America's Largest Classroom

Jessica L. Thompson is Associate Professor in the College of Business at Northern Michigan University. Ana K. Houseal is Associate Professor and Science Outreach Educator in the Science and Mathematics Teaching Center at the University of Wyoming.

• List of ContributorsForeword. National Parks: “America’s Best” Outdoor ClassroomsMilton ChenPrefaceAcknowledgmentsSECTION I. THE LONG VIEW OF LEARNING IN THE PARKS1 Dynamic Learning Landscapes: The Evolution of Education in Our National ParksJulia Washburn2 Commentary: Perspectives on Heritage Leadership Theresa Coble3 Invoking the Spirit of History on the Journey through Hallowed GroundJames A. Percoco4 Two Different Ways of Knowing the Glacier Area Donal CarbaughSECTION II. FEEDBACK LOOPS: SYSTEMS AND SCIENCE LEARNING5 Learning about Climate Change in Our National ParksShawn Davis and Jessica L. Thompson6 Place-Based Education at Teton Science Schools: Inspiring Curiosity, Engagement, and Leadership in National Parks and BeyondKevin Krasnow, Nate McClennen, Amanda Kern, Patrick Leary, and Greg Peck7 Three-Dimensional Learning: “Upping the Game” in Citizen Science ProjectsAna K. Houseal8 Mentoring Mountain Raingers: Beyond Basic Hydrological Field Research in the Great Smoky MountainsDouglas K. MillerSECTION III. HEALTH AND SELF: EMPOWERING LEARNING IN PARKS9 Learning Environmental Psychology in the National ParksDonna K. McMillan10 Can Signage Influence Healthy Behavior? The Case of Catoctin Mountain National ParkMallika Bose, Lara Nagle, Jacob Benfield, Heather Costigan, Jeremy Wimpey, and B. Derrick Taff11 Learning Historic Places with Diverse Populations: An Exploratory Study of Student PerceptionsJenice L. View and Andrea Guiden12 “I Felt Like a Scientist!”: Accessing America’s National Parks on Every CampusNatalie Bursztyn, Richard Goode, and Colleen McDonoughSECTION IV. PARTNERING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEARNERS13 Place-Based Learning Fosters Engagement and Opportunities for Innovative PartnershipsSusan Newton14 A Partnership Model of Education at Cuyahoga Valley National ParkDeb Yandala, Katie Wright, and Jesús Sánchez15 Pura Vida Inspires Diversity and Engagement at Grand Teton National ParkTeddi (Hofmann) Freedman16 What Really “Matters” at Stephen T. Mather Building Arts and Craftsmanship High SchoolDeborah Shanley and Lois Adams-Rodgers17 Learning Historic Places with Diverse Populations: Making the Case for Teacher-Ranger ProfessionalDevelopmentJenice L. View and Paula Cristina AzevedoSECTION V. STRATEGIC INTENTION FOR PARK LEARNING AND PRACTICE18 Lessons Learned from Museums: Family Learning in National ParksColleen Bourque and Ana K. Houseal19 Identifying Outcomes for Environmental Education at National ParksRobert B. Powell, Marc J. Stern, and B. Troy Frensley20 Valuing Education and Learning in the National ParksTim Marlowe, Linda J. Bilmes, and John Loomis21 Commentary: National Parks as Places for Free-Choice LearningMartin Storksdieck and John FalkAfterwordJonathan B. JarvisIndex