12 hours of Professional Development
4 hours pre-workshop,5.5 hours Face to Face, 2.5 hours post-workshop assignment

There will be four sessions. The first session will meet for 1 hour, the following three sessions will meet for 1.5 hours

Facilitated by Earth Ethics Institute Staff        

This workshop is one of a two-part series, each offering four sessions that address a central issue of our time: What is the appropriate relationship of human beings to Earth? As participants engage in readings and discussion questions, they will share observations and reflections on our relationship to Earth, the threats of ecological imbalance, what we can do to create a paradigm shift and make lasting, impactful change, and what the role of higher education is in creating a future generation of Earth literate citizens. 

The workshop will be taught as a group-facilitated discussion and broken into four sessions. It will begin with readings from conservationists who have shaped the modern day environmental movement. With that foundation, participants will explore topics that challenge our modern mechanistic view of Earth. Next we will explore how religion and spirituality shape ecological values and ethics. Finally, participants will synthesize information to envision how a paradigm shift in systems, including education, can lead to a more sustainable and resilient future.

Each session’s readings will be supported by additional resources, including web resources, videos, and other suggested materials for use in the classroom.

Objectives

As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

·         Examine personal experiences, memories, and reflections on the natural world, as well as one’s connection to place

·         Recognize existing paradigms and identify how they influence systems including education, and shape our relationship with Earth

·         Describe the concepts of systems thinking, deep ecology and the Gaia hypothesis

·         Compare the approaches of indigenous, religious, and spiritual traditions in responding to ecological degradation

·         Describe ways to effectively incorporate right relationship with Earth  into curriculum

Requirements/Evaluation

Evaluation will include completion of assigned readings prior to sessions two through four - minimum of four hours – and completion of workshop. Finally, participant must develop a discipline specific lesson plan or course module that incorporates key concepts of this workshop. Lesson plan is due to the director of Earth Ethics Institute within three weeks of the end of the workshop, and will be posted on the Earth Ethics webpage.

Evaluation:

Evaluation will include completion of workshop and participant must develop a discipline specific lesson plan or course module that incorporates key concepts of sustainability and/or  systems thinking. Lesson plan is due to the director of Earth Ethics Institute within three weeks of the workshop, and will be posted on the Earth Ethics webpage.

Facilitators:

Colleen Ahern-Hettich has served as the director of the Earth Ethics Institute for the past 11 years. Ms. Ahern-Hettich has served on several boards and committees including: the Environmental Education Providers of Miami-Dade County, the Advisory Committee of South Florida Environmental Art Project, Inc.; the Economic, Social and Health Issues Committee of the Miami-Dade County Climate Change Advisory Task Force, the Be Healthy Board, and The City of Miami Green Commission.

Mike Matthews has served as the Earth Ethics Institute part-time program professional for the InterAmerican Campus for the past three years. Matthews holds an M.S. in environmental science from Florida International University. He has taught as a visiting instructor on the faculty of Florida Gulf Coast University’s Marine and Ecological Sciences Department

Netiva Kolitz has served as the Earth Ethics Institute part-time program professional at the Kendall Campus for the past three years. Ms. Kolitz holds a B.S. degree in Psychology, and has completed graduate course work both in Environmental Studies and Education. She has more than 10 years of professional experience in program coordination, environmental education, and public outreach. Ms. Kolitz worked as part of the Education Department of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Alison Walker is EEI Program Professional at Wolfson Campus. She has worked in environmental education, community outreach, and professional development for more than 12 years as an adjunct professor, and at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the US Department of Agriculture. Ms. Walker received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Plant Sciences from University of Florida.