Silver Spring, Maryland (September 28, 2015) – The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced that the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) received Significant Achievement in its 2015 Education Award for its Survey of Educator Attitudes on Science resource. The AZA Education Award recognizes outstanding achievement in educational program design, judging programs on their ability to promote conservation knowledge, attitudes and behavior, show innovation, and measure success.

“Science education is a high priority for AZA-accredited aquariums and zoos, and this award provides well-deserved national recognition for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Survey of Educator Attitudes on Science resource, which is helping to build and inspire the next generation of conservationists,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.

Educators at zoos and aquariums have long been applauded for their efforts to share conservation messages and information. However, the field is facing increasing calls to demonstrate program outcomes and impacts. In response, WCS developed the “Survey of Educator Attitudes on Science” (SEAS)—a groundbreaking tool, created in collaboration with Hezel Associates, to measure attitudinal shift as a result of professional development. The goal was to design a validated instrument that can be used by zoos and aquariums (and other informal science institutions) to systematically evaluate the effects of teacher professional development programs. Over the past year, 614 teachers have completed the SEAS instrument upon completion of a WCS teacher professional development program. Analysis of this data found a statistically significant improvement in all SEAS items after participation in a WCS teacher professional development program. The largest change from pre- to post- attitudes was found in the “Self Efficacy in Teaching Science” scale. This increase suggests that WCS’s PD workshops are helping teachers better understand how to teach science and to feel more confident in their teaching abilities. Additionally, the highest post-belief scores were found in the “Attitudes toward Conservation” scale, which suggests that teachers are leaving WCS’s PD workshops with strong beliefs in the value of conservation.

Don Lisowy, Director of Education, WCS Zoos and Aquarium, said, “The Survey of Educator Attitudes on Science is shedding new light on the effectiveness of WCS’s professional development programs for teachers. This innovative evaluation tool will be an important resource for other AZA institutions in demonstrating the impacts of their teacher education programs, and for the field to demonstrate our collective impact.”

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, 5:30 p.m. weekends from April to October; 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m November to March. Adult general admission is $16.95, children (3-12 years old) $12.95, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14.95. Parking is $15 for cars and $18 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org; http://www.facebook.com/TheWCS; http://www.youtube.com/user/WCSMedia  Follow: @thewcs.

About AZA - Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and seven other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.

###