A National Collaboration to Strengthen the Advanced Environmental Technology Education Programs at Native American Community Colleges

这项规划赠款为美洲土著社区学院和PETE/ATEEC的代表提供资源，以正式确定组织结构并制定具体计划，加强美洲土著社区学院的环境技术教育。该计划旨在加强部落学院的STEM教育，同时承认印第安人对环境科学的研究有深刻的历史成分。这些部落学院试图以一种激励土著学生培养对环境科学的兴趣并选择环境职业的方式来宣传和承认这段历史。人们普遍认识到有必要加强美国土著社区大学的环境技术教育。许多部落/美洲土著政府正在努力为其主权土地确定符合并支持其文化和遗产的经济发展和就业机会。发展高质量、专业化的环境教育和技术培训项目已被公认为经济发展的重要途径。美国原住民社区学院的领导们已经确定了环境科学教育的以下需求：加强课程设置，开发专门针对部落社区面临的环境问题的案例研究，教师培训，与其他环境项目建立联系，加强2+2项目，以及创造与美国原住民问题相关的实地经验。该奖项使一个由美国原住民和非原住民教育家组成的专家小组能够共同设计一个高效的计划，以满足美国原住民社区学院的环境教育需求。

This planning grant provides the resources for representatives of the Native American community colleges and PETE/ATEEC to formalize an organizational structure and develop a concrete plan to strengthen environmental technology education at Native American community colleges. This plan is designed to strengthen STEM education at Tribal colleges while acknowledging there is a deep historical component to the study of environmental science by Native Americans. These Tribal colleges seek to promote and acknowledge that history in a manner that will motivate Native students to develop an interest in environmental science and to choose environmental careers. There is widespread acknowledgement and understanding of the need to strengthen environmental technology education at Native American community colleges. Many Tribal/Native American governments are striving to identify economic development and employment opportunities for their sovereign lands that are consistent with and supportive of their culture and heritage. The development of high quality, specialized environmental education and technical training programs has been recognized as one important avenue for economic development. Native American Community College leaders have identified the following needs regarding environmental science education: strengthening the curriculum, developing case studies specifically focused on environmental issues faced by Tribal communities, faculty training, networking with other environmental programs, strengthening 2+2 programs, and creating field experiences relative to Native American issues. This award enables an expert panel of educators, both Native American and non-Native American, to jointly design an efficient and effective plan to address the environmental education needs of Native American community colleges.