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Lichens—symbiotic
organisms comprised of algae and fungi—color trees, rocks, boulders, and
soil, and they cover 8% of the Earth's surface. Lichens have many uses,
including to monitor environmental quality due to their pollution
sensitivity. Through this project, two years of fully-subsidized teacher
workshops were designed and carried out to enhance educators'
understanding of lichen biology, ecology, natural history, identification,
and uses in the classroom, laboratory, and field studies, and to assist in
building a lichen biomonitoring network in Georgia. Lichens are ideal
organisms to illustrate environmental health status (bioindicators) and to
track trends (biomonitors) in ecosystem health.
During 2004 – 2006, an
interdisciplinary/international team of 10 expert educators and
researchers conducted two summer residential (5-day) workshops
and tri-annual sustained contact weekends (Autumn, Winter, Spring)
using lichens as an entrée into teacher quality improvement. The team
brought their knowledge—and resources from the University of Georgia (UGA)
Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy, Adult
Education Program; the UGA Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science
(CRMS), Department of Geography; the UGA Georgia Project for Excellence in
Environmental Education; the State Botanical Garden of Georgia; the Oconee
River Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center at Northeast Georgia
Regional Educational Service Agency; the University of Puerto Rico; and
Trinity College Dublin and the National Botanic Gardens, Ireland.
Funding for this two-year project was provided by a
Teacher Quality Higher Education Program Grant (Title II, Part A of
Public Law 107-110, the “No Child Left Behind Act”) through an award
amounting to $112,724 (2004-2006); $51,264 in YR1 (2004-2005) and
$61,460 in YR2 (2005-2006). In-kind financial support from the sponsoring
institutions equaled $9, 331.02. Attendance each year was limited
to 20 educators; during the two year period, 35 environmental educators
in Georgia Early, Middle and High Schools or Education Centers
participated fully, resulting in an 88% retention rate.
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Center
for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science