmental Education (EE) curricula. My research involved identifying some of the most significant benefits and barriers to implementing project based Environmental Education programs. By identifying the most significant benefits of PBL we can increase the support for its use in Environmental Education. By identify- ing some of the barriers to employing PBL educators can anticipate and respond to these issues, so they can employ more effective environmental projects. My internship and research helped me understand how PBL will play a role in Environmental Education in the future.