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    Managing Controversy: Strategies for Teaching Controversial Issues and Topics


    Jump to: Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 |  Module 4 | Module 5
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    Course Overview

    Welcome to Managing Controversy: Strategies for Teaching Environmental Issues and Topics. This course is designed to actively involve educators in understanding and building skills in how to investigate and evaluate environmental issues and topics with their learners. The course models a variety of effective strategies educators can use to assist learners in exploring and seeking responsible courses of action toward the resolution of environmental issues. Participants will explore how to effectively teach about environmental issues and topics, and will start to develop their own classroom and/or program plans and outlines about teaching environmental issues and/or topics - with an emphasis on local issues.


    Objectives and Expectations

    By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

    • Understand the differences between controversial issues and controversial topics and how to address them differently.
    • Identify components of an environmental issue and use criteria to frame the issue for analysis.
    • Apply a five-step process for environmental issue analysis.
    • Understand the role of the educator in navigating controversial topics and environmental issue analysis.
    • Understand how to set the stage to minimize conflict and address conflict when it arises .

    As a participant in this course, it is expected that you:

    • Commit the time required to complete all readings, assignments and assessments.
    • Complete Modules 1-5 and their associated assignments, as well as submit the final course assessment. You will have 8 weeks to complete the course upon enrollment.


    Prerequisites

    • Experience working in formal or nonformal education is not required but highly encouraged.


    Required Materials

    • Access to reliable internet and a desktop computer or laptop.


    Completing Tasks and Assignments

    For each Module, you will record responses to prompts and complete tasks in a Course Journal. At the end of each module, you will submit your Course Journal with the relevant sections completed. 

    The Course Journal and other documents will be provided in the form of Google Docs.  You can either download as a Word document or "Make a Copy" under the File menu to edit it as your own. Assignments can be submitted as Google Docs by using the link-sharing feature. Assignments can also be submitted by attaching Word documents. If you have questions or would prefer another option, please contact Lisa Eadens at lisaeadens@caee.org.


    Grading

    • Assignments must be completed with a score of 2 as indicated on the scoring guide provided.
    • If you complete all of the course assignments with a grade of 2 or more you will receive a Certificate of Completion for 15-hours of professional development. 


    Important Dates

    This course runs for 8 weeks, from January 27 - March 21, 2025. Although you can complete the course at your own pace, below is a recommended schedule for completing each module: 

    • Module 1 - Complete by February 7
    • Module 2 - Complete by February 19
    • Module 3 - Complete by February 28
    • Module 4 - Complete by March 12
    • Module 5 - Complete by March 21

    Additionally, you will be required to attend at least one 1-hour online discussion with fellow eeCourse participants to share ideas, reflections on course materials, and/or final course project materials. Three options are provided below. Calendar invites to all three options will be emailed to you. Please "accept" the invitation to the online discussion(s) you wish to attend.


    Meet Your Course Moderator
    Your course moderator is Lisa Eadens. Lisa is the Program Coordinator for CAEE and has been with CAEE since 2013. She coordinates CAEE's professional development trainings along with the Excellence in EE Award Program and Careers in Natural Resources Initiative. She will review and score your assignments, offer feedback and be available for the optional course meetings to answer questions.

    Get to Know the Course

    Please watch this video walk-through from the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education to learn how to navigate course modules, materials, and assignments in Moodle.

         

         

    This course was supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 Environmental Education Grants.   It has not been formally reviewed by EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Agency. 

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    Module 1: Why Teach About Controversial Environmental Issues and Topics?

    Description:
    In this module, participants will begin to unpack the variety of ways that controversy shows up in environmental education, in both positive and challenging ways.

    Objectives:
    After completing this module, you should be able to:
    • Understand the difference between an environmental problem, environmental issue, and controversial topic. 
    • Build understanding of how environmental educators can frame controversy in learning. 
    • Identify how teaching controversial environmental issues and topics is a component of high quality EE. 

    Estimated Time for Completion:
    2 hours

    Benchmark Assessment:

    Module 1 Tasks:
    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Getting Started: Self-Reflection

      TASK 1: Access the Course Journal. You will need to either Make a Copy of this file and edit it as your own Google Doc or download it as a Microsoft Word document. Click File, Make a Copy or Download. You will record responses to prompts and complete tasks in your own version of the Course Journal throughout this course. At the end of each module, you will submit your Course Journal with the relevant sections completed. 

