No abstract

Informal science education has received great attention nationally in recent years, however little has been included in the research or policy literature regarding camps as contexts for informal learning. This article first describes how a Great Lakes water resource education camp is based upon professional definitions of informal, nonformal and formal education. Next, we describe specific details of our longrunning Michigan 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp designed to foster teen leadership and watershed stewardship. The Camp utilizes research-based best practices in nonformal science education, Place Based Education, Great Lakes Literacy education, and environmental education, as we demonstrate through detailed literature review. We also provide details of quantitative impact evaluation conducted between 1999 and 2012 and involving over 700 youth participants. Youth received pre-Camp and immediate post-Camp surveys. The Camp had a positive impact on teens' Great Lakes literacy, place attachment, and stewardship intentions. We conclude with recommendations for designing nonformal water literacy education, based on guidelines from the National Research Council and from our experiences, to enhance whole-person development and deep learning through nonformal camp-based programs.

Purpose This paper aims to examine the textual coverage of the topic of public engagement in leading English language sustainability textbooks. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors’ findings are based on a content analysis of 12 textbooks published between 2005 and 2015. The authors generated the sample through three sources: a review of the offerings of five major academic publishers, title searches of academic databases and an examination of the syllabi compiled by AASHE. Texts that displayed a high degree of disciplinarity or those that were narrowly focused were rejected. A list of a priori codes was established in which the authors expected to find in the indices of the texts. This resulted in 21 expected a priori codes for which the authors assessed the sample texts to gauge the place of engagement in these materials. Findings The authors find that only two textbooks contained ten or more references to engagement. Overall, very little attention was paid to the ways in which individuals, groups or institutions can engage in action for a sustainable society. The authors argue that substantive changes in the writing of textbooks are necessary to provide students with comprehensive training on why engagement is critical. More diverse writing teams, attention to cultural obstacles and mindfulness of the politics of difference are recommended. Practical implications Practical implications include pedagogical methods aimed at better-informed students knowledgeable of the importance of public engagement in the sustainability transition. Social implications Social implications include a more dynamic socially sustainable educational experience for students, which is aligned with cutting-edge scholarship. Originality/value The authors know of no other research devoted to the analysis of engagement in contemporary sustainability textbooks. The authors hope to encourage writers of sustainability textbooks and their editors to incorporate more robust social science scholarship on pivotal topics such as how social change and action intersects with sustainability. Second, the authors seek to broaden a conversation about the role of public engagement in sustainability-focused textbooks and curricula.

Natural resource agencies increasingly need to engage nontraditional stakeholders for public support and financial resources, especially considering a decline in traditional activities such as hunting and fishing. Conservation educators recognized this need, and they are creating new networks of outreach and service programs. The Michigan Conservation Stewards Program (CSP) was designed to reach new stakeholders for natural resource management as an adult conservation education and volunteerism program, similar in format to Master Naturalist programs. We observed these benefits of the CSP for learners and agencies: (1) increased ecological knowledge; (2) improved attitudes toward management practices and toward the natural resource agency; and (3) an initial corps of volunteers with specific conservation skills. This education program advanced knowledge and transformed volunteer

No abstract