Environmental Education

Aves Compatidas Program Overview

Throughout the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has denied the ability of students of all ages to not only interact with people of their age group but also to get outside and receive a traditional in-person learning experience. The Aves Compartidas team, facilitated through the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon, is helping lay down the foundation for future educators to connect students to the environment around them and their sense of place; especially in the aftermath of such a tragic educational loss.

Even before the pandemic, it was clear that environmental and outdoor education positively impacted a student's learning, including increased academic achievement, communication and leadership development, and critical thinking. (Kuo, Barnes, Jordan, Do Experiences in Nature Promote Learning? 2019). These kinds of learning allow students to garner an appreciation for the earth around them while directly interacting with the places they call home. Our team has focused on connecting students to a cross-cultural experience through a curriculum highlighting migratory birds that visit Eugene, Oregon, and Guanajuato, Mexico. This education will ideally give students a broader lens to view environmental issues. In partnering with River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School, our team is also bringing the use of Spanish in a scientific and environmental context, which tends to be underrepresented.

We built our curriculum inspired by the Awareness to Action framework outlined by (Tbilisi Declaration, 1977). This model transforms increased knowledge and awareness of one's environment to encourage attitudes of concern and stewardship. The Aves Compartidas program effectively provides students the tools to cultivate environmentalism within a multicultural context.