Special Interest Group and Chapter Liaison Report to Executive

Special Interest Group and Chapter Liaison Report to Executive Meeting 8th March 2017

Chapter/Special Interest Group: Environment Education Victoria

Person Reporting: Julie Harris/Cyrelle Field

Focus Area Report Communications December edition of Eingana, Volume 39 #2 was circulated to all current EEV and EEV/AAEE members. Focus of the issue was on ‘Communication’ in the EfS/EE sector. EEV Facebook page now has over 670 Likes and is aiming to be more active on social media. Monthly newsletters to members were emailed in December 2016 and February 2017. January is a rest month. The EEV Educator of the Year will be launched in late March. Applications will close first week of May. The VCE email discussion list has been active over the last quarter. We look forward to transitioning to a better platform in the next 3 months.

OzEE News - article TBC Partnerships EEV is exploring a number of new partnerships and has been working closely with Outdoors Victoria and the Design and Technology Teachers Association of Victoria (DATTAVic) over the last few months to identify synergies, including joint delivery of Professional Development, Conference presentations and project ideas. EEV hosted a Western Metropolitan Region Stakeholder gathering for the ResourceSmart Project January 23, 2017.

Advocacy and Lobbying Following more than 12 months of advocacy from EEV and other stakeholders the Victorian Curriculum F-10 Sustainability Mapping Document was published by the Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority in early Feb. EEV contributed significant feedback and content to the final document. Sustainability content descriptors are embedded in the Learning Areas, which differs from Australian Curriculum now where they are viewed as a cross- curriculum priority.The mapping document is key to supporting teachers to embed sustainability in teaching and learning programs. http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/overview/cr oss-curriculum-priorities

Membership Focus is on addressing the number of lapsed members and making it much easier for people to join EEV/AAEE. EEV is investing in a CRM/membership software to enable us to have a more accurate process of tracking and communicating to members. This will include a chat forum for members that will link to Eingana type articles and encourage online dialogue. Professional Development EEV has held the following PD activities in this last quarter. Dec 2016: VCE Environmental Science Teacher PD Feb 24 2017: STE(A)M PD in partnership with DATTAVic and Trash Puppets.

Governance EEV held a strategic action planning day on Saturday 11 February with a focus on Membership services. We also welcomed two new members to the Committee of Management: Andrew Gooday and Elizabeth Jenkins. Sub-committees: Engagement, Collaboration and Knowledge mapped out key activities for the coming year. EEV current Executive is: Renae Walton (President), Josh Ambrosy Vice-President, Jane Liefman (Acting Secretary), Peta White (Treasurer). Cass our Admin Officer resigned in November. Sarah Allen has taken on some of the admin. role in relation to membership and our book-keeping is now outsourced. Other Comments The new VCE Text for Environmental Science Units 3 & 4 (Year 12) was published at the end of October. EEV has been busy during November, December and January distributing the text to Victorian schools teaching the subject. It seems that providers of Environmental Science have grown from 40 something last year to 66 this year. New request: Please submit at least one article to OzEE News each quarter from your Chapter or SIG. Select a good news story from your group and submit it to Kate and Alison – this is part of our Communications strategy. These stories may then be tweeted or put on facebook. The OzEE News themes have been sent to you – this shows the dates the articles are required.