      TASK 2: Use your course journal to record answers to the following questions. 

      • Identify at least 3 environmental issues and/or topics that you have or would like to teach about.  What makes these issues challenging to teach in your setting? 
      • What questions do you have about facilitating exploration of controversial issues with learners? 
      • What challenges do you face in your school and/or organization in facilitating learning about controversial issues? 
      • What do you hope to learn as a result of participating in this eeCourse?

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      What makes an environmental issue controversial?

      Let's begin by exploring some different definitions by reading the quotes below:

      • An environmental problem involves humans, the environment and interactions between the two. The problem occurs when an environmental event threatens human well-being or the quality of the environment. In most cases, environmental problems can be measured. Water pollution is an example of an environmental problem. 
      •  An environmental problem becomes an environmental issue when two or more people, or groups of people, disagree about how to solve the problem. For example, deciding how to address the pollution problem for a particular river becomes an environmental issue. (Taken from Hungerford, Literland, Peyton, Ramsey and Volk, 1996. Investigating and evaluating environmental issues and actions: Skill development program. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing)
      • An environmental issue can further become a controversial topic when it may be objectionable by a group of stakeholders because it confronts their personal values and lifestyle, political leanings and/or economic situation. (https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/environment.html)

      "[Judy] Pace [University of San Francisco professor and Author of Hard Questions: Learning to Teach Controversial Issues], notes that controversial issues are not the same as controversial topics, which are polarizing subjects that some stakeholders argue should not be taught. Instead, controversial issues “have to do with open questions that are significant in terms of society or the past on which it is important to explore different perspectives that have legitimate sources of information,” says Pace. ‘We’re not talking about something like, ‘Do humans contribute to climate change?’ because that’s a settled question.” For example, open questions that introduce controversial issues and promote critical thinking could range from, “Should we lower the voting age?” to “What kinds of reparations should be paid to the descendants of enslaved people?”” (You want to teach what? Harvard Graduate School of Education) 

      Note: An environmental problem can have multiple types of controversy. For example, climate change is both a controversial topic, in that some people may not want you to discuss it in schools or programs, AND it is a controversial issue in that people disagree on how to solve it. You will need to decide which elements of controversy to address with learners and/or stakeholders. 

      TASK 3: Read the article, “Professional Judgment and Deciding what to teach as controversial”. Using the three issues you identified in your self-reflection, identify the environmental problem, the environmental issue, and controversial topics, if applicable. Describe why it might be helpful to distinguish the difference. How might these subtle differences change how you frame an issue with learners? 

      TASK 4: Some environmental issues, like climate change, have also become controversial topics and there is resistance to learning about the issues. In making decisions about what to teach, it can be helpful to look at public opinion data to understand where the controversy is. 

      Explore: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/. Look at the data for the state and/or region where you teach. Explore the different questions, but be sure to find the results for the statement, “Schools should teach about global warming.” In your course journal, reflect on the following from the climate information you just explored: 

      • What surprised you? 
      • What wasn’t surprising? 
      • How does your state/region compare to the rest of the nation on these questions? 
      • How might this data impact your teaching about climate change and/or other environmental issues?

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      How Teaching about Controversial Environmental Issues and Topics is a Component of High Quality EE

      "By teaching about controversial issues, students learn about topics relevant to their lives, deepen their understanding of complex issues, and explore diverse perspectives. Students also gain opportunities to share ideas, listen carefully to their peers, and practice being open to and respectful of others’ viewpoints. Building knowledge and civil discourse skills are essential for effective participation in our democracy.” (Choices Program, Brown University) 

      TASK 5: While teaching controversial issues and topics can be challenging, there can be many benefits to your students. Read this article on The importance of discussing controversial topics. What benefits do you anticipate in engaging your learners in exploring controversial environmental issues and topics?

    • Submit Module 1 Course Journal Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 11:57 AM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Submit your completed Module 1 Course Journal.

      • View scoring guide>>
      • You may upload a Word document or submit a link to a Google Doc. If you submit a link to a Google Doc, adjust the sharing settings so that it can be viewed by anyone with the link. Click the blue Share button in the top right. A new box will open, under Get Link, select 'Anyone with the link'.


