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Online Professional Development

Welcome to the Professional Development Department of the Wildlife Conservation Society Education Division.

Through convenient traditional and hybrid online programs, we are reaching new audiences of busy educators. Our online courses are also a great way for you to connect your students to educators around the country and throughout the world!

WCS Online Teacher Training Courses are for audiences of K-12th grade educators who are interested in adding a new dimension to their lessons, including those who work in a non-traditional setting such as a museum or zoo. Whether you teach science, math, language arts, or anything in between, our Online Teacher Training Courses offer something for everyone! If you are interested in learning more about nature and how to make wildlife and wildplaces come alive in your classroom, call 718-220-5136 or email rcharlton@wcs.org for more information.

Upcoming Courses

NEW Courses!! NEW Dates!!!

Habitat Ecology for Educators (6 week online course)

Summer Session: July 11 – August 22, 2009
Fall Session: October 30 – December 18, 2009
Summer 2010 Session: July 9 - August 27, 2010

Living things have evolved over millions of years to exist in particular environments. We call those environments habitats, and we say that species are adapted to them. The interrelationships among plants, animals, climate, and seasons of a particular habitat are complex and fragile. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to the world’s biodiversity. Through this course you will gain background knowledge in habitats and wildlife, learn about basic ecology, adaptations, how organisms interact with their environment, and the interactions between organisms in a temperate forests and wetlands. Course members will explore humanity’s influence and interaction with nature and discuss teaching ecology to elementary school children.Habitat Ecology for Educators (6 week online course)

Check out a Sample Syllabus

Conservation Biology for Educators (6 week online course)

Winter Session: January 22 – March 12, 2010

Why should we protect wild nature? What is threatening biodiversity? How do populations change over time? How do scientists go about protecting wildlife? Who is doing the work of conservation? These are just some of the questions that will be investigated through this online course from the Wildlife Conservation Society. In this course, participants will explore how to bring conservation into the classroom while learning from one of the most prestigious conservation organizations in the world.

Check out a Sample Syllabus

Predators: Biology and Conservation (6 week online course)

Spring Session: April 2 – May 21, 2010

Globally, large predators are experiencing major declines. This course will focus on the role of predators in the ecosystem; the tools conservation biologists use to study predator ecology and behavior, images and ideas about predators across cultures, actions conservation biologists are taking to try and save wild predator populations. Participants will explore different techniques for presenting life science across the disciplines and how to make core science concepts come alive by using real life case studies. All activities are aligned with National Standards and participants will receive an electronic version of the book Teachers for Tigers. (Teachers of Grades 5-10 or anybody interested in learning more about predators).

Marine Biology for Elementary Educators (6 week online course)

Winter Session: January 22 – March 12, 2010

The ocean covers 75% of the earth’s surface and yet the animals that live here remain unfamiliar to most of us. This course will submerse you in the biology of aquatic animals. You will increase your knowledge about marine biology and be able to build a connection between your students and the oceans while covering topics core to elementary education. This course combines interactive activities, stories, literacy and math teaching with learning about sea creatures. Participants will receive an electronic version of Elly Jelly Looks at Marine Animals student book and teacher’s guide “Elly Jelly’s Surprise”.

Fundamentals of Environmental Education (10 week online course)

Fall Session: September 11 – November 25, 2009 (pilot course)
Summer Session: June 25 – September 3, 2010

“Environmental education will help you create instruction that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries and create “real world” contexts for student learning.” -Susan Toth, Florida Atlantic University

Explore the field of Environmental Education! Fundamentals of Environmental Education" is a new distance learning course that provides an introduction to Environmental Education (EE). It is appropriate for both classroom teachers and non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers. Learn the essentials of environmental education, including resources for teaching about the environment, strategies for incorporating EE into your instruction, and how EE can help you accomplish standards in many disciplines.

Conservation Communication (6 week online course)

Spring Session: April 2 – May 21, 2010 (pilot course)

While part of conservation is based in science, a large portion of conservation relies on people and their actions. This course will help participants define and create an effective conservation communication strategy on an issue of their choice. Participants will learn how to identify target audiences and learn about evaluating their programs. Ideal for those working in the conservation field, but also extremely valuable for educators bringing conservation into their classrooms.

Energy, Climate and Wildlife Connections (6 week online course)

Fall Session: September 11 – October 30, 2009 (pilot course)
Spring Session: April 2 – May 21, 2010

Trying to understand and teach climate change? Want to bring real world examples to your students? This course will help you use inquiry to bring this current and urgent topic to your classroom. Focusing on the sun as the primary source of earth’s energy, you will explore how solar energy is distributed around the earth and the effect this energy has on our atmosphere. We will also examine how the distribution of this energy throughout the world drives the earth’s climate. Climate models and experiments will be used to draw distinctions between weather and climate. Data analysis and examination of historical climate patterns will help you gain an understanding of how scientists study and make predictions about the earth’s changing climate. Opportunities to interact with WCS scientists and conservation leaders will reveal how climate changes are affecting wildlife around the world and WCS initiatives to combat the effects of this change. In addition, we will examine how energy flows through living systems. Using animals and habitats as models, we will interpret energy exchange and transformation – including energy requirements, usage, and flow of energy through trophic levels and food webs in various habitats.

Sign Up Today! Registration and Payment Details

Cost: $300 ($275 if you register more than 4 weeks before the course begins)

Graduate Credits: 3 graduate credits are available for an additional $165 through Adams State College. (graduate credits for “Fundamentals of Environmental Education” are available through New York Institute of Technology) Participants enrolled for graduate credit will be required to complete some additional course work in order to satisfy graduate credit requirements. Contact teacherinfo@wcs.org or 718-220-5136 for more information.

If you would like to enroll to take one of our online courses for Graduate Credit, please visit www.bronxzoo.adams.edu.

To register with WCS for these courses, please call 718-220-5136 or email smonroe@wcs.org for registration information.

If you have questions, contact teacherinfo@wcs.org or call 718-220-5136 for more information.

Scholarships Available!

Scholarships are available for teachers interested in taking the following courses for graduate credit. The scholarship will pay for your Zoo online course tuition, but will not cover the fees for graduate credit tuition.