(Formalized learning process)

Education initiatives increase knowledge, support attitudes, and develop motivation, commitment, and skills to achieve environmental management goals. Programs can also provide opportunities for the learner to assess the benefit of new knowledge to personal or group needs, and opportunities to practice applying new skills.

For more information about when to use education, consult Essential BEPs or one or more of the following Knowledge Areas:

• Development Theory

• Principles of Adult Education

• Principles of Youth Education

• Principles of Environmental Education

• Technology Transfer/Diffusion of Innovation Theory

QUICK TIPS

1. Assure that your education initiative has a clear purpose with tightly focused outcomes and objectives.

2. Consult Essential BEPs for tips in developing education initiatives for distance education, for individuals, for groups, or for communities.

3. Use training to support an initiative. For example, provide training to:

• Improve planning process skills.

• Generate and refine implementation ideas.

• Improve data gathering and analysis by citizens.

• Increase access to resources by group/coalition.

• Teach skills that group has identified as needed to accomplish goals.

4. Implement an education strategy that:

• Presents all points of view.

• Relates to a specific audience and their needs.

• Presents behaviors that:

• Provide immediate, observable consequences.
• Are similar to what people already do.
• Do not require a lot of steps or training.
• Are relatively low cost in terms of time, energy, money, materials.

5. Provide target audience with opportunities for self-assessment and for practicing or applying new skills.

6. Use creative approaches. For example, a town treasure hunt for valued places.