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    Module 2: Role of the Educator in Addressing Environmental Issues and Topics

    Description:
    In this module, you will begin to explore your role as an educator - before, during, and after exploring an issue with learners. Although some of the resources in this module are written for classroom teachers, if you work at a non-formal education setting, these resources are still applicable. Think about how they are relevant for any audience you teach.

    Objectives:
    After completing this module, you should be able to:
    • Understand when to use education and/or advocacy strategies with learners. 
    • Identify strategies for educators in setting the stage for exploring controversial environmental issues. 
    • Make the case for investigating environmental issues with students in your school and/or organization. 

    Estimated Time for Completion:
    2.5 hours

    Benchmark Assessment:

    Module 2 Tasks:

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Our Role as Educators in Exploring Environmental Issues with Learners

      Educators understand that their commitment as environmental educators is to provide accurate, balanced, and effective instruction—not to promote a particular view about environmental conditions, issues, or actions. Educators: 

      • Identify and implement instructional techniques for presenting differing viewpoints and theories in a balanced manner and identifying potential sources of bias in information. Differentiate among instructional materials on the basis of their factual accuracy. 
      • Select and use materials that together present a range of differing viewpoints, ethical positions, and interpretations where there are differences of opinion or competing scientific explanations. 
      • Weigh evidence regarding environmental problems based on validity of data (e.g., from scientific societies or reputable journals).
      • Identify and implement instructional strategies and techniques that encourage learners to explore different perspectives, form their own opinions, and explain their beliefs. (Guidelines for Excellence Professional Development of Environmental Educators, NAAEE)

      TASK 1:       Read "Two Hats," by John Hug and respond to the following questions in your course journal: 

      • How do the "two hats" differ? When is it appropriate and when inappropriate to wear each of these hats? 
      • Describe a scenario for wearing each hat. Where have you worn each hat? 
      • Why is it important to be aware of which hat you are wearing in exploring environmental issues with learners? 

      TASK 2:       Watch the video, “Deciding to Decide: Sharing your views with Students.” Would you share your personal views with your learners? Why or why not? In your course journal, give at least one example of a situation where you would share your views and one where you might not. 


      TASK 3: Read “Teaching Controversial Issues: A Framework for Reflective Practice” by Judy Pace. How do you currently or how could you incorporate the 8 best practices into your instruction? Which practices are strengths and which could be improved? 

      • Cultivate a Supportive Environment: 
      • Select Authentic Issues: 
      • Prepare Thoroughly: 
      • Choose Research and Pedagogies: 
      • Think through Teacher Stance: 
      • Guide Discussion: 
      • Communicate Proactively: 
      • Address Emotions:


      TASK 4: In order to select appropriate instructional materials that present a range of differing viewpoints, educators must know how to identify potential sources of bias in information and be able to differentiate among materials on the basis of their factual accuracy. Students must also learn how to evaluate sources of information in their investigation of an environmental issue. 

      Quality of Source Card Sort Activity (this activity is modified from The Beetles Project - Evidence and Explanations Professional Learning Session) 

      Look through these examples of different potential sources of information. Next, go to this link where you will see these sources in a random order. In the lower right corner, click on the Settings icon and select the bottom option “Quality” under the Background Options dropdown menu. Sort the cards and place them in a continuum, from what you think is the lowest to the highest quality of source. 

      In your Course Journal, share a screenshot of how you sorted the Sources of Information cards. Then answer the following questions: 

      • Briefly explain why you sorted the cards the way that you did. 
      • How could an educator encourage student awareness of citing and judging quality of sources without doing the card sort?


      OPTIONAL: Read through The Stink Test, an activity teaches students how to recognize whether a source is valid or not. How could you use this activity with your students?

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Communicate Proactively on Controversial Topics

      Teaching controversial issues is beneficial for students. When they are also controversial topics it can be challenging for educators to navigate concerns of students, parents, administrators, and others. 

      TASK 5: Watch the video, “Talk the Talk: Communicating with Stakeholders” from iCivics. Who would you need to communicate with to ensure the exploration of an environmental issue goes smoothly? (Parents, administrators, school district representatives, program directors, board members, etc.) In your course journal write a communication (email, letter, handout, etc) or explain how you would communicate with your stakeholders about the environmental issue exploration you are going to engage in.

       

    • Submit Module 2 Course Journal Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 11:57 AM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Submit your completed Module 2 Course Journal.

