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Showing papers on "Environmental education published in 2010"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors investigated the development of agency in science among low-income urban youth aged 10 to 14 as they participated in a voluntary year-round program on green energy technologies conducted at a local community club in a midwestern city.
Abstract: This article investigates the development of agency in science among low-income urban youth aged 10 to 14 as they participated in a voluntary year-round program on green energy technologies conducted at a local community club in a midwestern city. Focusing on how youth engaged a summer unit on understanding and modeling the relationship between energy use and the health of the urban environment, we use ethnographic data to discuss how the youth asserted themselves as community science experts in ways that took up and broke down the contradictory roles of being a producer and a critic of science/education. Our findings suggest that youth actively appropriate project activities and tools in order to challenge the types of roles and student voice traditionally available to students in the classroom.

414 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors found that reading three classic environmental books (Walden, A Sand County Almanac, and Silent Spring) is associated with the likelihood of engaging in environmentally responsible behavior (ERB).
Abstract: It is often assumed that individuals who are knowledgeable and concerned about the environment will engage in environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). We use data from a large scale Web survey hosted on National Geographic’s Web site in 2001-2002 to investigate this premise. We examine whether reading three classic environmental books (Walden, A Sand County Almanac, and Silent Spring) is associated with the likelihood of engaging in ERB. Conceptualizing this activity as a formative experience and a source of environmental knowledge, we hypothesized that reading such literature would be a stronger predictor of ERB than sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, education, and political orientation), general environmental attitudes (as measured by the New Ecological Paradigm), and concern about specific environmental risks. The results indicated that while reading environmental literature was a stronger predictor of ERB than background characteristics and the NEP, environmental concern was an even s...

326 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors employed a mixed-methods design to examine the relationship between nature experience type and learning outcomes (e.g., environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior) associated with an environmental education, international immersion program for adolescents.

315 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings reveal that youth tended to assign responsibility for the environment to the government and consumers rather than accepting personal responsibility over the course of the three decades.
Abstract: Since the Environmental Movement began, adolescents’ views have been largely ignored in studies of public opinion. The article presents a descriptive analysis of trends in the environmental attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of high school seniors from 1976 to 2005 using data from the Monitoring the Future study. Across a range of indicators, environmental concerns of adolescents show increases during the early 1990s and declines across the remainder of the three decades. Declining trends in reports of personal responsibility for the environment, conservation behaviors, and the belief that resources are scarce are particularly noteworthy. Across all years, findings reveal that youth tended to assign responsibility for the environment to the government and consumers rather than accepting personal responsibility. Recent declines in environmental concerns for this nationally representative sample of youth signal the need for a renewed focus on young people’s views and call for better environmental education and governmental leadership.

273 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors draw attention of the education for sustainable development (ESD) community to recent discussions on competence approaches and examine the adequacy of a competence-based model as the means of achieving educational and societal transformation towards sustainability.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw attention of the education for sustainable development (ESD) community to recent discussions on competence approaches and to examine the adequacy of a competence‐based model as the means of achieving educational and societal transformation towards sustainability. The paper analyses and highlights some important aspects of case studies of the contributing authors to the special issue.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the review of relevant literature and reflections on the articles that constitute this special issue. It also reflects the authors' observations through their extensive interactions with theoreticians, practitioners and policy makers on ESD in the context of the United Nations decade of education for sustainable development (DESD) and higher education for sustainable development (HESD).Findings – The paper recognises a highly complex nature of the conceptualizations of competences for SD and their articulation in educational prog...

224 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey of the environmental knowledge, attitude and practices of pre-service secondary teachers enrolled in an undergraduate Biology Teaching Methods course was conducted to investigate the impact of environmental knowledge on the attitudes of students and teachers.
Abstract: Within this decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), educational institutions need to increase their efforts to educate their students for a sustainable future. Teachers are most influential in educating children and teenagers to be leaders of tomorrow in protecting the environment. Thus, aspiring teachers should demonstrate pro-environmental behaviour and attitudes if they are to integrate ESD effectively in their teaching upon graduation. They should also have good knowledge about the environment to ensure effective delivery. However, previous studies show that many students and teachers lack sufficient environmental knowledge but demonstrate positive attitudes towards the environment. This lack of knowledge is believed to contribute to the lack of pro-environmental behaviours among them. This study is a survey of the environmental knowledge, attitude and practices of pre-service secondary teachers enrolled in an undergraduate Biology Teaching Methods course. The results suggest the readin...

206 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In an effort to help evaluators bridge the gap between the potential for high quality evaluation systems to improve environmental education, and the low level of evaluation in actual practice, recent environmental education literature is reviewed.

