Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Eco-Justice Issues Among Middle And High School Students In Eco-Schools In Puerto Rico, Elsie Aquino

Wayne State University Dissertations

The conservation, preservation, and protection of the environment are responsibilities that must be globally shared by human beings to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987, p. 43). When citizens acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become agents of change, the lack of interconnectedness – a relationship to nature as one of dominion and control – that presently exists between humans and nature might subside (Winograd, 2016). Through the re-orientation of the present educational system and the development of curricula …

Public Elementary School Teachers' Experiences With Implementing Outdoor Classrooms, Lori Schultz Goff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children experience limited time outdoors and have few opportunities for outdoor learning in schools, putting them at risk for being unprepared to engage in solving environmental and societal problems. Researchers have examined outdoor learning at the preschool and high school levels; elementary school experiences have been explored less frequently. Guided by a conceptual framework informed by social emotional learning (SEL), ecological literacy, and teacher self-efficacy, this study investigated public school elementary teachers' experiences with outdoor classrooms including barriers and supports to creating and using outdoor classrooms. A qualitative design using in-depth interviews with interpretive phenomenological analysis techniques was conducted with …

Growing Youth Programming At Garden City Harvest Through Participatory Action Research, Hannah B. Oblock

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This professional paper presents a program evaluation and strategic plan for the youth development farming programs at Garden City Harvest (GCH), a non-profit in Missoula, Montana, which coordinates community-centered agriculture projects and facilitates sustainable agriculture education. The youth programs, Youth Harvest (YH) and Youth Farm (YF), hire adolescents of 15-18 years of age to work on their urban farms to learn about sustainable agriculture, job readiness skills, and social-emotional well-being. As the organization continues to expand, especially with the addition of a new facility, GCH administration and staff are interested in learning how the programs impact the youth employees and …

A Retro Development In Education: Evaluating The Feasibility Of Integrating Place-Based Education Into Mississippi Curriculum Standards, Colby K. Mcclain

Honors Theses

This thesis evaluates the feasibility of integrating place-based environmental education activities from Think Green, Take Action: Books and Activities for Kids into the Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) Frameworks for Science and Social Studies for K-5. As children develop and experience the world, their ability to understand and interpret the surrounding environments expand; however, Mississippi schools are not focused on experiential environmental education, even though experiencing and understanding the surrounding environment is vital in fostering eagerness to learn. Due to a growing disconnect between humans and the natural world, this thesis examined 37 place- and environment-based activities for children, sixteen …

Exploring The Potential To Motivate High School Environmental Science Students With Environmental Justice: A Mixed Methods Approach, Elliott Karetny

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods, design-based study was to explore the potential for socioscientific issues framed by environmental to motivate high school environmental science students. The embedded design began and ended with a survey of student dispositions, and included interviews of particular students in an effort to capture views of general and personal dispositions. Statistical analyses uncovered a moralistic approach to environmental decision-making, and a positive outlook of the future, including the confidence to solve environmental problems. Students revealed an abstract notion of the environment that requires innovative approaches to teaching environmental science, and view scientists as essential change agents …

Treble In The Environment: Incorporating Music Into Environmental Education, Shinara Sunderlal

Pitzer Senior Theses

In this era where global sustainability is challenged, environmental education plays a vital role in building environmental awareness. Other roles of environmental education include the promotion of responsible citizenship and the fostering of environmental advocacy in children. As a way to strengthen these goals of environmental education, this thesis explores the dynamic uses of music to compound on the fields impact. I argue that the benefits of music outlined suggest music’s power to heighten environmental sensitivity from a young age. I use narratives from the environmental education, music, education, and psychology discourses to demonstrate the theoretical advantages of music in …

The Nature And Scope Of Outdoor Education In Western Australian Secondary Schools, Duncan Picknoll

Theses

Outdoor Education (OE) is an important learning area taught in many Western Australian (WA) schools. However, very little is known about its nature and scope, and how its delivery may differ between school sectors. Given the valuable contribution of OE to the holistic development of children and adolescents, it appears to be an under-resourced and undervalued learning area.

The primary aim of this study was to gather data regarding where and how OE was being taught in secondary schools in WA and to compare the findings to similar studies undertaken in Victoria, South Australia (SA), New Zealand and Singapore.

This …

Cultivating Ecological Literacy And Rethinking Our Connections To Nature, Sean Fretwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I explore the complex, often contested, relationships between humankind and nature. I consider the changing state of these relationships as they are influenced by factors rooted in science, technology, and economics. I also examine these relationships as they relate to human activities with agriculture. Considering the present state of environmental crisis and the abundance of evidence indicating the deleterious activities of humankind as primary causes for the many global calamities, I argue for revising industrially-driven ideologies; particularly those driven by the economic paradigm of capitalism and self-interest. Additionally, I submit that a return to kinship with nature …

Analysis Of Professors’ Perceptions Towards Institutional Redevelopment Of Brownfield Sites In Alabama, Berkley Nathaniel King Jr.

