Jump to main content

Teaching Sustainability in the 21st Century

Searching for innovative ways to teach sustainability with engaging, interactive maps and field tools focused on key 21st Century challenges?  This initiative is for you!

This institute provides a unique professional development opportunity for middle- and high-school educators in Colorado where participants will master geographic inquiries in sustainability using interactive, flexible web-based GIST (Geographic Information Sciences), a key component of STEM education, as a primary teaching tool in the classroom. This full-1-year initiative - aims to develop teaching modules on social science topics in relation to environmental and sustainable thinking practices among students while providing opportunity for the educators to participate in a professional networking in GIS-in-education initiative.  Directors:  Dr. Jieun lee (Department of Geography, GIS, and Sustainability at UNC), Dr Joseph Kerski (Esri), Steve Cline (Windsor High School). 

alt tagSampleAlt Tag

Initiative Details (This initiative is a 1-year long with 3 phases)

  • Phase I: June 1-2, 2022
  • Phase II: Online instructions and workshops:   Summer 2022--Spring 2023
  • Phase III: In-person closing workshop:  June 2023
  • Cost: Free
    • All participants receive a $720 stipend. Paid in 2 installments.
    • If interested, participants can apply for graduate credits (up to 4)
  • Application Deadline: April 18, 2022

Have questions?  Contact Jieun Lee at jieun.lee@unco.edu

Selected applicants must:

  • Be current 6-12 teachers in the areas of social and natural sciences
  • Complete application form by April 18, 2022
  • Be available for all phases of this initiative:
    • The Launch (Phase I): June 1-2, 2022 (online)
    • Deep Learning (Phase II): 90-minute monthly meetings from August-November, 2022 & February-May, 2023 (online)
    • Showcase (Phase III): June 2023 (in-person)
  • Attend all sessions and functions of the initiative to receive the stipend checks.

Application Details

Participation is limited to 20 teachers.  Participants will be selected based on the quality of their responses to the questions included in the initiative application.   The Hewit Institute aims to attract a diverse group of participants from a variety of institutional settings across Colorado.

Apply Now!