FULL TITLE: A Conceptual Basis for the Design of a Regional Environmental Learning System, 5th Quarterly Report [Project title: Development of an Interpretive Structural Model and Strategies for Implementation Based on a Descriptive and Prescriptive Analysis of Resources for Environmental Education/Studies.Contract #300-700-4028], Submitted to the Office of Environmental Education, U.S. Dept. of Education, January 1979.
Warfield saved the Fifth Quarterly Report in two versions, first as a set of four Microsoft Word files, stored on his computer in an ENVIRONMENAL EDUCATION folder, and second as a single WordPerfect file formatted and edited TO BE PRINTED as an IASIS REPORT, stored on his computer in the EDUCATION PAPERS BY WARFIELD album. Both of these versions are typed transcribed copies of Warfield's original 112 page paper report which is now in Warfield Special Collection C0016, Box 27 Folders 35 & 36 in Fenwick Library.
For view/download of the documents, please click on filenames in the list below.
The Conceptual Basis paper written by Warfield in 1978 and printed 1 January 1979, was the intellectual origin of the entire Environmental Education contract of which he was director while at the University of Virginia from 1978 to 1980. This 112 page report, after presenting a survey of previous Environmental Education strategies nationwide, advocated a new approach, which integrated ISM methodologies as a tool for environmental studies. A "Regional Environmental Learning Center" (RELS) was suggested to the US Department of Education as a model for how to think about developing environmental education through local initiative. The report ended with discussion and review of methodologies suitable for implementing the concept.
I have not found a copy of the report in ERIC clearing house where other contract reports from US Dept of Education are archived. That the Conceptual Basis report did exist is proved by its listing in "Designs for the Future of Environmental Education: Energy, Environment, Economy, Education, Ethics" the 1981 Office of Environmental Education Summary Report, issued at the end of the contract period and published by US Department of Education. On Page 41 of the 1981 Summary Report the "Conceptual Basis" title appears as one of 12 Quarterly Reports delivered to OEE during the time frame of the government grant to University of Virginia. "A Conceptual Basis" was never published and appears in print only as a 1979 report from University of Virginia Research Labs. The title was never cataloged by any library, as far as I know from my own searches. The only paper copy extant was finally donated by JOhn Warfield to GMU Libraries in year 2000, and now in Box 27 at the Special Collections department.
In the same time frame, Alexander Christakis and Walter Bogan did write and publish a paper titled "The Concept of the Regional Environmental Learning System." Their paper was presented in Tokyo in November 1978, and published it in an IEEE journal. (IEEE-SMC, Proc. ICCS, Tokyo, 3-8 November, 1978, pages 1001-1007) That IEEE Journal article is now in the IASIS Files, in Monterrey, Mexico and at DSMC Library in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. IASIS File Numbers: 79/034 (for Warfield's report) and 78/001 (for the Christakis & Bogan paper) END R.W. Circa 2001, updated 21 April 2015. ======================================================================
ANNOTATION: After surveying previous Environmental Education strategies, Warfield, in 1978 suggested a new approach, which integrates his ISM methodologies into environmental studies. In this report written for a U. S. Dept. of Health, Education & Welfare contract, Warfield explains his RELS (Regional Environmental Learning System) concept which he proposed as a model for how to think about developing environmental education through local initiative, with a review of methodologies. It is one of the 12 reports issued and listed by the U.S. Dept. of Education on page 41 of its 1981 Summary Report titled "Designs for the Future of Environmental Education: Energy, Environment, Economy, Education, Ethics." As one of the basic reports for the project, the Fifth Quarterly Report should have been sent to the ERIC clearing house for archiving, but this was not done, at least I have not found it while searching. So this paper, which was the intellectual origin of the entire OEE contract, was never published and appears in print only as this JANUARY 1979 University of Virginia Research Labs report. It was never cataloged by any library; as far as I know the only copy extant is the one in our home basement files. However, Christakis and Bogan, in the same time frame, did write and publish a paper based on John's report, using a similar title. As a development of the RELS concept, Christakis and Bogan wrote a description of how ISM was used in group sessions composed of environmentalists, decision-makers and educators to explore and identify the mission and operational objectives of the Regional Environmental Learning System idea. Their paper, titled "The Concept of the Regional Environmental Learning System" was presented at a conference in Tokyo in November 1978, and published in an IEEE journal. (IEEE-SMC, Proc. ICCS, Tokyo, 3-8 Novvember 1978, pages 1001-1007) That IEEE Journal article is now in the IASIS Files, in Monterrey, Mexico and at DSMC Library in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. IASIS File Numbers: 79/034 (for Warfield's report) and 78/001 (for the Christakis & Bogan paper)
See also, “Conducting Collective Inquiry. Volume IV of A Sourcebook for Design of a Regional Environmental Learning System [Project title: Development of an Interpretive Structural Model and Strategies for Implementation. . .].” which was another significant and useful report developed during the Environmental Education project.
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