The Development of an Environmental Science Degree Program in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The authors report a study that is based on the premise that, although it continues to be desirable to chart public attitudes toward the natural environment, the widely used 12-item New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, published by R. E. Dunlap and K. D. van Liere in 1978, is in need of revision if it is to measure the public's more recent and sophisticated understanding of complex environmental issues. A quantitative and qualitative 2-stage international survey was conducted via the Internet in which respondents not only completed the NEP scale but also commented critically and in depth on the scale items. The authors determined that the NEP scale is limited with respect both to the anachronistic wording of items and its inability to capture people's increasingly thorough understanding of the nature, severity, and scope of environmental problems over the last 2 to 3 decades. Several suggestions are offered for updating the NEP scale if it is to continue to be a useful research tool.     

The Communicator's Role in Resource Decision–Making

Abstract

The experience of 8 teenage participants of a 12-day adventure trip was investigated through participant observation and semistructured posttrip interviews. The teen participants conceptualized nature as a place out there—a reality fundamentally different and removed from their home reality of civilization. The teens understood nature as undisturbed, natural, unfamiliar, without people or human material development, relaxing, not busy, and with a sense of freedom. The teens strongly suggested nature does not exist at home. It appears that, with this construction of nature, the teens felt diminished motivation to take care of their home environment.     

Environmental values and environmental concern

Abstract

Attitudes, values and concerns are frequently measured to monitor individual preferences of adolescents. As there is still some discussion about how to monitor those variables with respect to empirical instruments, directions of items or length of instruments, we applied two established scales (2 Major Environmental Value Model [2-MEV] and Environmental Motives Scale [EMS]) to a Slovenian sample of 804 middle and high school students. Subsequently, we confirmed the validity and reliability of both scales as well as their applicability to Slovene subjects, aged 12–18?years. The main objective of our study was to explore the relationship between three factors of environmental concern (EMS) and the two higher-order factors of utilisation of nature and preservation of nature (2-MEV). The results show that altruistic (ALT), biospheric (BIO) and egoistic (EGO) environmental concerns correlate strongly positively with preservation of nature, but negatively and less strongly but still significantly with utilisation of nature. We conclude that raising awareness of EGO environmental concern may be as important as ALT and/or BIO concern for understanding the environmental values and attitudes of an individual. Consequences and recommendations for designing and completing educational programmes are discussed.     

Recontextualizing psychosocial development in young children: a model of environmental identity development

This article presents an Environmental Identity Development model, which considers the progression of young children’s self-cognitions in relation to the natural world. We recontextualize four of Erikson’s psychosocial stages, in order to consider children’s identity development in learning in, about, and for the environment. Beginning with Trust in Nature vs. Mistrust in Nature, we argue that cognitions of comfort in the natural world vs. discomfort, provide the foundation for healthy environmental identity development. This trusting bond/relationship with nature allows children to gain Spatial Autonomy through collectively or independently creating their own sense of place in nature vs. feelings of doubt or Environmental Shame. As children progress, they gain Environmental Competencies, creative innovations to use the environment for both personal and social purposes vs. separation from nature or Environmental Disdain. Such competencies promote children’s agency in exercising Environmental Action, applied care/ethics aimed at building a sustainable future, as opposed to behaviors that cause Environmental Harm. Young children’s environmental identity develops in diverse ways and in distinct sociocultural and geographical contexts. Caregivers/educators play a unique role in recognizing and supporting the needs of individual children as they progress towards healthy environmental identity development.     

The Ecological View

Abstract

The meanings invested by people in any given environment—natural or built, large scale or intimate—play a crucial role in determining attitudes toward the place and eventual commitment and goals of action. The “location task” described in this article enables its users to explore their “desired” spatial organization of a place: a room, a school, a neighborhood, a park. Using their individual, social, and organizational goals and values, they attempt to develop in the spatial configuration of the place a hierarchically embedded system.     

Important aspects of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development for Environmental Education programmes

Abstract

The discussion in this article is based on the premise that there is a need to include specialised knowledge about the environment and its resources into Environmental Education programmes in South Africa. The investigation is thus focused on the so-called species approach to sustain biodiversity. In this regard the conservation status of a number of threatened plants, mammals, birds and butterflies are surveyed. The aim of the survey is to illustrate which category of species could be considered for inclusion in Environmental Education research and programmes in South Africa. Sustainable development and the benefits of biodiversity conservation are discussed, inter alia, poverty alleviation through job creation, game-ranching and eco-tourism. The research is concluded with recommendations for Environmental Education programmes, educators and learners.     

Discrepancies Among Teachers' Priorities for and Knowledge of Freshwater Topics

Abstract

A Blueprint for Environmental Education , edited by Jane S. Shaw. Bozeman, MT: Political Economy Research Center. 1999. Paperback. ISBN 0-9668243-1-8.