195 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper examined how a cohort of university presidents and vice-presidents in Canadian universities conceptualized sustainable development, sustainable universities, the role universities play in achieving a sustainable future, key issues facing the university, and the barriers to implementing sustainability initiatives on campus.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how a cohort of university presidents and vice‐presidents in Canadian universities conceptualize sustainable development, sustainable universities, the role universities play in achieving a sustainable future, key issues facing the university, and the barriers to implementing sustainability initiatives on campus.Design/methodology/approach – The research comprises in‐depth interviews with university presidents (rectors) and vice‐presidents from Talloires Declaration signatory universities in Canada. Interviews include both closed and open‐ended questions and two checklists focused on sustainable development and sustainable universities. Interview transcripts are analyzed through the identification of respondent themes.Findings – The majority of participants are well versed in the concept of sustainable development, but less familiar with the concept of a sustainable university. The majority are dedicated to having their university become more sustainable. ...

187 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide an outside commentary on several of the articles provided in this special issue on environmental education and education in the context of sustainability in Denmark and Sweden, highlighting the need to reflect on and expose the implicit normativity of education in general and education for sustainable development in particular.
Abstract: This contribution provides an ‘outside’ commentary on several of the articles provided in this special issue on environmental education and education in the context of sustainability in Denmark and Sweden. Although there is no uniform position or shared single outlook expressed in the articles in this special issue, there are some re‐current tendencies that may have received less attention elsewhere in the world but clearly are in need of further investigation there as well. These tendencies are delicately intertwined and include: (1) a concern for democracy and participation minimally distorted by inevitable power imbalances; (2) a commitment to solidarity and preservation of the public good, including the outdoors; (3) a privileging of transactional and dialogical forms of meaning‐making characterized by indeterminism and co‐creation; (4) the need to reflect on and expose the, often‐times, implicit normativity of education in general and of education for sustainable development in particular. It is sugg...

144 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The ways in which educational goals can and should be linked to conservation outcomes for an agency or organization are examined.

