Streamside science

Excerpt

Educational programs, especially at a secondary level, can significantly impact adult attitudes and concerns for the environment (Palmer 1993). Orr (1992) suggests that quality education programs require a pedagogical approach that integrates both content knowledge and practical experience. Buethe and Small-wood (1987) found that teachers at all levels and in all subjects influence their students' environmental attitudes and that what they teach is influenced by what they know and what they value. In addition, those teachers with a better understanding of environmental issues appear to be more effective in helping their students become more aware of their environment.

Utah State University Extension's Water Quality Program uses stream monitoring techniques to teach about water pollution and watershed functions. Our programs reach over 5,000 youth each year with activities ranging from one hour to all day. In an attempt to reach more young people, we also train teachers to use our activities; however, classroom adoption of these activities has remained limited to those teachers with a special interest in water or outdoor education.

Through informal discussions with teachers, we became aware of probable barriers to wider use of our activities by educators, the most significant being the …