An Educational Resource Guide for the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center

Abstract

The Northern Great Lakes Region is an area made up of 45 counties in northern Wisconsin, northeastern Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The region is unique in its ecological, historical and social make-up. In the late 1980's, a group of concerned citizens began working on the idea for a center that would showcase this region and its diversity. Over ten years later, the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center stands in the heart of region. Located west of Ashland, Wisconsin, the new center is administered and supported by multiple partners, cooperators and an advisory committee. In the final stages of its completion, it has attracted the interests of many visitors, community members and school groups. Educational planning at the Center is still in its infancy. Educational resources for the Center are scattered, even those materials concerning the Center itself. Although the Center has a mission, up until now it has not had an educational mission, goals or target audiences. What expectations do area teachers and community members have concerning educational programming at the Center? What other educational centers exist throughout the Northern Great Lakes Region? Through this research project an Educational Resource Guide has been developed for the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. This Educational Resource Guide is much like a field guide that can be used by the staff of the Center as each agency, organization and/or individual sees fit. This Educational Resource Guide will help educational staff understand what educational resources are available to them within the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and within the region. In order to create the Educational Resource Guide, the researcher has: documented prior and current educational planning leading up to the creation of the Center; developed and implemented a valid instrument for creating the educational mission and goals for the Center; performed up-to-date market analysis of area schools' needs to link area schools to the Center: and inventoried educational resource centers within the region.