GEF Institute Offers Comprehensive Blended Learning Curriculum for Green Building and Sustainability

July 3, 2012 - PRLog -- July 2, 2012 – Building off the content and delivery strategy of their successful online sustainability courses, GEF Institute has announced the availability of their blended learning curriculum for high school and college classrooms. This curriculum combines online activities and videos with hands-on lessons for the classroom. GEF Institute’s blended learning curriculum educates students on green building attributes and benefits, providing them with the educational resources necessary to understand, identify, and improve environmental inefficiencies within their own school building.  

Key topics include sustainable sites, water and energy efficiency, and environmental quality as they relate to building construction, operation and maintenance. Free lesson samples around sustainable energy and green building are available for download at http://www.gefinstitute.org/framework-materials/free-samples.html.

The capstone project for those opting to choose multiple units to create a semester or year-long program of study is a school-wide audit in which students make recommendations for effective changes necessary to upgrade interiors, energy and water systems, and site and landscapes to accommodate for green efficiencies. Students will be instructed to prioritize areas for enhanced efficiencies and recommend improvements based upon the greatest need/ROI. Students will research how and where to request funding (from government sources, etc.) to help offset costs of upgrades.

Each unit includes ready to use online materials and resources to help the educator integrate sustainability concepts into the classroom in a fun and engaging way. The following materials are included in each green building unit and can be accessed and printed by the teacher only:

•   digital textbook
•   9-16 scripted lessons
•   audit overview
•   pacing guide
•   teacher manual
•   presentation slides
•   transparencies
•   handouts
•   capstone project (for those purchasing a semester or year-long green building curriculum)

Online content is available to both students and teachers. Participants must be logged into GEF Institute's online Learning Management System, using any internet connection, to access these. They are intended to be completed at a self-pace, generally assigned as Homework.

The online content for students includes:
•   pre-assessment (5 questions)
•   reading sections (each unit is comprised of 9-16 sections; each section is 1-2 pages)
•   quiz (5 questions)
•   post-unit self-assessment (5 questions)
•   references
•   discussion forum
•   glossary

Each blended learning unit is roughly 30 hours, including time for homework. Multiple units can be combined to take advantage of discounted rates and to create a custom green building program of study. Purchased units are available for a one-year term with the option to renew at a discounted rate. To inquire about group or volume pricing options email support@gefinstitute.org.

More information about GEF Institute’s blended learning curriculum is available at http://www.gefinstitute.org/overview-classroom.html.


About GEF Institute
GEF Institute, a division of Green Education Foundation (GEF), was established to meet the increasing market demand for sustainability focused education and training. The Institute builds on GEF's expertise in K-12 sustainability education and STEM concepts by offering affordable online courses in sustainability to educators, students at the high school and undergraduate level, employees and professionals. In addition to individual online courses, the Institute’s robust certificate program distinguishes those with a proven comprehensive understanding of important sustainability topics. The Institute's courses are eligible for professional development or academic credit. www.gefinstitute.org