Education Breakout Group

Primary Goal

• Provide opportunities for accessible lifelong learning through phenology

Key Concepts

• Phenology is science – relevant, low cost, simple, accessible, powerful, integrative

• Phenology is integral in human decision-making• Phenological events are changing in space and time• Phenology allows early detection of impact of climate change

and variability on plants and animals• Phenology affects humans through health, leisure,

agriculture, transportation, forestry• Phenology reflects connectivity and synchrony in ecological

systems• Phenology has a long and interesting tradition

Objectives

• Engage target audiences effectively

• Effectively communicate value of program

• Develop, adopt, adapt phenology educational and outreach materials relevant to target audience

• Develop sense of community and contribution to knowledge

Objectives (cont.)

• Encourage communication among observers, including existing groups

• Regularly provide results to public, in large part to generate excitement and continued involvement

• Minimize barriers to involvement for all interested groups

• Ensure submitted data can be used in scientific studies

• Get feedback from participants and data users

Potential Partners

• GLOBE• Journey North• Extension programs• Frog Watch• National Parks• Museums and

Botanical Gardens• Boy and Girl Scouts• 4H• FFA

• Retirement homes• Smithsonian • Audubon• NSTA• NACD• ESA• BSA• DLESE

Actions

• Evaluate what is already out there• Identify and prioritize target audiences (e.g.,

specific age group)• Include target species and phenological events

that occur within the school year• Develop user-friendly website• Develop recording and archiving system• Develop system to visualize results• Consider pilot projects

Actions (cont.)

• Draw up invitations to potential participating groups specific to their interests

• Develop “how to” materials according to target audience- Field guides- Guides to recording data

• Develop training workshops• Align educational materials to national, state, local

educational standards• Develop phenology and climate modules that can be

distributed to other organizations• Develop methods for evaluation and assessment

Measures of Success

• Number of schools and observers• Web visits• Downloads of resources• Training sessions• Media stories• Repeat participation• Annual increases in numbers of

participants