Aaranyak hosted the 4th Refresher Workshop on Applied Environmental Education from February 11 to 13 in Guwahati, aimed at enhancing the skills of educators and practitioners in environmental education and conservation outreach. Organized by its Environment Education and Capacity Building Division (EECBD), the workshop, led by Jayanta Kumar Pathak, focused on applied approaches to environmental education, practical conservation strategies, and community engagement methods.
Participants learned to identify environmental challenges and design interventions for various groups, including schools and local communities. The workshop emphasized integrating environmental education into school systems and promoting experiential learning. Notable presentations included a case study by Prajnyan Sarma on classroom engagement for water conservation and practical activities related to soil conservation. Tikendrajit Gogoi introduced creative learning tools, such as eco-printing and nature journaling.
The final day featured sessions on ethical communication and community engagement, underlining the importance of cultural context and holistic approaches. Participants created Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials and learned evaluation techniques to assess the impact of their initiatives. Feedback from participants, like Sanshumoi Basumatary, highlighted the transformative ideas encountered during the workshop. The event concluded with a session encouraging attendees to apply their new insights to advance environmental education at institutional and community levels for the benefit of people and nature.