Melissa Wyatt, Zoos Victoria, Australia
Oceania
Zoos Victoria’s Fighting Extinction Schools program is designed to engage Victorian schools, teachers and students in real-world learning through conservation action. During 2018-2019, the Fighting Extinction Schools program was funded by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to provide free zoo visits to schools with the aim of inspiring 40,000 students and 400 teachers from 400 Victorian schools. BehaviourWorks, in collaboration with Monash’s Faculty of Education, was commissioned to deliver an aligned impact research program. This presentation will look at the research findings on:
· Impacts of the Fighting Extinction Schools program
· The influence of different aspects of the program
· Recommendations for the development of successful conservation education programs"
Speaker Biography
Mel Wyatt has worked in the Zoo industry for almost 25 years. Her experience in the landscape of education in the context of zoos is extensive. Mel has held roles as Visitor Experience Manager, Head of Education, Volunteer Manager and Training Institute Manager at Taronga. She is now the Learning Engagement Manager with Zoos Victoria. Mel is committed to continuously improving the vital role education plays in the development of pro-conservation behaviour.