Zoo, Park and Aquaria Guidelines and Education Experiences

Onsite Education Experiences

IMPACT

ARAZPA Organisation: Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Experience Synopsis: IMPACT is a three-day residential camp for students. It aims to increase their knowledge and understandings of local threatened species. During the program students work both individually and in cooperative teams to explore the threatening process. Students identify what actions they can take to assist conservation for the future.

Activities include:

• visiting different habitats
• playing the web of life game
• an observing threatened species
• building nest boxes and planting trees
• participating in the magic spot to developing empathy for the natural world.

Audience: Years five-six (aged ten-eleven years).

Duration: Three day residential camp staying at Birrigai Outdoor School.

Cost per Participant: AU$107.30 per student.

Additional Costs: The school has to pay for the hire of a 30 seater bus for the duration of the camp.

Set-up Costs: This is difficult to estimate as materials and equipment bought for this program are also used for other programs. It is approximately AU$6,000 (excluding staff time).

How the Experience is Marketed: A teacher professional day was organised in October 2001. The program appears on the Env ACT. The program was jointly developed, promoted and conducted by Tidbinbilla Education Centre and Birrigai Outdoor School, who are both geographical neighbours. Birrigai Outdoor School offers mainly overnight Environmental Education camps. Tidbinbilla Education Centre Education Centre offers mainly Environmental Education day excursions.

Resources: Some equipment was paid for via an Environment Australia grant which was provided to Tidbinbilla Education Centre for program development. Existing resources were used and modified as much as possible for example, the Moonlight Hollow display (a cave-like environment) in Tidbinbilla Education Centre Education was modified to suit the program. Equipment purchased for the program can be used for other programs.

Evaluation: Feedback questionnaires are given to teachers and students who have participated in the program. Some suggestions have been implemented and the program is continually evolving. Self-evaluation sessions are also conducted.

Contact Person: Lois Padgham (Tidbinbilla Education Centre) Sue McMurtrie (Birrigai Outdoor School) Ph: +61 2 6205 1233.

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