Environmental Education and Biodiversity , edited by Arjen E. J. Wals. Wageningen, The Netherlands: National Reference Centre for Nature Management. 1999. Paperback. ISBN 90-75789-03-3.

The Environmental Impact Statement Process and Environmental Law , by Emmett B. Moore. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press. 2000. Paperback. 162 pages. $19.95. ISBN 1-57477-092-6.

Caring for Plunet Earth, Volume 1: The Great Lakes, CD-ROM , Grand Rapids, MI: Center for Environmental Study. 1998. $39.00. Formatted for Macintosh, Windows 95, and Windows 3.1

Edgar Beaver's Destiny: An Environmental Fable , by Joseph Petulla. Available through Xlibris Corporation (www.Xlibris.com). 2000. Paperback. 124 pages. $16.00. ISBN 0-7388-2471-2.

A Plague of Frogs: The Horrifying True Story , by William Souder. New York: Hyperion. 2000. Hardback. Illustrated. 299 pages. $23.95. ISBN 0-7868-6360-9.

Environmental Education and Communication for a Sustainable World: Handbook for International Practitioners , edited by Brian A. Day and Martha C. Monroe. Washington, DC: Academy for Educational Development. 2000. Paperback. 138 pages. ISBN 0-89492-108-8.     

Using a Delphi study to clarify the landscape and core outcomes in environmental education

Abstract

When leaders in a field agree upon core outcomes for the field, connection, reinforcement, and a shared vision of change are synergistically strengthened. Even when the field is dynamic, theoretically wide-ranging, and dispersed, consensus around core outcomes can help develop strategic research agendas and priorities. Environmental education (EE) is an inherently interdisciplinary field drawing on diverse theoretical foundations and epistemological orientations, resulting in a broad conceptual and empirical landscape. To better understand and situate this within EE, we pursued a modified Delphi study, with participation from 44 professionals and leaders active in North America. Over three Delphi rounds, the panel came to agreement on five core outcomes that focus the EE field: (1) environmentally related action and behavior change, (2) connecting people to nature, (3) improving environmental outcomes, (4) improving social/cultural outcomes, and (5) learning environmentally relevant skills and competencies. Reflecting those commonalities, we propose the following encapsulating statement to describe the field’s core outcomes: Environmental education works to move people to action for the tangible benefit of the environment and humanity. To realize these benefits, people must connect experientially with the environment, learn needed skills, and understand the complicated social and cultural connections between humanity and the natural environment.     

Anthropocosmic vision,time, and nature: Reconnecting humanity and nature

Abstract

Having enjoyed remarkable economic success, China’s natural environment is being increasingly degraded, and with it, the quality of life. Researchers and environmentalists have responded by exploring whether cultural resources can provide a means of understanding ecological systems. This article reviews philosophical Chinese concepts of tian-ren-he-yi and ecological time, and ponders their implications for understanding current ecological challenges. A motif of ancient Chinese thought, tian-ren-he-yi perceives the cosmos as an organic, mutually reciprocal entity in which human beings coexist harmoniously with nature. This entity does not unfold by following a cyclical pattern, but rather through a process of transformative harmony with the flow of time. In contrast to the linear time constructed by community life, this view of ecological time can reveal the new dimension of rhythm. To enhance children’s awareness of their responsibility for caring for the environment, we must protect their rights to a safe and healthy place to live, ensure that they have free access to nature, and demonstrate the pedagogic value of an anthropocosmic worldview and ecological time.     

Book Reviews

Abstract

The environment is the educational growth area for the coming millenium. Rescuing the planet and posterity from human excess requires new mechanisms for propagation of environmental understanding, ethic, and action into the community. Reported here is a novel venture, with a university or other tertiary institute acting as a center of propagation. An intensive 5-day Vacation School in Environmental Science for senior high school students from throughout New Zealand was held at Lincoln University on South Island and proved highly successful in stimulating wider environmental awareness in schools nationwide. The framework is described as an adoptable model.     

The “New Environmental Paradigm” in a Mexican Community

Abstract

A sample of 422 Mexicans from a medium-sized city responded to the New Environmental Paradigm-Human Exception Paradigm (NEP-HEP) scale, which assesses peoples' beliefs about human-environment relations. The NEP scale contains questions referring to the need for a “natural balance” and “limits to human impact on nature.” In contrast, implicit in the HEP scale is a view of humankind as different from and with control over nature. The responses of the interviewees revealed higher levels of adherence to the NEP than to the HEP. However, confirmatory factor analysis showed the covariances between pro-NEP and pro-HEP factors to be high and significant, indicating that the participants did not see the two paradigms as mutually exclusive, as do members of some industrialized societies. The results point to a more holistic view of human relations with the environment, in contrast to the dualistic vision of some western countries.     