      • View Scoring Guide >>
      • You may upload a Word document or submit a link to a Google Doc. If you submit a link to a Google Doc, adjust the sharing settings so that it can be viewed by anyone with the link. Click the blue Share button in the top right. A new box will open, under Get Link, select 'Anyone with the link'.

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    Module 3: 5 Step Process for Investigating Environmental Issues

    Description:
    In this module, you will be introduced to a 5 step model for Investigating Environmental Issues based on research.

    Objectives:
    After completing this module, you should be able to:
    • Identify the 5 steps to investigating environmental issues with learners. 
    • Understand the various components of an environmental issue. 
    • Identify strategies to engage learners in action. 
    • Practice the 5 steps of investigating an environmental issue. 

    Estimated Time for Completion:
    4.5 hours

    Benchmark Assessment:


    Module 3 Tasks:

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Researchers in the field of environmental education suggest a five-step process as a framework for addressing environmental issues (Pennock & Bardwell, 1994): Let's take a closer look at each of the five steps:

      STEP 1: Choosing an Issue

      Educators select environmental issues relevant to their subject matter and make judgments about which ones are open versus settled. They choose issues important to explore from multiple, legitimate perspectives. Educators frame questions that generate inquiry and discussion on these perspectives. Often it helps to start with issues that are less contentious and build to politically and emotionally charged issues. 

      How you and your learners choose an issue will depend on many factors, including time, resources, and age-appropriateness. Environmental issues can be explored at any age, but they will look very different. An issue for a kindergarten class might be, “How should we treat insects on the playground?” Likely, there will be multiple perspectives to explore in how that issue is solved. Some students may want to step on them and others may want to protect them. Older students can engage in investigation of much more complex issues. While it’s not always possible, the more the learners can be actively involved in generating a list of possible issues and in choosing the issue to investigate, the better. It is important that your learners see the issue as "their" issue and not just "your" issue. There are many strategies for generating an inventory of issues and choosing an issue. Here are some: 

      • Generating an Inventory of Issues... 
        • Conduct a brainstorming session with students to find out what issues they are concerned about. 
        • Have students bring in articles/videos about local issues for a designated period of time. 
        • Have students conduct Internet searches. 
        • Have students interview other members of the community, including other students as well as their parents and other adults. 
        • Conduct a walking tour of the school and the neighborhood. 

      • Choosing an Issue... 
        From the list of issues generated, have students: 
        • Develop criteria for choosing and issue and use the criteria to examine and rank the issues 
        • Vote 
        • Lobby each other and then vote 
        • Reach consensus 


      TASK 1: Environmental issues, like Climate Change and others, can cause eco-anxiety in students. Read “Keeping Climate Science Learning and Instruction focused on Solutions and Building Community Resilience.” In your course journal, write a 1 paragraph reflection brainstorming several reasons why it can be important or advantageous to select smaller, locally-oriented and/or issues your students may have agency in. 


      TASK 2: Review the issues you identified in Module 1. Climate change is an example of an environmental problem that is causing impact on a global level whereas drought might be a regional environmental problem related to climate change. In your course journal, identify the local, regional, and global aspects of the environmental problems you identified. What might be age-appropriate ways/scales to explore the problem and/or issue with your learners? 


      TASK 3: In your course journal, write 1-2 paragraphs about considerations that will be important in your school or organization for how you would select an issue to investigate with learners. What things might you want to consider?

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      STEP 2: Clearly Identify the Problem, Stakeholders, and their Values

      This step involves facilitating the students thoroughly researching the issue; gathering information from a variety of reliable sources; and identifying and analyzing a variety of viewpoints. Too often, students want to jump from identifying an issue to generating solutions without taking this important step of researching the problem and considering different perspectives. Part of investigation of an environmental issue is identifying the environmental impacts; however, another equally important component is investigating the human dimensions of the issue - who are the stakeholders, what are their values, what are acceptable solutions to them. Many times, investigation of environmental issues does not dive deeply enough into the human dimensions of the issue. You will see a focus on this in this step and the following steps of the 5 Step Process. 

      To analyze the issue, students need to know… 

      • Who are the interested parties? 
      • How are they affected by the problem? 
      • How do they perceive the issue? 
      • What do they value? 
      • How would they want the issue resolved? 

