BLOOMINGTON — Ten Indiana teachers spent part of their summer participating in an international environmental education trip to the Galápagos Islands, engaging in collaborative teaching and cross-cultural learning.
Selected from a competitive pool of over 50 applicants, the educators participated in the Galápagos Islands International Education Collaborative Project. The initiative was led by Indiana University’s School of Education Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) program, the Environmental Resilience Institute, and the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences.
During the trip, Indiana teachers partnered with faculty from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and K-12 educators at the Tomás de Berlanga School (TdB) on Santa Cruz Island.
According to Adam Scribner, Director of STEM Education Initiatives at Indiana University and co-leader of the EfEC program, the initiative provides a unique platform for educators to engage in cross-cultural learning while examining one of the globe’s most ecologically vital areas. He noted that the Galápagos Islands serve as an ideal real-world setting for teachers to explore biodiversity and conservation, ultimately inspiring new strategies to involve students in impactful environmental education.
Local participants included Danville Community Middle School science teachers Billie Carlton and Lori Parker.
Carlton noted the impact of observing hands-on teaching methods at the TdB School that relied on direct nature observation rather than digital technology. Meanwhile, Parker highlighted student interactions and field experiences, including snorkeling at the Darwin Research Center and observing wildlife on North Seymour Island.
The initiative builds on an ongoing partnership between Indiana University, the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and Ecuadorian educators. Participating teachers will continue collaborating with their international counterparts throughout the school year on joint student projects covering water quality, waste management, and seismic activity monitoring, as well as establishing digital pen-pal connections.
