An investigation of the goals for an environmental science course: teacher and student perspectives

This investigation uses an ethnographic case study approach to explore the benefits and challenges of including a variety of goals within a high school Environmental Science curriculum. The study focuses on environmental education (EE) goals established by the Belgrade Charter (1975), including developing students’ environmental awareness and behavior, but also explores alternative goals including empowerment, presenting a balanced perspective, improving critical thinking skills, and developing an emotional connection with environmental issues. This research, which was conducted at a public high school in the northeast United States, aims to understand the teacher’s reasoning for including the above goals within the curriculum and the students’ reactions to the enactment of these goals. Interview data from 10 student participants and the teacher reveal areas of alignment between teacher and student perspectives regarding goals such as presenting a balanced approach, as well as misalignment in areas such as the teaching of environmentally friendly behaviors.