LearningTimes Library Online Conference: Innovations by Information Professionals

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation has created an innovative distance learning program to educate the general public about what they can do to conserve the environment in their own yard or community.

Hear Stephanie Eskins Gleason of the National Wildlife Federation offer some remarks about her organization receiving this award:

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Members of the distance education team at the National Wildlife Federation, led by Stephanie Eskins Gleason (second from lower left) accept the award from LearningTimes Executive Producer Jonathan Finkelstein (lower left) and LearningTimes CEO John Walber (right) at a special ceremony at the NWF headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

Members of the distance education team at the National Wildlife Federation accept the award from LearningTimes

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) focuses on education and conservation advocacy to ensure that conservation victories are generated through the efforts of a broad-based constituency.

“Creating Places for Wildlife” is a series of seven online courses that provide participants with online training, interactions with experts, downloadable study guides, and interactive testing components. The free program, intended for high school students and adults, demonstrates a multi-faced approach to learning and a true commitment to high-quality online public education.

The experiential activities that supplement each online course get participants out into their region interacting with the environment in beneficial ways, demonstrating that the actions we take every day of our life, in our yards and our communities, can have positive impacts in our state, our nation and beyond our borders. The program cultivates an interest in environmental issues such as resource conservation and habitat preservation/restoration, and it engages participants so that they take action for the environment in practical, sustainable ways.

Participants need only Internet access and a browser to participate. The online courses provide text, streaming audio and video, interaction with subject matter experts, downloadable study guides and audiovisual presentations, and interactive testing components. The interface is designed so participants with dial-up modems can participate as fully as those using broadband.

It is also designed so that participants who are hearing impaired are able to print the dialogue included in the audio and video segments to ensure they receive the benefit of the learning those mediums provide.

This program is an engaging educational program that uses technology in innovative ways to create a powerful learning experience for participants. The online courses can be used as stand-alone learning segments, or they can be combined with experiential activities and external resources that allow participants to pursue their interests outside of the online program. The program can be customized to meet the needs of different regions of the world, and it can be offered in additional languages. It provides a model for other organizations who want to use technology to educate and motivate people to apply sound environmental practices.

	2003 Innovations Awards for Individuals

		National Wildlife Federation The National Wildlife Federation has created an innovative distance learning program to educate the general public about what they can do to conserve the environment in their own yard or community. Hear Stephanie Eskins Gleason of the National Wildlife Federation offer some remarks about her organization receiving this award: Members of the distance education team at the National Wildlife Federation, led by Stephanie Eskins Gleason (second from lower left) accept the award from LearningTimes Executive Producer Jonathan Finkelstein (lower left) and LearningTimes CEO John Walber (right) at a special ceremony at the NWF headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) focuses on education and conservation advocacy to ensure that conservation victories are generated through the efforts of a broad-based constituency. “Creating Places for Wildlife” is a series of seven online courses that provide participants with online training, interactions with experts, downloadable study guides, and interactive testing components. The free program, intended for high school students and adults, demonstrates a multi-faced approach to learning and a true commitment to high-quality online public education. The experiential activities that supplement each online course get participants out into their region interacting with the environment in beneficial ways, demonstrating that the actions we take every day of our life, in our yards and our communities, can have positive impacts in our state, our nation and beyond our borders. The program cultivates an interest in environmental issues such as resource conservation and habitat preservation/restoration, and it engages participants so that they take action for the environment in practical, sustainable ways. Participants need only Internet access and a browser to participate. The online courses provide text, streaming audio and video, interaction with subject matter experts, downloadable study guides and audiovisual presentations, and interactive testing components. The interface is designed so participants with dial-up modems can participate as fully as those using broadband. It is also designed so that participants who are hearing impaired are able to print the dialogue included in the audio and video segments to ensure they receive the benefit of the learning those mediums provide. This program is an engaging educational program that uses technology in innovative ways to create a powerful learning experience for participants. The online courses can be used as stand-alone learning segments, or they can be combined with experiential activities and external resources that allow participants to pursue their interests outside of the online program. The program can be customized to meet the needs of different regions of the world, and it can be offered in additional languages. It provides a model for other organizations who want to use technology to educate and motivate people to apply sound environmental practices.

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