The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources is going global working with energy experts in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

Carrie Ziolkowski, program coordinator for KEEP, has recently returned from a "professional exchange" in Japan where she was invited to present an open symposium on the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program. Prior to Ziolkowski�s trip, the Japan Techno-Economics Society (JATES) was researching environmental education programs, looking closely at energy programs. JATES� staff continues to be impressed with the design of KEEP and decided to incorporate some of the ideas into their schools.

According to Ziolkowski, JATES was interested in how KEEP has partnered with many energy, educational and environmental groups in the state to develop and maintain their programs. They also wanted to know about the development of the KEEP Conceptual Framework, the basis for the entire KEEP curriculum, and how they could incorporate environmental education teaching strategies into their schools.

Similarly, Sara Windjue, energy education specialist for KEEP, was on a seven-day "professional exchange" in Taiwan in August. She was requested by Earth Passengers, an environmental education organization in Taiwan, to participate in a three-day teacher workshop where teachers would be using KEEP materials to learn how they could infuse energy education into their curricula. The Delta Education Foundation sponsored the workshop for 58 teachers that consisted of elementary and middle school teachers to present KEEP�s conceptual framework and activities. Sara was greeted by enthusiastic teachers excited to learn about energy education and its classroom applications. Earth Passengers of Taiwan is looking to translate and localize much of the KEEP activity guide over the next two years to be widely used throughout Taiwan.

Much like Japan and Taiwan, South Korea too has interest in energy education. Jin Hyun Jung, an exchange professor from South Korea working at UW-Eau Claire, recently toured the KEEP office and met with the staff to see how a similar program might be implemented in his community. He plans to return to South Korea in January and will present his findings to his department.

KEEP is housed within the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at UWSP�s College of Natural Resources and funded primarily through the state public benefits program, Focus on Energy. For more information about KEEP, visit www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/keep, call (715) 346-4770 or e-mail energy@uwsp.edu.

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