      The analysis of any issue involves being able to identify the following components: 

      Problem: A condition in which the statue of someone or something is at risk. 

      Issue: A problem about which differing beliefs and values exist. 

      Players: The individuals or organizations having a role in the issue. 

      Positions: The postures of the players concerning the issue. 

      Beliefs: Those ideas concerning the issue, whether true or false, held by the players. 

      Values: Those guides that tend to reflect the relative importance of beliefs in a given situation, such as, aesthetic (appreciation of beauty); ecological (maintenance of integrity of natural systems); economic ( exchange of goods and services for money); cultural (maintenance of the practices of a societal unit); or recreational (use of leisure time) 

      Solutions: The various strategies available to resolve the issue. 


      Ultimately this step will require gathering info from several sources, clarifying biases, sorting fact from opinion, challenging assumptions and thinking critically about the consequences. 


      TASK 4: Read the newspaper article, "Well-known ski town is in a fight over sheep and affordable housing." After reading the article: (1) identify the players who are affected by or have a role in the issue, (2) suggest how they stand on the issue, (3) hypothesize what each player cares about (values); and (4) suggest what each group would propose as a solution. You can create similar and multiple "issue analysis" exercises for your students using local newspapers or periodical articles.

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      STEP 3: Searching for Solutions

      Searching for solutions engages students in understanding alternative views and in exploring a range of alternative solutions. At this stage, learners need time to think creatively and to weigh possible solutions by revisiting the problem definition stage. At this stage, learners may move back and forth several times from searching for solutions to redefining the problems as new information comes to light. 

      A List of Possible Solutions can be generated by: 

      • Drawing on information gathered through research about the issue 
      • Considering how interested parties in the issue would like it solved 
      • Creating original ideas

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      STEP 4: Evaluating the Options

      Once students have generated a range of solutions, it is time to critically examine those solutions in order to narrow the list down for potential action plans. Students will need to be guided through the consideration of the "pluses and minuses" of each possible solution. Here are some questions to use in facilitating the students' evaluation of the possible solutions: 

      • What are the values and interests served by each solution? 
      • What possible outcomes does each solution hold? 
      • For each solution, what are the barriers that might stand in the way of the desired outcome? 
      • Does the solution directly relate to the problem as the students defined it? 
      • To which solution is it most feasible for the students to meaningfully contribute? 
      • What resources and time would be required? Is the solution a "win-win" or a "win-lose"?

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      STEP 5: Taking Action

      Taking action involves students in bringing certain possibilities to life. Teachers and students can be involved in the action-taking step in personal, education, or political ways. For example: 

      • Students can share what they learned with others.
        Students might choose to prepare presentations for other students and teachers or create lessons to teach younger students about the issue. Students can make personal commitments. Students may make personal pledges to change one aspect of their lifestyle to positively impact the issue and share their pledge with others. 

      • Students can choose to help other organizations.
        Students might work toward resolution of their issue by raising money, distributing flyers or helping to survey the community. 

      • Students can conduct direct action projects in their schools or community.
        Students have monitored water quality in local waterways, set up school recycling and composting programs, testified at state hearings, made recommendations to county commissioners or school committees, and petitioned for new ordinances. 


      Note: It is important to remember that truly successful student-generated action projects are only possible after students have worked through all four previous steps of the process! 


      TASK 5: True stories are powerful teaching tools for approaching environmental issues. Success stories can introduce students not only to the issues themselves but also to different ways of approaching them, people and organizations that make solutions happen, and the complications they overcome as they do so. Success stories are a way of giving students positive images of solving environmental issues. Again success stories can be found in the newspaper, magazines, TV shows and other media. 

      Do an internet search to identify a success story related to an environmental issue of your choice. In your course journal, answer the following questions: 

      • What motivated the individual or group in this story to take action? 
      • What types of action did they undertake? 
      • What barriers and challenges did they face? 
      • How did they overcome these barriers? 
      • How might you use this story with your learners? 

