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ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: A Look at its
Purpose, Methods, and Effectiveness
Erin HenegarENS Minor ProjectMay 1, 2005
Environmental Education
What is Environmental Education (EE)? Goals Formal and Non-Formal
Types of EE Programs History School Programs/Science in the Classroom Camps/Day Centers
Citizen Science
Effective Methods of EE Repeated Programming Hands On Experience/Experiential Learning Outdoor Classroom
Efforts to Assess Impact CATES
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
Other Studies
What is Environmental Education?
Increases public awareness and knowledge
People gain understanding of Environment Human effects on environment Various sides of environmental issues
Inspires personal responsibility
It’s interdisciplinary Natural and Social Sciences
GOAL – produce active environmentally-oriented citizen
Formal EE specific curricula
Non-Formal EE less structured
Brief History
1969 – EE defined 1970 – The EE Act 1976 – Belgrade Charter 1977 – Tbilisi Conference 1980 – “Goals for Curriculum
Development” 1983 – Project WILD 1990 – National EE Act 1995 – EETAP 2000 – Guidelines for Env. Educators
Types of EE
School Programs - Science Education
Science + Social Environmental Emphasis
EE Centers and Camps – Programs – Schools and Summer Citizen science
Effective Methods
Hands-On Experience/Experiential Learning Piaget’s Theory Kruse & Card – Zoo Study
Outdoor Classroom NJSOC Study
Repeated Programming Kruse & Card – Zoo Study
Assessing Effectiveness
Goals for EE Curriculum Development Informal Assessment
Questioning Formal Assessment
Developing Instrument CATES
Elementary School Reflects knowledge of env. issues
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at
Tremont (GSMIT) www.gsmit.org
History
“Connecting people and nature...”
Youth Programs School Programs: August – May Summer Camps
Five different programs: Ages 9-12; 11-13; 13-17
Summer employment/Job-shadowing
Summer Teacher Naturalist June – August
2004
Develop and teach programs Discovery Camp – Ages 9-12
Nature Clubs “Long-horned, Tiger, and Dung Beetles…Oh My!” “Look, Listen, and Feel” “Stream Ecology”
Smoky Mtn. Naturalist Expeditions – Ages 11-13 “Arthropods” “Smokies Extravaganza!”
Nature Club Methods
Outdoor Classroom Hiking Exploring
Citizen Science Research tools
Using & understanding
Hands-On Learning Direct interaction
with nature
Writing for Newsletters
Write newsletter articles Walker Valley
Reflections Personal, Educational Reach community
ATBI Newsletter Report findings Advertise citizen science
Post-Camp Surveys Two informal surveys created Discovery Camp/Nat. Expeditions (9-13
yrs) Open questions Rating camp activities Parent section
Env. Awareness, comfort, changes WAC/Field Ecology (13-17 yrs)
Open questions Env. Awareness, what learned Return next year?
Studies on EE Effectiveness
Kruse and Card – Summer 2002 Accredited zoo in FL Youth ages 10-18 Four Programs
Purpose – education and conservation animal husbandry component
Study purpose Determine knowledge, attitude, behavior
Pretest, Posttest, delayed posttest Results-
Conservation knowledge, attitude increase
Behavior change – repeated programming Animal husbandry, conservation parallel
Smith-Sebasto & Semrau - Fall 2002 Sixth grade – 3 diff. schools NJOC Residential EE Program
Seven lessons, outdoor component Study purpose
Assess session effect on attitudes Pretest and posttest
CATES – affect, behavior, beliefs Results
No attitude effect Env. Responsible Behaviors (ERB) increased Limited by subjects and classes
Barraza & Cuaron – Winter 2002 Students aged 7-9 yrs Schools
3 England 5 Mexico Various env. policies
Study Purpose Analyze familiarity
10 Env. Concepts How school, system affect knowledge EE sources
2 Assessments Familiarity Decision
Results Correlation -
familiarity and understanding
Env. School & England = increased understanding
Low/moderate env. Understanding
Hands-on = understanding
Sources – school & TV
Conclusion
More research needed Ensures future efforts
Need for EE increasing Schools Non-profit Centers/camps
Desire to further EE