137 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The computer as mobile guide can lead to an increase in environmental knowledge and in case of the children it can increase their motivation to engage in environmental education activities.
Abstract: Environmental education and computers? That was traditionally seen as an antagonism. But environmental educators who compete for attention and face new challenges in an age of mobile devices, have begun to explore the opportunities that mobile computers may offer in supporting environmental learning experiences. This study investigates the impact of a mobile guide system on different parameters of environmental literacy in comparison to traditional instruments of environmental education (i.e. brochure, human guide). In a field experiment at a floodplain conservation site, 185 school children and 76 adults participated in a guided tour using different media. Despite the novelty of mobile devices and usability issues associated with the prototype mobile nature guide, participants using the computer-assisted medium achieved similar results concerning environmental literacy components. The computer as mobile guide can lead to an increase in environmental knowledge and in case of the children it can increase their motivation to engage in environmental education activities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article explored aboriginal environmental epistemologies and responsible human interactions with the natural environment and made the argument that while not a panacea, Aboriginal environmental ontologies hold lessons for teaching environmental stewardship and sustainability behavior in mainstream classrooms.
Abstract: Generally speaking, environmental education teaching, research, and practice have been informed by the traditions of western, Euro-centric culture. In this context indigenous perspectives are often marginalized, maligned, and perceived to be unscientific and therefore inferior. This essay adds to the growing body of literature exploring aboriginal indigenous environmental epistemologies and responsible human interactions with the natural environment. The paper provides a Canadian context as it examines the environmental philosophy and attitude of a Canadian First Nations community to the natural environment grounded in the lived experiences of adults, children and elders from the Walpole Island First Nation. We make the argument that while not a panacea, Aboriginal environmental epistemologies hold lessons for teaching environmental stewardship and sustainability behavior in mainstream classrooms.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the international policy debate, environmental education and education for sustainable development seem to be moving away from a focus on behavioural modifications to more pluralistic approaches as mentioned in this paper, which is a departure from the traditional focus on behavioral modifications.
Abstract: In the international policy debate, environmental education and education for sustainable development seem to be moving away from a focus on behavioural modifications to more pluralistic approaches ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper found that although schooling and academic knowledge bear a negative association with local knowledge, the magnitude is low, probably because schooling was partially contextualized, which might help avoid that the provision of universal education comes at the cost of humanity's cultural diversity.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper explored the practices of teachers, nonformal science educators, community organizers, youth program managers, and other educators facilitating youth participation in local environmental action, as well as the experiences of some of the youth involved.
Abstract: This study explored the practices of teachers, nonformal science educators, community organizers, youth program managers, and other educators facilitating youth participation in local environmental action, as well as the experiences of some of the youth involved. We conducted narrative interviews with 33 educators facilitating youth environmental action in communities throughout the United States and group interviews with 46 youth participating in nine environmental action programs in New York State. Through interpretation of educators' stories and youths' reflections, we discovered strong parallels with theory and empirical research in the youth development literature suggesting environmental action is a valuable context for positive youth development.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined a participatory action research (PAR) project to determine how PAR fostered environmental learning and, in turn, how the learning influenced resilience in a social-ecological system.
Abstract: How can a participatory approach to research promote environmental learning and enhance social–ecological systems resilience? Participatory action research (PAR) is an approach to research that its’ supporters claim can foster new knowledge, learning, and action to support positive social and environmental change through reorienting the standard process of knowledge production. PAR is posited as being particularly suitable for use with historically disadvantaged groups. As such it may be a useful tool for environmental learning which would enable a social–ecological system to better respond to change as theorized by resilience thinkers. In this paper, we examine a PAR project to determine how PAR fostered environmental learning and, in turn, how the learning influenced resilience. The project partnered an ecologist, federal and state forest managers, and harvesters of salal (Gaultheria shallon), a non‐timber forest product gathered and sold for use in the floral industry in the forests of the Olympic Peni...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the context of recently published academic discrepancies between Queensland students and students from other Australian states, final year pre-service teachers were surveyed to explore their understanding and knowledge of climate change.
Abstract: In the context of recently published academic discrepancies between Queensland students and students from other Australian states, final year pre-service teachers were surveyed to explore their understanding and knowledge of climate change. Their responses were compared to those of secondary students to discern any significant gains in knowledge as a consequence of tertiary teacher training. Responses from a survey completed by a sample of 107 pre-service teachers and 310 grade 10 secondary students were examined for their level of understanding and knowledge, models of explanation and sources of information of the phenomenon. Results showed similarities between the two groups, with knowledge and understanding of climate change remaining unacceptably low in pre-service teachers, including those secondary specialists citing science and environmental studies (SOSE) as their focus of study. The study highlights the need to develop tertiary science curricula to bridge pre-service teachers’ knowledge and understanding gaps of important school curriculum topics while embedding these in broader considerations of curriculum planning.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: By comparing performance 30 days, 1 year and 2 years after the initial program, it is demonstrated that knowledge gain from this program is not transient and although knowledge is a prerequisite for appropriate conservation actions it does not guarantee appropriate behaviors will be performed.
Abstract: Although the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of conservation education programs cannot be underestimated, few evaluations of these programs and their resulting impact on the environment have been conducted. A partnership between scientists, educators, and local administrators on an evaluation program has been developed to evaluate a model of education program evaluation that includes short- and long-term evaluation of (1) knowledge and attitude change, (2) behavior change, and (3) positive biological impact. Previous work has shown short-term knowledge retention from this education program. In the current study follow-up evaluations were collected from students at 14 schools outside the Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda. By comparing performance 30 days, 1 year and 2 years after the initial program we demonstrate that knowledge gain from this program is not transient. However, although knowledge is a prerequisite for appropriate conservation actions it does not guarantee appropriate behaviors will be performed. Anecdotal evidence of behavior change and positive biological impact is discussed within the context of the challenges with changing behavior and evaluating the true biological impacts of those behaviors. Ultimately, conservation professionals will need to partner with educators and social scientists to effectively measure the impact of conservation education and human-based conservation programs on primate populations and their habitat.

