Educator Professional Development on Energy and Environment: A Case Example Focusing on Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Drilling

位于纽约州伊萨卡的古生物研究所(PRI)正在帮助教育工作者从非正式、正式和非正式(合作扩展)环境中合作地推广能源开发、环境影响和气候变化。PRI正在为(特别是农村)社区的教育工作者提供专业发展，他们正在开发演讲和资源，重点是：1)社区的地球系统科学；2)从当地到全球的环境视角；3)社区内的学习和社区之间的联系；以及4)有效的非对抗性交流战略。该项目正在马塞卢斯页岩所在的页岩气活跃和潜在活跃地区(宾夕法尼亚州和纽约州南层)实施。许多社区正在讨论在他们的社区进行天然气钻探的利弊，在某些情况下，围绕投机性或有偏见的地球系统科学信息引发了两极分化的辩论。在一些地区，风力发电场和生物燃料农业也在发展中。专业发展旨在主动帮助教育工作者与他们的社区讨论能源选择，在两极分化发生之前提供外展服务，并在争议出现时以高质量的科学教育和经过审查的信息资源迅速做出反应。

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI, located in Ithaca, NY) is helping educators from informal, formal, and nonformal (Cooperative Extension) settings to collaboratively toward outreach on energy development, environmental impacts, and climate change. PRI is providing professional development to educators in (especially rural) communities, who are developing presentations and resources that focus on: 1) the Earth system science of their communities; 2) environmental perspectives ranging from local to global; 3) learning within and networking among communities; and, 4) effective non-confrontational communication strategies. The project is being implemented in an area of active and potentially active shale gas drilling (Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York State) that is underlain by the Marcellus Shale. Many communities are debating the pros and cons of gas drilling in their neighborhoods, in some cases resulting in polarized debates around speculative or biased Earth system science information. In some areas, wind farms and biofuels agriculture are also under development. The professional development is designed to proactively help educators talk to their communities about energy choices, provide outreach before polarization occurs, and respond quickly with high quality science education and vetted information resources when controversy arises.