In a move to do some social community work for environmental concerns, Toyota is once again launching the Toyota International Teacher Program to which 25 U.S. teachers will travel to Costa Rica to study global conservation issues.
Committed to providing the best education and training for environmental leaders and teachers of tomorrow, the Toyota International Teacher Program is an international study tour for secondary teachers of all disciplines focused on promoting environmental conservation and sustainability, as well as global understanding.
A new element to this year’s Costa Rica trip is the creation of the Toyota4Education.com wiki. Established to serve as a virtual classroom and facilitate distance learning during the program, this social media tool enables teachers to communicate their experiences in real time with their schools and communities. Educators will blog about their Costa Rica experiences, post photos and lesson plans and correspond with their students.
In Costa Rica, a country dedicated to protecting its natural resources, area experts will educate participating teachers on sustainable development, agronomy, ecotourism and other conservation practices. Other activities include researching methods in sustainable agriculture at EARTH University.
Funded through an annual $1.3 million grant from TMS, the Toyota International Teacher Program is the only one of its kind sponsored by a major U.S. corporation. To date, nearly 600 teachers nationwide have participated.
(Source) Press
Tags: costa rica trip, ecotourism, environmental conservation, environmental leaders, global conservation, lesson plans