Transcript ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

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