EcoBlitz is an interdisciplinary environmental education & community science program created by a team of California based National Geographic Explorers and National Geographic Certified Educators. The spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration encourages students to explore plant and animal biodiversity like a biologist, and trash and plastics like an anthropologist. Students learn about their communities through lenses of global education, geographic education, and environmental education. Students develop the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of real National Geographic Explorers while working with other classes throughout California to create more socially just and sustainable local and global communities.
During the asynchronous course, participants will attend one live 40 minute frontloading meeting over Zoom with members of the EcoBlitz Team at the beginning of March (options include March 4 @ 4 PM, March 7 @3:30 PM, March 10 @ 5 PM*), and will complete asynchronous monthly assignments for the duration of the course. The asynchronous course assignments will provide participants with the necessary background knowledge and skills needed to facilitate an EcoBlitz with their student populations and use community science tools such as iNaturalist and Marine Debris Tracker. Expect between 2-4 hours of coursework/week. This course is geared towards classroom teachers, but educators in other settings are welcome, provided they will be able to conduct all components of an EcoBlitz with a consistent group of participants during the timeframe of the course.
The EcoBlitz course utilizes Canvas as its learning management platform. Participants will be added to the platform prior to the course's start date. Participants who complete the course and all required deliverables will earn a microcredential badge from AEOE and can purchase 2 professional development units from Teachers College of San Joaquin for an additional fee.
EcoBlitz Team and EcoBlitz co-creators: Kimi Waite (course facilitator and team lead), Jessica Lura, Dr. Anna Antoniou, Dr. Rebecca Tarvin, Dr. Joe Cutler, David McGuire, Jim Bentley. Bios can be found on the EcoBlitz website under EcoBlitz Team.
EcoBlitz is supported by The North American Association for Environmental Education, The California Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education, and The National Geographic Society. More information can be found on the EcoBlitz website.
Registered course participants will have opportunities to opt-in to participate in a doctoral research study about critical environmental science agency. Selected participants in the research study who opt-in to participate in 2 interviews will receive a $50 stipend.
* If you are unable to attend one of the listed frontloading meetings, there will be a missed session reflection that you can complete if needed.
