Environmental Education Plan (pdf)About Criteria I Workshops
Criteria I Workshops should help provide educators with the basic knowledge, skills and abilities needed to deliver high-quality environmental education. These workshops are designed for the professional development of environmental educators who work in both non-formal and formal educational settings and who offer a wide range of programming for all grade levels and for adults. Facilitators of Criteria I Workshops should model professional standards in the field of environmental education as defined by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).
The North American Association for Environmental Education's Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators are used as a framework for evaluating workshops submitted for consideration for Criteria I status.
The following list of workshops and courses has been reviewed and approved by the Environmental Education Certification Committee for completing eligibility criteria for instructional workshops. Although approval of workshops does not hinge on a balanced presentation of alternative points of view, workshop sponsors should, in their presentations, promote informed, objective decision-making. Candidates for North Carolina Environmental Education Certification should consider a variety of experiences that will broaden their range as environmental educators.
Required Criteria I Workshops
A total of 70 hours of workshops from the list of Criteria I Approved Workshops and Courses and a maximum of 10 hours per workshop.
The 70 hours of workshops needed to fulfill the Criteria I section may be taken in any order. It is recommended that you attend at least one or two workshops before you attend the Methods of Teaching EE required workshop. NOTE: The Basics of EE is required before you can attend the Methods of Teaching EE (see below).
The following two workshops must be taken by Each candidate as part of the 70 hour requirement:
1. Basics of Environmental Education. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs (10 hours)
An independent Study Course. This workshop is a prerequisite for anyone taking the Methods of Environmental Education. Coursework must be submitted and approved before enrolling in Methods of Teaching EE. Follow this link to the course materials
2. Methods of Teaching Environmental Education. A 10-hour workshop offered at locations around the state. All upcoming dates will be posted below, placed on the Office EE Calendar and posted to the NC-EE Listserv.
*If a candidate can show coursework completion in this area, credit will be given and these workshops are then optional. Contact the office at eecertification@lists.ncmail.net for further information.
*No Methods of Teaching Environmental Education Workshops are currently scheduled. Check back soon for updates, and keep a check on the NC-EE listserv and EE Calendar.
The additional 50 hours of Criteria I credit can be earned by taking any of the workshops from the list of approved workshops. See list below.
Please submit your documentation of participating in each workshop on a Form B, or submit a photocopy of the workshop certificate and attach it to a Form B.
Note: If you are not a resident of North Carolina, you must take at least two Criteria I Workshops in North Carolina.
Note: To be eligible for consideration as a Criteria I Workshop, agencies/organizations (sponsors) must submit their workshop by completing the Instrutional Workshop Sponsor Information Packet. Go here for more information on how to become a program provider.
Elective Criteria I Workshops
The additional 50 hours of Criteria I credit can be earned by taking any of the workshops from this list.
Program providers may submit workshops and courses for Criteria I Elective approval to the Certification Program Manager. For more information go to sponsor a workshop
The Environment: A Human Health Perspective
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Bono Sen (919) 541-4692
Air Quality Workshops for Elementary, Middle and High School
United States Environmental Protection Agency, RTP
Donna Rogers (919) 541-5478
CATCH
Division of Conservation Education
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Tanya Poole (828) 329-3472
Coastal Explorations for the Class and Field
N.C. Coastal Reserve/N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve
Lori Davis (252) 838-0885
Earth and Environmental Science for Elementary Educators and
Earth and Environmental Science for Middle and High School Educators
Pisgah Forest Insititute (No workshops planned for 2011)
Kevin Fischer
Earth Partnership for Schools
North Carolina Botanical Garden
Grant Parkins (919) 962-2887
EELE: Alpine Forest (Environmental Education Learning Experience) Mount Mitchell State Park
N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation
Kelly Hoke (704) 528-6514 or Sean Higgins (919) 715-0047
EELE: Living Waters (Environmental Education Learning Experience) Eno River State Park
N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation
Park office (919) 383-1686 or Sean Higgins (919) 715-0047
EELE: One of a Kind (Environmental Education Learning Experience) Lake Waccamaw State Park
N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation
Park office (910) 646-4748 or Sean Higgins (919) 715-0047
EELE: Sea Turtle Treks (Environmental Education Learning Experience)
Hammocks Beach State Park
N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation
Park office (910) 326-4881 or Gene Peacock (919) 778-9488
Far Traveler, Red Wolf Recovery Workshop
Red Wolf Coalition
Next workshop offered: Fall 2011
Kim Wheeler 252-796-5600
Feed the Bin
Wake County Solid Waste
Next workshop offered: July 2011
Rebecca Dunstan (919) 856-2602
Flying Wild
Division of Conservation Education
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Tanya Poole (828) 329-3472
Ground Level Ozone - Advanced Air Quality
Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center
National Park Service
Susan Sachs (828) 926-6251
Growing Up WILD
Division of Conservation Education
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Tanya Poole (828) 329-3472
Interpretation: A Teachable Art
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Investigating Your Environment
N.C. Division of Forest Resources
Chris Carlson (919) 857-4801 ext. 4819
It's Our Water
N.C. Division of Water Resources
Holly Denham (919) 715-5433
It's Our Water Online Educator Workshop
Environmental Education Fund & N.C. Division of Water Resources Holly Denham (919) 707-9009 or iowcoordinator@itsourwater.info
Leopold Education Project
Pheasants Forever, Inc.
Robert Hawk (828) 456-3575
Population Connection
Carol Bliese (800) 767-1956
POW! The Planning of Wetlands
Environmental Concern, Inc.
Workshops scheduled by request
Sarah Toman Hilderbrand (410) 745-9620
Project Food, Land and People
N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation
Sandra Weitzel (919) 791-4310
Project GLOBE: Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment
Next workshop offered: Fall 2011
Alisa Wickliff (704) 687-8818
Project Learning Tree: PreK-8; High School; PreK-12 and Project Learning Tree Early Childhood
Renee Strnad (919) 515-5518 or
Jennifer Grantham, NC Forestry Association, (800) 231-7723
Project WET
N.C. Division of Water Resources
Holly Denham (919) 715-5433
Project WILD
Division of Conservation Education
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Tanya Poole (828) 329-3472
Project WILD Aquatic
Division of Conservation Education
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Tanya Poole (828) 329-3472
Southern Appalachian Aquatic Natural History Workshop
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Southern Appalachian Ecology
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Southern Appalachian Mammals
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Southern Appalachian Plants
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Southern Appalachian Reptiles and Amphibians
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
John DiDiego (865) 448-6709
Wastewater Bioremediation
Riverworks at Sturgeon City
JP McCann (910) 938-6452
Where Is Away?
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Renee Strnad (919) 515-5518
WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands
Environmental Concern, Inc.
Workshops scheduled by request
Sarah Toman Hilderbrand (410) 745-9620
Program providers may submit workshops and courses for Criteria I Elective approval to the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. For more information go to program providers.