Environmental education in a neoliberal climate

This introduction to a special issue of Environmental Education Research explores how environmental education is shaped by the political, cultural, and economic logic of neoliberalism. Neoliberalism, we suggest, has become the dominant social imaginary, making particular ways of thinking and acting possible while simultaneously discouraging the possibility and pursuit of others. Consequently, neoliberal ideals promoting economic growth and using markets to solve environmental and economic problems constrain how we conceptualize and implement environmental education. However, while neoliberalism is a dominant social imaginary, there is not one form of neoliberalism, but patterns of neoliberalization that differ by place and time. In addition, while neoliberal policies and discourses are often portrayed as inevitable, the collection shows how these exist as an outcome of ongoing political projects in which particular neoliberalized social and economic structures are put in place. Together, the editorial and contributions to the special issue problematize and contest neoliberalism and neoliberalization, while also promoting alternative social imaginaries that privilege the environment and community over neoliberal conceptions of economic growth and hyper-individualism.     

An Inventory for Assessing Environmental Education Curricula

Abstract

Since Gardella's Environmental Education Curriculum Inventory was developed in 1986 (J. Gardella, 1993), it has been used to evaluate environmental education (EE) curricula and programs to determine how well they represent EE's substantive structure as expressed in the Goals for Curriculum Development in Environmental Education developed by H. R. Hungerford, R. B. Peyton, and R. J. Wilke (1980). In recent years, environmental educators have called for environmental sensitivity and social sciences to be added to the foundation levels of environmental education and the Goals for Curriculum Development. The Inventory for Assessing Environmental Education Curricula is an attempt to revise the Gardella inventory so as to incorporate both environmental sensitivity and social components.     

Community engagement by Higher Education Institutions – a practical model and guidelines

Abstract

This article analyses the definition and understanding of the concept community engagement as one of the focal areas of Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. It captures the importance of a proper approach towards community engagement and contributes towards a practical method to guide the reader through the complex interaction between academic societies and communities. The article included recent anthropological and management research results to construct the working environment in which community engagement take place. It also describes the detail processes and practical methods to direct academic role players who act as community engagement facilitators. The reader will establish a better understanding of the community, its traditions and its culture as a holistic platform for understanding African communities. The proposed guidelines should enable community engagement facilitators to plan and execute community engagement initiatives effectively.     

从全球环境问题看地理教育的时代使命

随着经济的繁荣和人类社会的发展，诸多环境问题也相继出现。目前的问题已不是人类是否能在一个和谐优美的环境中生活，而是环境对人们的日常生活和社会发展构成了重大威胁。解决环境问题的根本措施是加强环境教育，使人们树立正确的环境观和环境民族心理。地理学是研究人地关系的古老而年轻的科学，具有进行环境教育得天独厚的条件，理应成为环境教育的主阵地。地理教师应更新观念，构建开放型教学模式，大胆进行地理教学改革，有效培养学生的环保意识。     

Development of a Metric to Test Group Differences in Ecological Knowledge as One Component of Environmental Literacy

Abstract

Environmental literacy has been defined in numerous ways and attempts have been made to measure how environmentally literate people are. Many attempts to measure literacy have instead measured people's knowledge about pollution and their attitudes toward the environment. According to many environmental education experts, knowledge and attitudes are important components of environmental literacy, especially if the goal of environmental education is to change behavior. However, the experts also indicate that, to change an individual's behavior, knowledge about the environment must be associated with environmental sensitivity, personal beliefs, and decisionmaking and problem-solving skills. The research presented in this article contributes to environmental literacy research by offering a tested, valid survey instrument to measure ecological knowledge—one component of environmental literacy. In this article, we provide an example of how this instrument can be applied by comparing knowledge levels among diverse groups of Ohio citizens.     

An Introductory Environmental Science Course for Non-Science Students

Abstract

In 1975 and 1985, 500 randomly selected K—12 Indiana teachers were polled regarding their physical environment and related energy problems. Participants completed three instruments that had been designed for the project and dealt with (a) word recognition, (b) concept understanding, and (c) attitudes. Analysis of results indicated that teachers had limited environmental literacy but had higher marks in 1985 than in 1975.     

Mentoring the Next Generation of Higher Education Professionals

ABSTRACT

The loss of significant faculty members comes at a time when public and community expectations for institutions of higher learning have expanded. Public skepticism and the demands for accountability have resulted in greater attention being given to learning outcomes, subject matter, knowledge, proficiency, and capability. This article adds to our understanding of how graduate school operates as a socialization process for individuals who seek an academic career in higher education. Moreover, this article will focus specifically on the challenge of preparing and socializing doctoral students of color to the academy. New expectations require that substantive changes take place in the socialization process of graduate doctoral students in kinesiology if new faculty are to experience an academic environment that is rewarding.     

环境保护与社会环境污染

环境保护往往只偏重对自然环境破坏和污染的治理，这是片面的，必须强调社会环境条件对解决环保问题的重大作用。长期以来忽视对社会环境及其污染的研究和治理，不仅对环保问题的解决,而且对社会的发展是不利的，应予重视和强调。