“We must learn to not only read the word
but to read the world.” -- Paulo Freire
EcoCast Network
Telling the story of our changing planet
-We are a collaborative community of educators, technologists, and environmental organizations with a shared mission to develop data-based learning resources and tools supporting place-based learning with story.
-Our citizen science programs are based on the transformative learning models and theories found in ecopedagogy, climate justice, and culturally oriented knowledge systems that address current environmental and social challenges.
-Community participants learn how to be critical thinkers and to show how they can use their own data and observations to tell place-based stories that promote awareness and inspire plans of action.
A student in one of the pilot programs involving tree equity in urban environments in Arizona stated the following:
"We need to increase community involvement in reporting environmental issues. When more people share observations, patterns can be identified faster which can help communities address problems sooner. Collecting my own data made me feel involved and the ability to contribute knowledge---it is becoming more important because it gives people a voice and helps make science accessible."
While it is important to provide students with resources that provide global and historical context, we should also train students to “read the world” -- to be critical observers and change-makers in response to observed needs in local communities and environments.
Podcast session high school to college bridge program GateWay Community college