Book
26 Feb 2010
TL;DR: Young Children and the Environment as discussed by the authors is an essential text for students in early childhood education and a practical resource for child care practitioners and primary school teachers, it is designed to promote education for sustainability from birth to 8 years.
Abstract: Young Children and the Environment tackles one of the biggest contemporary issues of our times - the changing environment - and demonstrates how early education can contribute to sustainable living. An essential text for students in early childhood education and a practical resource for child care practitioners and primary school teachers, it is designed to promote education for sustainability from birth to 8 years. The text refers to national and international initiatives such as ‘Sustainable Schools’, ‘Child Friendly Cities’, and ‘Health Promoting Schools’ and explores their existing and potential links with early childhood education. Groundbreaking content draws on recent literature in the areas of organisational, educational and cultural change and environmental sustainability. Early childhood case studies and vignettes exemplify leadership in practice, and ‘Provocations’ are integrated throughout to inspire new ways of thinking about the environment, the wider world, young children and the transformative power of early education.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors proposed a conceptual framework to stimulate research questions in urban environmental education, focusing on environmental education programs that are nested within and linked to community-based stewardship or civic ecology practices, such as community forestry, streamside restoration, and community gardening.
Abstract: A variety of environmental education practices are emerging to address the needs of an increasingly urban population. Drawing from social-ecological systems and social learning theory, we propose a conceptual framework to stimulate research questions in urban environmental education. More specifically, our conceptual framework focuses on environmental education programs that are nested within and linked to community-based stewardship or civic ecology practices, such as community forestry, streamside restoration, and community gardening. It suggests ways in which educational programs, stewardship practice, and other social-ecological system components and processes interact through feedback loops and other mechanisms, as well as means by which urban environmental education might lead to local ecosystem services and human and community well-being. Human and community outcomes may in turn result in pressure to change environmental policies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyse the significance of developments across Chinese higher education in the field of education and learning for sustainable development (SD) and assess the relative impact of these initiatives.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the significance of developments across Chinese higher education in the field of education and learning for sustainable development (SD) and to assess the relative impact of these initiatives.Design/methodology/approach – This is a review of policy and practice to examine developments, challenges, and prospects for education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education in China. Selected educational and operational activities in different universities are presented for analysis and contextualized in relation to the aims of Agenda 21 in China and the broader ESD movement.Findings – Key barriers for the balance and promotion of ESD in higher education are identified, with particular focus on regional differences in this vast developing nation, and the need for broader educational approaches across academic disciplines. Teaching about SD has been integrated into technical fields, especially at universities in major cities, and research has been under...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors call for a reflection on environmental education's presence within the budding sustainability movement and call for the "humanization" of environmental education discourse and pedagogical practice.
Abstract: Recently the environmental movement has seen much success and progress under a newly-framed green paradigm. Yet, despite the proliferation of national attention to, and public interest in, the go-green mentality, environmental education still seems to be stuck within the old environmental paradigm. This critical essay shares lessons that environmental education can learn through incorporating a human benefits approach. Ultimately, this essay calls for a reflection on environmental education's presence within the budding sustainability movement and calls for the “humanization” of environmental education discourse and pedagogical practice.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors trace the history and progressive development of environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and Denmark, focusing on work in primary and lower secondary schools as part of a search for trends of international interest related to the conceptualisation and practice of Environmental education in both countries, as well as the role and significance of democratic perspectives to their development.
Abstract: Our paper traces the history and progressive development of environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and Denmark. Our main focus is on work in primary and lower secondary schools as part of a search for trends of international interest related to the conceptualisation and practice of environmental education and ESD in both countries, as well as the role and significance of democratic perspectives to their development. Traditionally, Sweden has a more centralised approach to change compared to a more decentralised approach in Denmark. Accordingly, the interplay between the State, the individual and private initiatives has differed over the past half‐century, and this has given rise to interesting effects on the development of environmental education as well as ESD. The discussion of their development in Sweden draws on historical, political and organisational perspectives, while for Denmark, we focus on how these perspectives relate to a series of challenges; for ex...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a model for the analysis of business schools as creators, disseminators, and adopters of knowledge on environmental management, based on which a review of the importance of higher education institutions for sustainability, and more specifically, about their relevance for the creation, diffusion, and adoption of knowledge in environmental management is performed.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a model for the analysis of business schools as creators, disseminators, and adopters of knowledge on environmental management.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the importance of higher education institutions for sustainability, and more specifically, about their relevance for the creation, diffusion, and adoption of knowledge on environmental management is performed. Guided by this reflection, a model for analyzing the contributions of business schools for expertise in environmental management is proposed. This model considers that activities such as teaching, research, extension community, and university management are elementary for these schools. For each addressed topic, empirical evidence on how some business schools and universities are addressing the environmental dimension in its activities is presented.Findings – The paper's discussions lead the reader to a draft of the evolutionary stages of business schools' contribution for environment...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored the emerging field of sustainability science within the context of the socio-cultural milieu of Malawi, a sub-Saharan African country, through interviews in vernacular languages and observations in the field.
