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Description
ABSTRACT
This study consisted of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to evaluate an Environmental Health Partnership (EHP) workshop for high school science teachers. A pre-test was given prior to the start of the workshop and a post-test was administered at the end. Teachers were asked to respond to questions on a written evaluation form in accordance to the goals of the workshop as a qualitative method of program evaluation. The study sample consisted of 18 teachers from Florida. There were 12 females and six males. All 18 teachers showed increases in their knowledge of superfund and environmental health issues. A majority of the teachers (a total of 13) were impressed with the program, had positive comments, and felt that the goals of the workshop were met. Only five teachers had suggestions for program improvement and felt that the goals of the workshop were not completely met. Overall, the 2003 Environmental Health Partnership workshop was successful.
Key words: environmental education, teacher workshop, evaluation, Environmental Health Partnership (EHP), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS), Superfund.
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INTRODUCTION
The Environmental Health Partnership program is a national effort funded by the National Institute of Environmental Heath Sciences (NIEHS). The EPA Superfund Basic Research Program was designed to compliment the existing work by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the effort to clean up hazardous sites. The Environmental Health Partnership takes place during June of each year. Outstanding science teachers are selected from across the state to partake in an intensive one-week residential program. These teachers are chosen based on having at least three years of science teaching experience, a letter of recommendation from a school administrator, the willingness to prepare and implement an action plan involving their school and community, and being from a county that has a Superfund site.
During this one intensive week in residence, the teachers work with researchers to analyze alligator eggs from contaminated sites (Ecotoxicology Project), use Western blots to identify the biomarker vitellogenin in minnows exposed to estrogen (Molecular Biomarkers Project), test the bioavailability of heavy metals (Environmental Engineering Project), observe toxin-induced damage in human tissue (HistoPathology Core), and sample local spring and runoff waters for contamination. In addition to laboratory and fieldwork, the teachers attend lectures on human and ecological risk assessment, Superfund site cleanup, waste management, and careers in public health and environmental sciences. A typical day would involve breakfast followed by a lecture, a tour of lab facilities, or maybe an activity, then lunch followed by another lecture, tour, or activity, then dinner followed by another lecture, tour, activity, or curriculum discussions.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES
The following was taken from the University of Florida Center for Precollegiate Education and Training website 2003:
Sunday, June 15
Overview
Dr. Mary Jo Koroly gave an overview of the week as well as some of the other UF CPET programs. Dr. Steve Roberts presented a lecture on the Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) at UF.
Monday, June 16
Risk Assessment
Dr. Steve Roberts and Dr. Hugo Ochoa, both faculty at UF, presented material on Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. Dr. Aaron Hilliard, from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, gave a 'front line' look at the cleanup of Superfund sites... |
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