Who is your audience?
This is an education program for Washington State residents living in communities near our partner organizations.
The program educates those wishing to know more about Washington ecosystems and ecology, in turn becoming Washington State Naturalists that can help environmental organizations as volunteers in stewardship, participatory science, and all educational programs. Participants will only be accepted to the program that can commit to online learning, completing 20 hours of field activities, and volunteering 20 hours with our partner organizations.
What is the program scope?
The core modules will provide an overview of Washington state ecosystems, general ecology, and engage you in scientific literacy and principles. Three advanced modules focus on aquatic ecosystems, and the other advanced module focuses on the forests of Washington.
Why is the program restricted to specific counties? When will the program expand to my county?
The Washington State Naturalist Program requires participants to complete 20 hours of volunteering with a partner organization. So, participants must be able to consistently travel to their partner organization’s volunteer opportunities.
Additionally, our program’s capacity is currently limited by funding and available staff time. Additional partners require more funding and staff time to adequately support our program participants.
We moderately grow the program each year. If you currently reside in a county outside of the WANAT program’s current scope, or want the program to grow in your county, you can suggest that a local environmental organization/program/agency with volunteer opportunities apply to be a WANAT partner here: WANAT Partner Organization Application. This does not guarantee we will expand to your county.
What relationship does your curriculum have with similar existing courses? (e.g., Beach Naturalists, Master Gardeners etc.)
This program and curriculum are intended to be used statewide with more breadth and depth of information than the Beach Naturalists and Master Gardener training. There is a focus on water and water ecology like the Beach Naturalist programs, but with an emphasis on the diverse biogeography of Washington. This program is also centered around completing self-paced, online modules across several months, as well as a required field component.
Could you please provide more information about how the online course modules work and the time commitment for them?
The online course modules are hosted on the Canvas learning platform. The modules include reading chapters authored and peer-reviewed by WSU faculty, lectures recorded by WSU faculty, educational videos sourced from various agencies and organizations, short quizzes after each lesson, and end-of-module assignments to apply your learning. We estimate that the shorter modules will take approximately 3 – 4 hours to complete. The modules that are over 70 pages may take 8 – 9 hours to complete. The total time commitment to complete 6 online modules is about 40 – 50 hours spread over early October to early March.
You typically have 2 weeks to complete each module. Some modules we provide 3-4 weeks due to the holidays (see the course schedule on the Apply for WANAT page). After the scheduled time for a module is completed, you will meet with others in the program on Zoom for a 90-minute discussion section. It is recommended to complete the modules during the scheduled time to stay on track with your fellow participants and be able to participate in discussion section fully.
When you complete a module within the scheduled time, you cannot advance onto the next module until its scheduled release date. If you don’t complete a module until after the release date of the next module, you will need to wait for an instructor to grade your end-of-module assignment to advance.
How many hours of online lectures would we be watching?
Many of the videos and lectures are only a few minutes. Some of them are 20 to 30 minutes. It varies from module to module.
Is it a lecture-based Zoom class where we all gather?
No, the online modules should be completed every 2-3 weeks on your own time. We will meet on Zoom every other week to discuss the modules, ask questions, and get to know the other Naturalist apprentices, but it is not a lecture-based meeting. The Zoom discussion sections typically involve reading a short article or engaging with interactive content that relate to the concepts from the current module, then discussing this in breakout rooms. Discussion sections also include program updates, reading recommendations, field learning opportunities, and the occasional guest speaker.
Is there a way to do this program during nights and weekends?
Yes, the curriculum is administered through Canvas, an online learning platform, so it is intended to be completed when you have time in your schedule. We have Zoom discussion sections on Monday and Tuesday (you choose one to attend) evenings every other week to discuss and review the modules.
Can you share any additional information about when this would start?
The introductory Zoom meetings begin and the online learning modules launch on October 13th. The modules should be completed by the week of March 2nd. Review the course schedule on the Apply for WANAT page.
Is a background in science needed?
No, a background in science is not required. We want you to learn about the ecology and natural resources in our beautiful state.
How much travel would be expected for us as volunteers on projects? Might the projects be within our own county?
Because there is a 20-hour volunteer commitment to our partner organizations in Washington, you will need to be able to travel consistently to these organizations and/or the locations of their volunteer opportunities.
When reviewing applications, priority is given to applicants that reside in the same counties as the partner organizations. We suggest reviewing the website and volunteer opportunities for the partner organization you’re interested in to ascertain whether you can consistently travel and volunteer with them.
Does the Washington State Naturalist Program offer scholarships?
Yes, we provide a few scholarships each cohort. We cannot accommodate every request for scholarships, so this is a more selective process than the program application in of itself. Please indicate on the application that you would like to be considered for a scholarship, and whether you would like to still be considered for the program even if you are not selected for a scholarship.
This year, we will offer three to six scholarships covering $375 of the program’s $425 tuition, so that recipients are expected to cover the remaining $50.