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	<em>Our two-part conversation between Sara Wyse, Assistant Professor of Biological Science at Bethel University, and Jonathon Schramm, Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education at Goshen College, looks at the state of environmental education -- where are we headed and how might we improve it? &nbsp;In Part 2, Sara and Jonathon continue their conversation with a discussion of ways to improve environmental literacy at Christian colleges and universities. &nbsp;In <a href="/news_and_resources/blog/the_conversation_new_science_standards#.UIU8icXA-p0">Part 1</a>, Sara and Jonathon note a bright future for science education by analyzing the recommended Next Generation Science Standards for primary and seconday science education. &nbsp;</em></p>
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	<em>&#39;Conversations&#39; &nbsp;brings together experts in their field to discuss topics near and dear to them.</em></p>
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	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Headshot_Wyse-250pxl.jpg" style="font-weight: bold; width: 175px; height: 233px; float: right; " /></p>
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	<strong>Sara Wyse:</strong>&nbsp;Jonathon, while we wait for the effects of the new Next Generation Science Standards to trickle upstream, one area of interest is how we can engage in building better environmental &amp; science literacy during the college years. &nbsp;There is certainly a strong research body in this area, but one angle I am particularly interested in is building better environmental literacy in Christian institutions. &nbsp;In many cases, this is an area where our secular peer institutions are exceeding our commitment to stewardship - both in scientific literacy outcomes and in deed. &nbsp;What are your thoughts? &nbsp;And, if you could recommend three things that Christian institutions can do to build better environmental literacy and action, what would you choose? &nbsp;</p>
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	<strong><span class="float-left"><img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Jonathon-Schramm-BioPhotoPlants-250pxl.jpg" style="width: 175px; height: 233px; float: right; " /></span>Jonathon Schramm:</strong>&nbsp;It does seem like the trendsetters in this area tend to be secular institutions (although it&rsquo;s good to remember that many Christians work in those settings and are doubtless a part of the movement towards literacy). The reasons for our sluggishness as Christian institutions in developing environmental literacy are probably numerous, but if I had to boil it down to one idea, I think it would be the way in which we have effectively marginalized creation in our theology, and subsequently downplayed the role of creation care in our ethics. So one of my chief recommendations for where we as Christian institutions might work to repair our knowledge of and love for creation is to work at giving it prominent billing as often as possible in the &ldquo;big picture&rdquo; talk that frames so much teaching and activity on campus. Convocations, chapel services and the like should be full of not just praise to God for this beautiful creation, but also lament and repentance for the carelessness with which we&rsquo;ve treated it.</p>
