Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)
An effective method for incorporating environmental education into K-12 classrooms.
What is a MWEE?
The MWEE is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom and are designed to increase environmental literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences. In these experiences, the core ideas and practices of multiple disciplines are applied to make sense of the relationships between the natural world and society. MWEEs help connect students with their local environment and equip them to make decisions and take actions that contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.
Why Are MWEEs Needed?
In a rapidly changing world in which anthropogenic interactions are causing unparalleled environmental change, an environmentally-literate citizenry is critical for informed decision-making and creative solutions. Knowledge and awareness of local and global environmental issues is key to adapting to and mitigating new environmental change. MWEEs that focus on authentic issues can facilitate students' outdoor STEM learning. Teachers play an essential role in providing outdoor experiences for their students; however, this is often minimally addressed within teacher prep programs.
