October - Learning Experiences

What is Public Education?

In Parks Canada, many learning experiences develop in various arrangements with Canadians, for Canadians and by Canadians. We want to ensure those learning experiences are meaningful to audiences, providing multiple voices, multiple perspectives on historic events and balanced science research findings on developments in the natural world. Different approaches and technologies are used to help engage audiences' interests and meet their needs for more information, understanding or involvement. So magazine articles, trail interpretation signs, smart phone applications, broadcast TV programs, www.pc.gc.ca, costumed animators, and so many others all serve as Public Education opportunities in Parks Canada for Canadians and for the world. Each of these learning opportunities are different ways to discover more about national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas, about science, nature, culture and heritage and about being Canadian.

Depending on interests and energy level, people experience different levels of learning as they move through the day. Understanding our audiences and what they enjoy enables Parks Canada to create, facilitate and customize learning opportunities that meet audiences' needs. By participating in Parks Canada learning experiences, Canadians will enjoy opportunities to:

Grow Awareness: when you realize that there is something about a place, its natural and/or cultural heritage, that is important and that you want to remember it after your experience.

Gain Appreciation: when the natural and cultural environment develops connections to you and your life.

Improve Understanding: when you become more knowledgeable and better able to explain natural and cultural heritage of a place important to you and its meanings and processes to others.

Increase Involvement: when you begin to take responsibility for caring for the natural and cultural heritage of a place in a way that demonstrates caring and stewardship for the future health of the place.

Provide Active Support: when you work with other people or organizations to extend your passion for natural and cultural heritage into developing awareness, appreciation, understanding, involvement and support in others.