GET South Africa Program

South Africa Program

Summer 2012

For other upcoming GET programs check Puerto Rico (2012).

Sand dunes by the ocean Group photo at Jonkershoek Table Mountain in Cape Town Elephant

Now Accepting Applications! CLICK HERE.

2 spaces still remain (2/3/12)

South Africa creates a complex and interesting learning environment when examining environmental and sustainability education. Like most sustainability issues around the world, those problems faced in South Africa are tied up in a complex web of political, social, economic, historical and human rights issues. This program will work with leading environmental educators in South Africa and will examine how they incorporate sustainability education in to existing EE curriculum. The human dimension of environmental issues will be a focus of this program and will be explored through studies at the Western Cape Province, Rhodes University in Grahamstown, nature centers, parks and other environmental education centers. In addition to creating networks, friendships between educators, and examining sustainability education, this program will give educators the tools to solve multi- faceted problems.

Requirements:

You must be an educator (formal or non-formal K-12) to participate in GET programs. The online course is a pre-requisite for the travel portion. All online courses are delivered in English. The travel course is also delivered in English, but GET makes an attempt to have as much of the program activities translated into the native language as possible. The most common spoken language in South Africa is English.

GET’s South Africa Program will include two components:

Part One: An online instruction that is taken prior to leaving for South Africa. This course includes cultural, historic and ecological introductions to African issues, and is intended to prepare educators prior to traveling. It can be taken for graduate credit.

Part Two: Explore South Africa with educators from the US and South Africa.

Physical Requirements

For the Global Environmental Teachings Program you can expect moderate physical activity requirements. We will be on field trips and excursions nearly every day. Although these will not be physically demanding, you should be in good health. You will probably do more walking than you normally do. Some hiking is included in the program. We will have options for people who wish to go slower or those wishing to be more challenged. The weather will be cooler than the summers in Wisconsin. It will be winter in South Africa during June and July. You can expect temperatures as low as 40 degrees F at night and up to mid-70’s during the day. Typically temperatures will hovering around 50’s and 60’s throughout the program.

Technological Requirements
To optimize learning, GET courses combine the power of the Internet with face-to-face travel communication to accomplish course requirements. All students will be given a university email address. In order to access the online course, you must have access to a computer with Internet connection. The easy-to-use online course is designed for educators. No previous computer experience is necessary. Technical support will be available to all program participants.

Accommodations
During the South Africa program, lodging will consist of comfortable bed & breakfast style accommodations with many conveniences, dormitory style accommodations with shared bathrooms, more modest bunk bed accommodations at environmental education centers, and homestays. Accommodations may be simple and heat or air conditioning may not be available at all locations. Some accommodations will be far from medical facilities. Clean drinking water will always be provided. Regardless of location, participants can expect double occupancy.

Program Details:

When: June 22-July 11, 2012 (dates might vary)

Program Benefits: International airfare, food, lodging, entrance fees, and transportation for the 3 week program. Plus one graduate credit for a pre-travel online course - May 2012.

Program Costs: Tentatively $4,995 (Valued at $6,000 but with a $1,000 subsidy from GET the cost is reduced for educators.)

Optional Graduate Credits: 2 additional graduate credits while in South Africa

Application: 10 educators from the USA and 10 educators from South Africa will be selected for participation on a first-come, first-served basis. To download an application, CLICK HERE.

News Brief:

Kirstenbosch Environmental Education Program

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, located in Cape Town, South Africa is home to 528 hectares of native South African plants. This world-renowned garden is located on the eastern side of Table Mountain, and emphasizes plant species from the winter rainfall region of the country. Their numerous environmental education outreach efforts have also created a name for the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

The Outreach Greening Program aims to empower communities and school with horticulture skills and environmental knowledge. There are five main objectives to the Outreach Greening Program:

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens 1. To develop ecological awareness leading to an understanding of the relationship between people and their environment.

2. Establish school gardens for environmental education as an extension of formal education in the classroom.

3. Promote gardening as a developmental process in which evaluation lead to learning and improvement.

4. Plant indigenous, water wise plants that occur naturally in the area, in order to promote ecological sustainability.

5. To develop greening partnerships involving schools, communities, sponsors and the National Botanical Institute (NBI).

The school garden project has a unique and creative approach to implementing gardens in schools. Members of the environmental education program assist school in basic horticulture techniques, how to plan a garden, and garden maintenance. They also provide materials and resources for educators to incorporate the garden into their classroom curriculum. The final touches to school and community gardens are often creative and functional. Old tires are often painted and use as borders to the gardens and paths. Click here to learn more about the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Environmental Education programs!

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