      TASK 6: Dr. Harold Hungerford has written extensively about 6 categories of responsible citizen action that can be taken to resolve environmental issues. Although his research is decades old now, it still holds true today. The 6 categories are: 

      1. Persuasion - An effort to verbally motivate human beings to take positive environmental action as a function of modified values. 
      2. Consumerism - An economic threat by an individual or a group aimed at some form of behavioral modification in business or industry or some conservation mode of behavior with respect to goods and/or services 
      3. Political Action - An effort aimed at persuading an electorate, a legislator (or legislature), or executive governmental agency to conform to the values held by the person or persons taking that action 
      4. Legal Action - Any legal/judiciary action taken by an individual and/or organization which is aimed at some restraint preceding some environmental behavior perceived as undesirable 
      5. Eco-management - Any physical action taken by an individual or a group aimed directly at maintaining or improving the existing ecosystems 
      6. Interactions of any of the above 


      (A Paradigm of Environmental Action, Hungerford &Peyton)


      In your course journal, answer the following: 

      • Describe an example of a specific action students could take that fits each of the categories. 
      • Which of these action categories do you feel most comfortable facilitating with your students? Why?
      • Are there any types of action you could facilitate with your students?

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Practicing the 5 Steps

      TASK 7: Choose an environmental issue to investigate. Select an issue relevant to you or your students. See several examples below: 

      • Should wolves be reintroduced in Colorado? 
      • Should cities in Colorado require homeowners to remove their lawns to conserve water that would otherwise be used for landscaping? 
      • How should Colorado regulate the use of fracking in oil and gas drilling?
      • Should plastic waste be addressed with individual action or government regulation?
      • Should the government enact a carbon tax on businesses?
      • As the use of alternative energy increases, can huge solar installations contribute efficiently and safely?

      Use the Internet or other sources to research your issue.       Find and cite at least three sources of information. Identify the players (at least 3) and their positions, beliefs and values. Use your own critical thinking skills to evaluate the information you found and your reaction to it. 

      In your course journal, write a one page summary addressing the following: 

      • Describe the environmental problem and issue. Why did you select this issue? 
      • Identify the players (at least 3) and their positions, beliefs and values. Cite your sources of information. 
      • Did you recognize any bias in the information you found? 
      • What solutions would the stakeholders you identified propose? Are there any additional solutions that should be considered? 
      • What solution would you recommend based on your research? How would it benefit/hurt the stakeholders you identified? 
      • What is/are the most responsible action(s) to be taken concerning your issues? 
      • What would the consequences (both positive and negative) of action be? 
      • Is there sufficient evidence to warrant action on this issue? 
      • What steps would need to be taken to take action on this environmental problem or issue?

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Reflecting on and Applying the Process

      After learning and practicing the 5-Step Process, a concern you might have is time. Sometimes we just don't have enough time to go deeply into each of the 5 steps in the process. In these cases, you have a couple different options that will all depend on your context, your learners and your learning goals. You could go through the full process at a cursory level. One educator used the 5 Step Process to talk about behavior on the trail (not exactly controversial, but still helps learners develop the same skills and useful to help younger learners build issue investigation skills). She had a student that was pulling bark off trees. The question (or issue) became "Is it important to leave the bark on the trees or not." They defined the issue by identifying the stakeholders and talking about what those stakeholders care about. The student was pulling the bark off the tree because it was fun. The tree might want to keep the bark because it protects it from fire. The insect living on the tree might want the bark on the tree because it gives it a place for shelter or food. They briefly talked about other solutions to pulling the bark off the tree. They brainstormed a couple of options and then talked about which one the student might want to do and what they thought the results might be. The whole conversation took less than five minutes but helped learners start to develop the skills of looking at multiple perspectives and weighing multiple options. 

      You might also, depending on your context, just practice with one or two of the steps that make the most sense for your learning goals. While learners need opportunities to practice all the steps and skills- they don't necessarily need to practice them all every time. When you have a limited time frame, you might be choosing the issue instead of having learners choose it. You might just want to focus on identifying stakeholders and what they care about or just focus on brainstorming solutions. With some issues (again, context dependent), you might have learners take some of the steps and have an example of a real community facing the issue. For example, students might go through the steps of thinking about stakeholders and their needs and generating solutions, but not dig into analyzing the options and actually take action. You could provide an example of a community and explain what they decided to do in the situation and what the result was. Or, if you are a non-formal educator, these could be great opportunities to provide teachers with extension activities that they could do back in the classroom to continue the process of going through the 5 steps. There are probably a million more examples of ways that you can help students build the skills that will help them be able to apply the 5 step process, even if you aren't doing it all together in one learning experience.


