Creating Authentic Opportunities for Youth to Build Resilience to Environmental Hazards in Rural Colorado Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Environmental hazards such as wildfire, flood, and drought impact; communities throughout Colorado. As climate change ramps up, these; environmental hazards are increasing in frequency and severity. These; hazards and their impacts provide an excellent access point for students; to explore earth science concepts and community well being. The Hazard; Education Awareness and Resilience Task Force (HEART Force) is a program; for secondary classrooms in rural Colorado designed to help teachers and; students move beyond classroom instruction and empower them to lead; local efforts to increase resilience to environmental hazards. Colorado; has recently adapted and adopted NGSS which provide opportunities for; students to engage in real world learning through exploring locally; relevant phenomena, yet many classroom teachers are challenged to; transition to a new style of teaching driven by student inquiry. With; this transition, teachers are being asked to give up some control of the; learning process and become facilitators rather than directors of; learning. In order to successfully facilitate authentic student; engagement, a network of community partners is essential to support; students, as well as a supportive school administration and a high level; of teacher comfort with risk and uncertainty. The HEART Force program is; in the third year of implementation; here we share lessons learned and; challenges in supporting teachers in this transition to student-led and; community-based learning using resilience education.

publication date

  • January 20, 2021

Date in CU Experts

  • October 1, 2021 11:19 AM

Full Author List

  • Schloesser K; Christensen A; Leckey E; Gold A; Littrell M; Boyd K; Okochi C; Morton A

author count

  • 8

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