Dissertations

This study was conducted to analyze professors’ perceptions on the institutional redevelopment of brownfield sites into usable greenspaces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2011) refers to brownfields as sites, (either facility/land) under public law § 107-118 (H.R. 2869), which are contaminated with a substance that is classified as a hazard or a pollutant. Usable greenspaces, however, are open spaces or any open piece of land that is undeveloped, has no buildings or other built structures, and is accessible to the public (EPA, 2015).

Open green spaces provide recreational areas for residents and help to enhance the beauty and environmental quality …

Making A Place For People At A Wildlife Corridor On Chicago's South Side, Alexis Winter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What role do environmental conservation projects play in the transformation of American cities? How do these projects affect city residents? In this study, I ask these questions at the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, where the Chicago Park District worked with institutional and community-based partner organizations to engage city residents in the creation of a lakefront wildlife habitat and public nature area. Through ethnographic interviews and participant observation I explored how actors at various levels understand this changing landscape and their roles in shaping it. I situate the Burnham Wildlife Corridor project in the broader context of a state-level plan, the Millennium …

Guided Educational Tourism As Informal Science Education: An Empirical Study, Joseph Martin Lane

Dissertations

The scientific research and education communities have long had the goal of advancing the publics’ understanding of science. Informal science education is a powerful mechanism for shaping human conduct, enhancing quality of life, and advancing the publics’ understandings and values regarding science. Guided educational tours (that present science content) provide visitors with unique opportunities to observe and discuss scientific phenomena in the field. Available empirical research related to learning science from guided educational tours is, at best, limited. Research leading to the development of effective guided educational tours that present and interpret scientific information is of interest to both non-profit …

Expanding Horizons, Expanding Self: An Incentive To Get Out Of The Classroom And Start Using Art To Explore Your Community With Placed-Based Arts Investigation, Erin Poindexter

Masters Theses

The three primary components of Place-based Arts Investigation (PBAI) are an understanding of place, arts-integration, and arts-based research, each with a heritage in and of itself. These ideas work in tandem to form the keystones of PBAI, a model for interdisciplinary arts-based learning that utilizes the multiple languages of art as methods of inquiry and self-reflection without stifling curiosity. Developed with the intention to provide a true model for ‘arts integration’ in teaching and learning, PBAI uses the distinct advantages of visual art education to engage the learner through multiple modes of inquiry while providing periods of guided reflection (Gude, …

A Criteria-Based Evaluation Of Environmental Literacy Plans In The United States, Karena Ruggiero

Doctoral Dissertations

In response to the lack of formalized environmental education in the United States, 48 states are in the process of developing Environmental Literacy Plans (ELP) through their state environmental education organization (SEEO). The North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) produced guidelines intended to inform the states writing and development of their ELP. These guidelines provide a framework for the integration of environmental education into current state curricula, propose graduation requirements for environmental literacy, suggest steps for teacher professional development, detail assessment strategies and propose funding sources and policy action steps. Due to large variations in educational systems, policies, and …

An Investigation Of A Forest Field Trip For Elelmentary Students: What Strategies Were Used, And To What Extent Were These Strategies Effective In Supporting Student Learning?, Michelle M. Miller

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Many times when field experiences occur with elementary students there is no assessment of the programming, and therefore no data showing how the participants’ learning was impacted. This study focuses on the effectiveness of a forest field trip offered to 3^rd-5^th grade students at a public school in Gogebic County, Michigan.

The study was guided by the following research questions:

• What strategies have been used to conduct forest-based environmental education programs in the Western Upper Peninsula?
• What has been the impact of the strategies on students’ environmental knowledge?
• In what ways if any, can the conduct of …

Effects Of The Green Life Nature Education Program For 4th Grade Students Who Attend Bay Area Title One Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study, Jessica Blundell

Doctoral Dissertations

This explanatory sequential design mixed-methods evaluation measures the effects of the GLNE program on (a) students’ personal and social skills (b) students’ stewardship of the environment (c) students’ knowledge and understanding of science concepts. Quantitative survey data and qualitative data from a phenomenologically-based study are analyzed and compared in order to understand the impact of attending Green Life Nature Education (GLNE) program, the only Bay Area Residential Outdoor School that serves urban youth with no-cost programing.