       TASK 8:       Reflect on each of the five steps. What are the strengths of this process? What are your concerns? In your Course Journal, write a 1 paragraph summary of your answers to both questions. 


      TASK 9: In your current practice, which steps of the process are you currently engaging in with learners and which steps would you like to incorporate more. Write a one paragraph reflection in your course journal.

    • Submit Module 3 Course Journal Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 12:00 PM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Submit your complete Module 3 Course Journal.

      • View scoring guide>>
      • You may upload a Word document or submit a link to a Google Doc. If you submit a link to a Google Doc, adjust the sharing settings so that it can be viewed by anyone with the link. Click the blue Share button in the top right. A new box will open, under Get Link, select 'Anyone with the link'.


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    Module 4: Managing Conflict

    Description:
    In this module, you will explore several tools to support you in managing conflict if and when it arises during controversial environmental issue investigations.

    Objectives:
    After completing this module, you should be able to:
    • Understand the benefits of group agreements for investigating controversial environmental issues with learners. 
    • Explain the benefits of discussion in exploring controversial environmental issues with learners. 
    • Identify strategies for diffusing conflict during issue exploration. 
    • Explain why a trauma-informed approach can support students during issue investigation. 

    Estimated Time for Completion:
    4 Hours

    Benchmark Assessment:


    Module 4 Tasks

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Setting the Stage: Creating Agreements for Exploring Environmental Issues and Topics

      “Norms [or group agreements] are a set of agreed upon standards that provide clear expectations for classroom behaviors and interactions. Norms act as guidelines for classroom discussions.” Norms or discussion agreements can help clarify the expectations for students in how to handle disagreements. Note: The resource selected below uses the term norms. The Beetles Project noted that they chose to use the term agreements instead of norms because norms can imply one normal/accepted way to participate in discussions. This can lead to marginalization of learners who don’t identify with the assumed “normal” culture, which is typically white (Solomon, et al., 2005). Group (or community) agreements can shift the culture to be more inclusive, deliberately highlighting different acceptable ways of being and acting, and placing value on hearing and integrating different perspectives. 

      TASK 1: Read pages 1-4 of “Leveraging Norms for Challenging Conversations." In your course journal, generate a list of sample group agreements that you might be helpful for engaging in challenging discussions with your learners. Be sure to consider the age of your learners and make sure the terms and phrases you list are ones they would understand. What process would you use to generate or adopt the agreements? 


      Additional Resources: 

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Utilizing Discussion

      “Discussion formats, thinking routines, and learning strategies help provide structure so conversations don’t go too far off the rails, ensure students listen to one another, use reliable sources, and consider different perspectives and ideas.” (You want to teach what?, Harvard Graduate School of Education) 

      TASK 2: Think about discussions you’ve been in when you have felt comfortable participating and when you haven’t felt comfortable participating. In your course journal, answer the following questions: 

      • What strategies are helpful for you when you are participating in a discussion? 
      • What strategies might help learners to participate? 

      TASK 3: Watch the “Importance of High Quality Discussions”. In your course journal, write a short one paragraph reflection to answer the following questions:
      • How comfortable are you in incorporating high quality discussion? 
      • How can incorporating more opportunities for discussion throughout your instruction might be beneficial and/or challenging? 


      TASK 4: Read the “Facilitating Effective Group Discussions” from Brown University. In your course journal, write a one-to-two paragraph reflection on the following questions:
      • What things do you already consider when planning a discussion with learners? 
      • What questions might help you plan or evaluate a discussion in the future? 

      TASK 5: Read the Discussion Map from the Beetles Project. Using the discussion map, write a series of questions to help your learners discuss an environmental issue or topic of your choosing.


      TASK 6: There are many discussion routines that can help support exploring environmental issues and topics. Select and read one of the discussion resources below. In your course journal, select one discussion routine you might use to help explore an environmental issue or topic and describe why you would use it.

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Facilitating Hot Moments in the Classroom

      Even when we prepare for a discussion, sometimes, as educators, we might need to intervene in a discussion.

