There are multiple opportunities to learn about water, water management, and water education or outreach. These include searchable databases, professional development, conferences, and events. Begin by checking with your colleagues. They are often the best source of information about resources and techniques that work best for the audiences or topics that interest you. We’ve listed some ideas here, to get you started.

USDA Cooperative Extension

Cooperative Extension is a nationwide educational network that brings research and knowledge of Land Grant institutions to people in their homes, workplaces and communities.The Cooperative Extension search page, extension.org, offers resources created by University Extension educators. Enter a specific Water Topic, such as “Drinking Water and Human Health”, in the search box.

Note: to access some eXtension resources you may need to create an eXtension login. See campus.extension.org for additional information.

On this website

Water Management Resources provides an idea of what kinds of materials developed by colleagues that you could expect to find. This collection provides brief descriptions of materials and case studies developed by University Extension educators in the years 2000 – 2010. These are organized by topic. Resource descriptions include key works, describing: geographical emphasis, ecological emphasis, resource type – especially “case studies,” audience, educational purpose.

A unique source, e-Networking, provides access to common listserves of interest to water educators and is a good way to ask your question to someone like yourself.

We provide a searchable database of research findings from studies of adult outreach and education that could claim to identify best education practices for specific audiences.

Distance learning:

Distance learning refers to professional development opportunities available through the Internet, television, radio, or phone-in. The Water Outreach website provides several distance education resources that may be of interest to you, as a professional, or for your students and clients.

• Try the Changing Public Behavior Short Course to develop skills in working with audience information to plan an effective water management strategy.
• The U.S EPA Watershed Academy provides training specific to watershed management.
• The U.S. Geological Survey offers Online Lectures on water-related topics.
• The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and its members offer a wide variety of learning opportunities include conferences, workshops, and online courses.
• The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the Environmental Education program offer online courses for educators working in formal or nonformal settings.

Events

Water-Related Conferences and Calls for Papers, Water Quality Information Center, National Agricultural Library

North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Calendar of Learning

Other resources:

Search the National Agricultural Library

The National Wildlife Refuge System offers a variety of outdoor learning resources, for kids and adults.

The U.S. EPA Watershed Central Wiki is an informal website that offers participants a place to share best practices, case studies, and lessons learned.

The USA Volunteer Water Monitoring Network provides resources designed to expand and strengthen the capacity of volunteer monitoring programs and support development of new groups

Youth Water Education Resources – This link will take you offsite to the Educating Young People About Water curricula database.