Abstract: In response to global climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the immense human impact on the carrying capacity of the earth systems, attention has been given to sustainable development worldwide. In this paper, we explore the emerging field of sustainability science within the context of the socio‐cultural milieu of Malawi, a sub‐Saharan African country. Through interviews in vernacular languages and observations in the field, our research explores how traditional agriculture practices of African elders may contribute to the sustainability of the environment and culture in Africa. Findings indicate that traditional farmers and food preservationists choose to practice indigenous ways of living with nature to live sustainably in a globalized economy. Further discussion elucidates how merging worldviews and hybridized knowledge and languages can be leveraged to create a third space for dialogue and curriculum development by connecting indigenous ways of living with Eurocentric science.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that while nongovernmental organizational efforts are and will be very important, the Ministry of Education urgently needs to incorporate biodiversity education in the curriculum at all levels, from primary school to university.
Abstract: Few Malagasy children and adults are aware of the rare and unique fauna and flora indigenous to their island-continent, including flagship lemur species. Even the Malagasy ancestral proverbs never mentioned lemurs, but these same proverbs talked about the now extinct hippopotamus. Madagascar's geography, history, and economic constraints contribute to severe biodiversity loss. Deforestation on Madagascar is reported to be over 100,000 ha/year, with only 10–15% of the island retaining natural forest [Green & Sussman, 1990]. Educating children, teacher-training, and community projects about environmental and conservation efforts to protect the remaining natural habitats of endangered lemur species provide a basis for long-term changes in attitudes and practices. Case studies of three conservation education projects located in different geographical regions of Madagascar, Centre ValBio, Madagacar Wildlife Conservation Alaotra Comic Book Project, and The Ako Book Project, are presented together with their ongoing stages of development, assessment, and outcomes. We argue that while nongovernmental organizational efforts are and will be very important, the Ministry of Education urgently needs to incorporate biodiversity education in the curriculum at all levels, from primary school to university. Am. J. Primatol. 72:391–406, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focused on the issue from a school effectiveness perspective and evaluated (a) which student characteristics predict environmental attitudes and awareness, (b) whether schools make a difference in their students' environmental attitudes, and (c) if school effects are different for students with varying levels of science ability.
Abstract: The environmental agenda is gaining momentum as an international policy issue. This is reflected in an increase in environmental education research focussing on children’s awareness and attitudes toward the environment. In this study, we focused on this issue from a school effectiveness perspective and evaluated (a) which student characteristics predict environmental attitudes and awareness, (b) whether schools make a difference in their students’ environmental attitudes and awareness and (c) if school effects are different for students with varying levels of science ability. The cross-sectional Flemish data of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment 2006 (4,999 students in 156 schools) were re-analysed using a multivariate multilevel model to address these issues. Results show that gender, immigrant status, socioeconomic status and educational track are important in explaining students’ environmental attitudes and awareness. Furthermore, the results show that schools do matter; schools in which science is taught in a more hands-on manner are associated with higher student environmental awareness whilst environmental learning activities are associated with more pro-environmental attitudes amongst students. After controlling for student characteristics, these school effects do not differ between more science-literate children and their less or average science-literate peers.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors found that the reviewed earth and environmental sicence textbooks did not adequately address students' misconceptions about climate change, suggesting a need for revision, and proposed a review of the reviewed textbooks.
Abstract: The reviewed earth and environmental sicence textbooks did not adequately address students' misconceptions about climate change, suggesting a need for revision.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors use activity theory as a lens to examine how environmental education programs situated within adaptive comanagement practices might foster learning among youth while contributing directly to environmental quality, building and distributing multiple forms of knowledge among stakeholders, and changing adult behaviors in a local watershed.
Abstract: In this paper we attempt to integrate environmental education, with a focus on building capacity at the level of the individual, with frameworks for resilience, with a focus on adaptive capacity at the level of the social–ecological system. Whereas previous work has focused on enhancing system‐level capacity through building adaptive capacity in individuals, we suggest a wider range of processes for linking individual learning with resilience in social–ecological systems. In particular, we use activity theory as a lens to examine how environmental education programs situated within adaptive co‐management practices might foster learning among youth while contributing directly to environmental quality, building and distributing multiple forms of knowledge among stakeholders, and changing adult behaviors in a local watershed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a study of green families in Australia was conducted to shed light on how a more durable, everyday environmental ethic and ecopolitic might slowly be enacted in the intimacy of the home "place" over an extended period of time in rapidly changing socio-cultural and ecological conditions.
Abstract: ‘Green families’ in Australia were studied so as to shed light on how a more durable, everyday environmental ethic and ecopolitic might slowly be enacted in the intimacy of the home ‘place’ over an extended period of time in rapidly changing socio‐cultural‐ecological conditions. Of particular interest to this study of the green household, or postmodern oikos, was how its proximal ‘moral spaces’ have been nurtured intergenerationally by family members from within the broader global climate of what Zygmunt Bauman refers to as the ‘moral lag’ of postmodernity. Three layers of interpretive findings about the social ecology and family dynamics of this oikos are presented in an effort to provide detailed understandings about families’ eco being, dwelling and becoming. Implications for education for the environment can be gleaned from the ‘best’ ecopedagogical practices found in the home that are ‘other’ than those occurring in the formal education sector. This study adds to the theorizations of ‘social ecology’...