The quantitative data from student surveys implies that in general, attending GLNE has a neutral impact on students. While there were several negative impacts …

A Comparison Of Course Quality Surveiy Results From Students On Gender Balanced And Gender Imbalanced Field Courses At Nols, Alexandra M. Alway

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

There is an extensive database of literature about diversity in outdoor Environmental Education and any of the studies focus on NOLS specifically. Several studies have investigated the impact of course composition in terms of gender as well as socioeconomic diversity; however, the research studies about course composition and gender were limited to differences between single gender and coed groups. The role of gender ratios on coed groups has not been widely researched. This study was designed to fill this gap in the research literature. Using course quality survey data, results showed that the student responses were significantly different between gender …

Isn’T Citizen Science A Hoot? A Case-Study Exploring The Effectiveness Of Citizen Science As An Instrument To Teach The Nature Of Science Through A Local Nocturnal Owl-Monitoring Project, Tess Marie Kreofsky

Dissertations and Theses

Citizen science projects present a distinctive opportunity for professional and volunteer scientists to coordinate their efforts to gather unique sets of data that can benefit the scientific and local communities. These projects are assumed to be an effective educational tool to teach nature of science (NOS) to participants (Brossard, Lewenstein, Bonney, 2005). This case study evaluates the effectiveness of participation in a citizen science project as a way to learn about NOS. Through enhancement of the Tryon Creek Owl Monitoring Project the researcher reviewed the characteristics of a citizen science project that were thought to be necessary to impact the …

The Schoolyard As An Outdoor Classroom: Learning Through Experience, Jason W. Spray

Dissertations

When teaching ecology concepts, teachers often overlook utilizing the schoolyard as an outdoor classroom. This study examined the use of the schoolyard to teach ecology concepts in order to improve environmental knowledge and attitudes among fifth grade African-American students. The “Nature Unleashed” curriculum was the primary source for the lessons. This curriculum encompasses experiential learning and place-based education. The curriculum, taught over a six-week period, utilized hands-on activities inside and outside of the classroom. There were 248 fifth grade African-American students (N = 248) who participated in the research study. Students responded to a pre- and post-assessment to measure knowledge …

A Quantitative Study Using Constructist Learning Activities To Connect Biology Concepts To Local Environmental Issues In A Non-Major Introductory College Biology Course, Michaelyn Broussard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Among the general population, there has continued to be a struggle to improve environmental literacy with the knowledge, attitude, and awareness of basic environmental issues locally and nationally. Despite efforts through many formal and informal programs, the result nationally has indicated little to no understanding of basic environmental issues (Coyle, 2005). Many educators such as Sobel (1996, 2004) and Louv (2005) have documented the lack of positive outdoor experiences or environmental behaviors. The purpose of this study was to incorporate local environmental examples through constructivist learning techniques within a general biology non-major course to promote an increase in environmental literacy …

A Study Of The Emergence Of Student Tacit Knowledge In Response To Environmental Images And Science Instruction, Rory J. Glass

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to identify the presence of students’ tacit understandings as they apply to environmental science content, and to discover how these understandings emerge and are viewed and interpreted by teachers. Towards that end over ten hours of classroom video was recorded and analyzed, from both large urban and smaller urban classrooms. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 15 students and two teachers to gain insight into their thinking on an array of topics related to the environment and environmental reasoning. It was hypothesized that students’ understandings and teachers’ interpretations of them may be influenced by their …

Barriers To Facilitating An Existing Certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom, Shelley L. Easler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to social trends whereby children are spending less time outside, school administrators have developed certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classrooms (NEOCs) intentionally designed to support whole-child learning within a natural environment. Despite the documented benefits of nature-based education, the literature and NEOC sites report challenges in facilitating this type of space. The purpose of this study was to investigate what prevents teachers in a certified NEOC from facilitating student/teacher engagement with the natural outdoor environment. Kolb's, Piaget's, and Vygotsky's theories of constructivism served as the study's framework to explore the problem from the teachers' perspectives. A qualitative case study …

The Evaluation Of An Environmental Leadership And Service Program's Effectiveness, Roberta Harlow Mcfarland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to a recent report from the National Center for Educational Statistics, approximately 20% of the United States' high-school aged population is at risk of dropping out of high school, an outcome that strongly limits participation in economic and educational opportunities. The importance of earning a high school diploma has increased many local districts' efforts to close graduation gaps across the student population. Accordingly, this study evaluated a recuperative environmental leadership and service (EL&S) program in a northwestern local district to ascertain its effectiveness in providing at-risk students the personal and academic support required for high school graduation. Following the …

Environmental Literacy Of Sixth Grade Students In Arkansas: Implications For Environmental Education Reform, Lisa Suzanne Wood

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental education must be better integrated into K-12 curriculum to advance environmental literacy. Producing a citizenry that can understand and address the complex environmental issues facing the world today and in the future is essential to sustainable life on this planet.