      TASK 7: Read pages 3-4 of “Facilitating Hot Moments in the Classroom”. In your course journal, reflect on which 2-3 strategies would be most effective for you.
    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Using a Trauma Informed Approach

      Climate change and other environmental problems, such as wildfires, floods, droughts, and hurricanes, can cause trauma and trauma-related mental health reactions particularly for those experiencing those natural disasters. Additionally, anxiety, anger, and hopelessness about the future impacts of environmental issues can have significant impacts on mental health. Using a trauma informed approach to learning can be helpful for all students. 


      TASK 8: Read “Climate Mental Health” from the CLEAN Network. In your course journal, reflect on how you can intentionally bring some of the strategies mentioned into your instructional practice.

    • Submit Module 4 Course Journal Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 12:01 PM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Submit your complete Module 4 Course Journal.

      • View scoring guide>>
      • You may upload a Word document or submit a link to a Google Doc. If you submit a link to a Google Doc, adjust the sharing settings so that it can be viewed by anyone with the link. Click the blue Share button in the top right. A new box will open, under Get Link, select 'Anyone with the link'.


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    Module 5: Making a Plan for Exploring Controversial Issues and Topics

    Description:
    In this module, you will use learnings and strategies from the previous four modules to create a lesson or program plan to investigate a controversial environmental issue and/or topic with your learners.

    Objectives:
    After completing this module, you should be able to:
    • Generate a plan for investigating a controversial environmental issue and/or topic with learners. 

    Estimated Time for Completion:
    2 hours

    Benchmark Assessment    :
    • Completed lesson and/or program plan describing how you will investigate a controversial environmental issue and/or topic with learners, AND 
    • Completed Module 5 Course Journal 
    • View Scoring Guide >>

    Module 5 Tasks:

    • Students must
      Mark as done
      Culminating Assignment: Designing a Lesson and/or Program

      Although you may be exploring environmental issues in many subject areas and/or programs, the Social Studies based Inquiry Design Model provides a helpful structure for planning to explore issues with learners. The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is a distinctive approach to creating curriculum and instructional materials that honors educators’ knowledge and expertise, avoids overprescription, and focuses on the main elements of the instructional design process as envisioned in the Inquiry Arc of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards (2013).

      TASK 1: Read the Inquiry Design Model at a Glance from C3teachers.org.

      OPTIONAL: Learn more about the Inquiry Design Model.

      TASK 2: Create a lesson, unit, or program plan using the Inquiry Design Model Template or another lesson and/or program template that you use at your school or organization. Lesson plans and/or program outlines should include the following, regardless of the template:

      • The Environmental Problem, issue, and/or topic you wish to investigate with learners framed as a question.
      • Description of Activities to help students practice skills in the 5 Step Process to Investigating Issues.
      • Description of Standards Addressed from Applicable subject. If Standards are not relevant to your program, use the K-12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence.
      • Description of how you will assess student learning.
      • Inclusion of at least 3 sources your students will explore.


      TASK 3: In your course journal, answer the following questions:

      • Why did you select this particular issue and/or topic to explore? Why is this issue or topic important to your learners?
      • How can you incorporate student voice into your lesson and/or program plan?
      • Who would you need to communicate with to ensure the exploration of this environmental issue and/or topic goes smoothly?
      • Is this an environmental issue and/or topic where you would share your personal view with students?
      • How else will you incorporate tools and/or strategies you have practiced and/or strengthened during this eeCourse into your instruction?
      • How will this lesson and/or program help meet educational and/or organizational goals?
      • What questions do you still have about exploring controversial environmental issues and topics with students? How will you continue your learning?
    • Submit Lesson/Program Plan Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 2:00 AM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Please upload or share a link to your completed Lesson/Program Plan. You may use the Inquiry Design Model Template or another format but make sure that it includes all of the elements referenced above.

    • Submit Module 5 Course Journal Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 2:00 AM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Submit your complete Module 5 Course Journal.

      • View scoring guide>>
      • You may upload a Word document or submit a link to a Google Doc. If you submit a link to a Google Doc, adjust the sharing settings so that it can be viewed by anyone with the link. Click the blue Share button in the top right. A new box will open, under Get Link, select 'Anyone with the link'.


    • Course Evaluation Assignment
      Opened: Thursday, 9 November 2023, 2:00 AM
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Your final assignment for this course is to submit a Course Evaluation. 

      After completing the evaluation and checking the completion box, you will be able to download/print a certificate of completion for your records.  The certificate will not appear until all activities and assignments are marked complete and have a passing grade.

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    Certificate of Completion