Program Development NKU
Outdoor Education Center Committee
2002-2004 Goals
Work done prior to
the establishment of the Outdoor Classroom Committee (OCC):
1. Needs assessment of K-12 teachers in region.
2. Approval gained from Faculty Senate and university
administration to establish an OCC to consider locating and
developing an outdoor classroom on the campus of NKU.
I. Establish goals, purpose, and objectives. A. Goal: The outdoor classroom will be located in the
wooded area behind the Honors House
and will serve as an educational site with in-service
teachers, pre-service teachers, K-12
students, NKU pre-school students, and community
agencies. B. Purpose and objectives for site us: 1. In-service teacher, K-12
students, and pre-school students.
a. A field trip
site K-12 teachers could bring their students to for learning
about the
environment.
1. Lab school concept: K-12 students are taught by
university students during field
trip experience.
2. NKU students lead Early Childhood center children in
outdoor educational
experiences.
b. Professional
development opportunities to provide training workshops on:
1. How to develop an outdoor classroom site at a
school.
2. How to use an outdoor classroom site at their
school.
c. Teacher
education courses at NKU.
1. Science education faculty will train students on how to
develop an outdoor
classroom.
2. Education faculty will train students on how to use an
outdoor classroom for a
variety of school subjects.
3. Arts and Sciences faculty could offer sessions in the
outdoor classroom.
2. Pre-Service Teacher education.
a. Science
education faculty incorporate training on how to develop and use
an outdoor
education site within the undergraduate science methods courses at
the elementary
(EDU 308), middle grades (EDU 346), and secondary (EDU 330)
levels.
b. Due to the
interdisciplinary nature of outdoor education, other educational
disciplines
in Education and Arts & Sciences would be able to utilize the site
as well.
3. Community: The outdoor classroom at NKU would
help others in the community in their
efforts to design outdoor
classroom campus sites. II. Gather information about potential outdoor classroom
campus sites.
A. Findings of the Natural Areas Inventory of NKU Campus,
conducted by ERMC staff and
students.
B. Committee visit to site location(s).
III. Determine site location.
IV. Establish and communicate objectives for site
components. (For example: nature
trail, aquatic system, animal feeding and viewing
areas, garden area, composting area,
rotting log for decomposition study, weather
station, soil profile area, fossil and rock study
area, benches/picnic tables.) V. Identify campus and off-campus group to help
with site development.
VI. Establish timeline for meeting site component
objectives.
VII. Develop a plan for maintenance of the site.
VIII. Prepare budget and seek funds for achieving objectives.
IX. Oversee development of outdoor classroom.
X. Document the project.
XI. Advertise the project.
XII. Evaluate the project.