Using the Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey, 6th grade students across Arkansas were surveyed to obtain a baseline measure of environmental literacy based on the four domains of environmental literacy included in the survey; ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior. Individual domain scores were combined into a composite environmental literacy score. Results were then compared to the …

The Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition: A Deep Design Of Eco-Democratic Reform That Is Situational, Local, And In Support Of Living Systems, John J. Lupinacci

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Education can have a tremendous impact on how we, as humans, understand and relate to each other and the larger environmental systems to which we belong. In efforts to address the role of education in alleviating and eliminating social suffering and environmental degradation in many of the worlds’ diverse communities, the purpose of this critical ethnographic case study is to qualitatively examine the design of an intermediary organization within the context of eco-democratic reform.
The study involved observation, interviewing, and analysis that included personal narrative accounts from 12 key members in the organization and their thick descriptions of the design …

The Relationship Between Middle Level School Science Programs And A Residential Environmental Learning Center, Ryan Mathew Walker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A multiple case study investigation examines the relationship between a residential environmental learning center and six schools that attend their program. Pre-experience interviews were conducted with teachers to gain understanding of how they integrate the residential experience with formal classroom instruction. On-site observations of teacher participation during the program provided insight into how they foster student learning during the experience. A student questionnaire was used to reveal students' perceptions of three areas of interest: 1) most meaningful aspects of the experience, 2) most confusing aspects of the experience and 3) topics they would like to know more about. These data …

Educating For Environmental Literacy In America's Public Schools, Annie L. Stoller-Patterson

Pomona Senior Theses

This paper explores how education for environmental literacy can be integrated into America's public school system. It investigates the benefits of environmental education and how green school buildings, sustainable cafeterias, school gardens and environmental education curriculum can be used to teach for environmental literacy at all grade levels. Includes sample lesson plan.

Protecting The Last Tree: Environmental Education In The United States, 1990-2012, Liza R. Baskir

Pitzer Senior Theses

Having already been hired as an environmental organizer, I reflect on how my childhood experiences impacted me. I embark upon this vocational journey with youthful optimism, a good dose of realism, and just a touch of cynicism. An environmental organizer is someone who works mobilizing individuals around targeted environmental issues. They create policy changes that are environmentally positive… generally for little pay. What has motivated me, and scores of others, to willingly take on this seemingly impossible task? For me: was it the summer vacations to Yellowstone and The Rocky Mountains with my brothers and parents? Maybe it was being …

Exploring German And American Modes Of Pedagogical And Institutional Sustainability: Forging A Way Into The Future, Lindon N. Pronto

Pitzer Senior Theses

Rooted deep in Germany's past is its modern socio-political grounding for environmental respect and sustainability. This translates into individual and collective action and extends equally to the economic and policy realm as it does to educational institutions. This thesis evaluates research conducted in Germany with a view to what best approaches are transferable to the United States liberal arts setting. Furthermore, exemplary American models of institutional sustainability and environmental education are explored and combined with those from abroad to produce a blueprint and action plan fitting for the American college and university.

The Impact Of An Informal Science Learning Environment On The Environmentally Responsible Behavior Of Adults: A Case Study, Kathryn Ann March

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Since environmental education’s emergence in America, the field has been primarily focused on increasing environmental awareness, attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behavior. Yet the nation’s overall level of environmental literacy, especially with regard to the performance of environmentally responsible behaviors, continues to be low (Coyle, 2005). Unlike school-based education programs, which only reach a segment of the population, informal sites have the potential to influence learners of many ages and diverse backgrounds (NRC, 2009). Informal science learning environments (ISLEs) have been shown to provide personally meaningful learning experiences and have the potential to impact environmentally responsible decisions and actions (Falk, 2005). …

Sustainability Education As A Framework For Enhancing Environmental Stewardship In Young Leaders: An Intervention At Tryon Creek Nature Day Camp, Andrea Nicole Lawrence

Dissertations and Theses

UNESCO established Sustainability Education as a top priority when it declared 2005 - 2014 to be the global decade for sustainability. Sustainability education can be implemented in outdoor programs such as nature summer camps in order to build environmental stewardship and ecological literacy in counselors and campers. This study sought to determine the extent to which an ecology and leadership training given to assistant counselors at Tryon Creek State Natural Area day camp achieved the goals of sustainability education--for the assistant counselors to learn about ecology, develop stewardship attitudes and behaviors toward the environment, and become positive role models for …