Announcing Changing Public Behavior: People and the Environment, an online course offered through USDA eXtension, http://campus.extension.org .
Changing Public Behavior: People and the Environment is a self-study, e-learning course designed for natural resource professionals, Extension educators, and environmental educators who work with communities. Through an interactive format and investigation of practical examples, participants build skills and confidence in identifying and analyzing behavior change opportunities. When you complete the course, you will have a draft plan for increasing people’s involvement in an environmental situation.
The course is set up as self-enroll. You must enroll (create a password) to participate, but there is no fee. Access the course at http://campus.extension.org . Enter or create a login, and then type Changing Public Behavior into the search box. Or click on the Energy & Environment button and scroll down the (mostly) alphabetical list to find the course. You can also log in by clicking on “Login” in the upper right corner on the course listing page.
COURSE SUMMARY
The course is presented in 8 Units. Within each Unit, Lesson content is 1-4 pages in length. There are many lessons and activities, but each is relatively short, and is designed to be accomplished within a limited time-frame. This structure allows the learner to stop and start as time permits. You can reduce course time by using a course Questionnaire to assess your skills, then itemize a Personal Education Plan that focuses only on the skills you need. If you choose to complete all the work, activities, and required readings for the entire course, it will take you about 30-40 hours.
The course offers several “badges” as evidence of Unit and course completion. You can collect e-learning “badges” on the eXtension Web site and/or at http://backpack.openbadges.org .
Badge details are available on the course site for:
Unit 4 – Behavior change theories
Unit 5 – Collect audience information
Unit 7 – Select education or outreach techniques
Changing Public Behavior course badge
The Changing Public Behavior course is sponsored by the eXtension Drinking Water and Human Health interest area, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension Environmental Resources Center. Initial work to develop course content was funded by the USDA Water Program. Course content has been extensively tested and reviewed, in collaboration with Extension and natural resource professionals around the USA. Background information is available at http://wateroutreach.uwex.edu . Course instructors: Elaine Andrews, Kate Reilly, Patrick Robinson.
For questions, contact Elaine at eandrews@wisc.edu
