A new publication and CD-ROM on environmental education is now available at no cost from the Environmental Education & Training Partnership (EETAP). EETAP collaborated with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) to produce "Advancing Education Through Environmental Literacy." The booklet and accompanying CD-Rom are being distributed this month nationwide to 15,000 school superintendents and curriculum directors.

EETAP is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national environmental education training program. It has been managed by the UW-Stevens Point�s (UWSP) College of Natural Resources since October 2000. In addition to UWSP and ASCD, EETAP includes eight other national partners. Since its inception, EETAP has provided training to over 100,000 educators from across the nation.

The publication focuses on how education and the environment can be linked to advance both. Included are descriptions of schools successfully implementing environmental education programs and summaries of research documenting how schools have raised test scores of their students by using the environment to help teach content in subject areas such as social studies, science, reading and math.

The CD-ROM provides a sample of 43 free environmental education activities. The activities are linked to different grade levels and subject areas, making it easy for teachers to choose the ones that are right for their situation. The activities provide an introduction to environmental education. By using them, teachers can explore how environmental education can help meet academic standards, boost student learning and promote environmental literacy. Robert Holsman, assistant professor at the CNR, developed the CD-ROM with assistance from former graduate students Rachel Golden and Rebecca Weber.

Rick Wilke, UW System Distinguished Professor and EETAP Director, is pleased with the involvement of ASCD in this project. "The fact that this resource for educators is being distributed by ASCD is important because ASCD is probably the most respected formal education organization in the country with over 160,000 education decision makers as members." According to Wilke, the materials will prove to be very valuable to educators attempting to convince principals, superintendents and school board members of the value of environmental education and the contributions it can make to the curriculum and to student learning.

Those interested in a free copy of the publication and accompanying CD-ROM can contact Sharon Buzza at EETAP. She can be reached at sbuzza@uwsp.edu or by calling (715) 346-4766.

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tmiller/vc/EETAP CD-ROM