2006 Educators
Conference University of Nevada, Las Vegas
January 24-27, 2006
Las Vegas, Nevada
EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE WEST MAKE CONNECTIONS
The Our Places Tell Stories: Making Connections with Our Audiences conference attracted more than 120 informal educators from Nevada, Arizona, Utah, California, Washington, and Idaho. The participants represented the federal and state public lands, nature centers, museums, zoos, aquariums, and other attractions.
These professionals came together to learn successful educational and interpretive strategies to make better connections with their visitors. “Our vision is that once the connections are made, children and adults will be inspired to understand, appreciate, and take care of our environment, particularly Southern Nevada’s desert environment,” said Allison Brody, program manager of the Education-about-the-Environment Strategy at UNLV’s Public Lands Institute.
EXCERPTS OF PARTICIPANT COMMENTS
“One of the best organized conferences I have attended and I have gone to many professional conferences.”
“This was an excellent and long-needed conference.”
“The conference is a wonderful value – I was able to send several staff members and several volunteers.”
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REGIONAL AND NATIONAL EXPERTS SHARE THEIR STORIES
Two of the foremost authorities on interpretation joined with local and regional experts to share techniques so that children and adults can become motivated stewards of the environment.
The conference keynote speaker was Dr. Sam Ham (pictured below), director of the Center for International Training and Outreach at the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources. He is the author of a comprehensive interpretive planning process that has been adopted by national parks, historic sites, and private tourism businesses in the United States, Australia, Scotland, England, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.
Also speaking at the conference was David Guiney, director of the Interpretive Media Institute at the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center in West Virginia. Guiney (below left) shared techniques to effectively communicate with audiences through such media as exhibits, signs, and brochures. Alan O’Neill (below right), executive director of the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, delivered the keynote address to share the importance of making personal connections to nature and place.
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EXCERPTS OF PARTICIPANT COMMENTS
“You got top notch, head of the class people to teach the classes – give the speeches – to have access to that caliber is phenomenal.”
“A great deal of the material David Guiney presented goes right to work on planning projects in which I have immediate participation.”
“I appreciated the expertise of the presenters.”
“Without a doubt the speakers and topics were stimulating and timely – thanks for spotlighting and unifying them.”
“Quality of presenters was outstanding.”
“Speakers and presenters were of high quality, and the organization was great.”
“The speakers really added to ‘telling the story’ message.”
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The innovative conference was prompted by a project of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) titled Education in the Environment, which seeks to create an area-wide strategic plan for the delivery of environmental education throughout Southern Nevada. SNAP is comprised of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. The UNLV Public Lands Institute is developing the strategy on behalf of SNAP, and the project is funded by the 1998 Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Public Lands Institute extends a very special thank you to the speakers who shared their expertise and knowledge. We gratefully acknowledge our partners and sponsors: SNAP, Western National Parks Association, Southern Nevada Interpretive Association and the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, Friends of Red Rock Canyon, UNLV Division of Research & Graduate Studies, REI, Photo Viewpoints, UNLV Educational Outreach, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Las Vegas Springs Preserve, CHOLLA, and the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society. We are indebted to the conference planning committee, the SNAP Interagency Environmental Education Team, and the Public Lands Institute staff for contributing their time and energy to making the conference a success.
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CONFERENCE DOCUMENTS (Click to view)
- “Developing our Connection to Place in Southern Nevada”
Alan O’Neill, Executive Director of Outside Las Vegas Foundation
- “No Child Left Behind Act and Nevada State Standards: SO WHAT?”
Loretta Asay, K-12 Science and Health Coordinator, Clark County School District
- “Poetry and Podcasts”
Podcasts created by participants of conference session led by Dr. Mary Banbury, Visiting Professor at UNLV, and Dr. Greg Levitt, Chairperson, UNLV Department of Curriculum and Instruction
- Conference Program (PDF)
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