A theoretical framework for research into environmental education

The essential question in environmental education is the individual's relationship to his environment, including both that part of his environment which is natural and that part which is man-made. The nature of this relationship is manifested in the way in which the individual acts with regard to his environment and by what choices and decisions he makes in order to come to terms with it. The crucial factors in these decisions are his values, which at the same time represent his cognitive, socio-emotional and ethical development. As an interdisciplinary subject, environmental education draws attention to the technique of examining matters from a variety of viewpoints. Since the consequences of man's decisions regarding his environment are apparent both in the sphere of human life and in the world of nature, these decisions involve ecological and economic, social, political, aesthetic and ethical considerations. Environmental education contains both cognitive and affective aspects, the association between which is examined on the basis of the theoretical premises established in this paper.

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Zusammenfassung Die wesentliche Fragestellung in der Umwelterziehung betrifft die Beziehung des Einzelnen zu seiner Umwelt sowohl zur natürlichen als auch zur von Menschen geschaffenen. Die Art dieser Beziehung zeigt sich in der Handlungsweise des Einzelnen im Hinblick auf seine Umwelt und in den von ihm gewählten Wegen und gefällten Entscheidungen, die ihm ein angemessenes Verhalten ermöglichen. Die ausschlaggebenden Faktoren für diese Entscheidungen sind seine Werte, die gleichzeitig seiner kognitiven, sozio-emotionalen und ethischen Entwicklung entsprechen. Als interdisziplinärer Lernbereich weist die Umwelterziehung auf das Verfahren hin, Umweltfragen von einer Vielzahl von Standpunkten aus zu betrachten. Da die Konsequenzen aus den Entscheidungen der Menschen in Bezug auf ihre Umwelt sowohl im Bereich menschlichen Lebens als auch in der Welt der Natur sichtbar sind, schließen diese Entscheidungen ökologische und ökonomische, soziale, politische, ästhetische und ethische Überlegungen ein. Umwelterziehung enthält ebenso kognitive wie affektive Aspekte, deren Zusammenhang auf der Basis theoretischer Prämissen, die in diesem Artikel begründet werden, überprüft wird.

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Résumé La question essentielle dans le domaine de l'éducation relative à l'environnement porte sur la relation de l'individu avec son environment qui comprend à la fois la partie naturelle de cet environnement et celle provenant de la civilisation. La nature de cette relation se révèle dans la façon dont l'individu agit avec son environnement ainsi que dans les choix qu'il fait et les décisions qu'il prend pour s'accorder avec. Les facteurs décisifs pour ces décisions sont ses valeurs qui représentent en même temps son développement cognitif, socio-émotionnel et éthique. En tant que matière interdisciplinaire, l'éducation relative à l'environnement attire l'attention sur la façon d'examiner les différentes questions en partant d'une quantité de points de vue. Puisque les conséquences des décisions de l'homme concernant son environnement sont visibles dans la sphère de la vie humaine comme dans le monde de la nature, ces décisions impliquent des considérations écologiques, économiques, sociales, politiques, esthétiques et éthiques. L'éducation relative à l'environnement comprend des aspects cognitifs et affectifs dont le rapport est examiné sur la base des prémisses théoriques présentées dans cet article.

     

Physical literacy praxis: A theoretical framework for transformative physical education

PROSPECTS - This article aims to propose a theoretical framework, based on the literature, that supports the growth of students’ physical literacy in physical education. The framework...     

A theoretical and instrumental framework for implementing change in ICT in education

This paper summarizes the development and practical testing of a theoretical framework for the identification of important factors in relation to the implementation of ICT into a UK secondary school. The approach is characterized by considering the process of implementing use of ICT across a whole school for teaching and learning as a special case of implementing change.

The theoretical framework was derived from reviewing and synthesizing the literature in the field of change management and that of ICT in schools. Using an interpretive approach, a single case study was the practical basis for undertaking research, guided but not constrained by the theoretical framework and finally mapping the case study findings against it.

This process enabled the possible contribution of the framework with regard to the implementation of ICT in schools, to be assessed, and its further development considered.     

Towards better teaching: productive pedagogy as a framework for teacher education

In this paper, we explore Productive Pedagogy (PP) as a framework for enhancing teacher education. Reporting results from a study involving student teachers’ application of the four principles of PP during an internship, we consider whether PP brings a firmer knowledge base to their work. Based on our analysis of the data, we argue for a more fundamental reorganisation of teacher education to fully integrate PP, if the framework is to have a significant and lasting impact on graduates’ teaching. Such a shift requires a reassessment of teacher education priorities to focus more on the substance and purposes of teaching.     

Unequal education,poverty and low growth—A theoretical framework for rural education of China

This paper constructs an intertemporal substitution educational model based on endogenous growth theory and examines the rural education, farmer income and rural economic growth problems in China. It shows that the households originally with the same economic endowment but different education endowment take different growth routes, the income difference between low- and high-income families can be enlarged as they take different educational growth routes, and the low-income family has the chance to get into the “poverty trap”. In the mean time, urban and rural, developed and underdeveloped rural areas, as they take the different education growth routes the difference of economic growth tend to be expanded for the flow of high-quality labor and different industrialization, and they also have the risk of “poverty trap”. The key to solve this problem is the active public policies that promote the equal education, rational income and equilibrium development.     

A framework for management of distance education

Distance Education: The Foundations of Effective Practice. John R. Verduin, Jr. and Thomas A. Clark. (San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass, 1991, 279 pp., $31.95).     

A theoretical framework for studying educational media: A pilot study

Are different media equally effective for a given learning task when each presents the same event of instruction? Are given instructional materials equally effective for different types of learning outcomes? This pilot study used three types of stimulus materials—text, film, and live demonstration—to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation to graduate students. Learning outcomes measured were verbal learning and a motor skill task.     

Research leadership in writing for publication: A theoretical framework

Academics experience difficulty in managing competing tasks, particularly in relation to writing for publication. In a study conducted on a writing retreat, analysis of data obtained from academic writers revealed that facilitative leadership provided at a writing retreat was central to managing task complexity and writing‐related anxiety. The question remains, however, about how this leadership can be modelled in campus settings in order to continue to support academics in managing the complexity of their multiple roles as teachers, researchers and writers, beyond purely technical‐rational approaches. This article outlines one approach to answering this question: it explains how containment theory was used to shed light on the leadership role at the writing retreat, and it proposes a model—strategic engagement—for the leadership role in writing for publication in campus settings.     

Cultivating creative mentalities: A framework for education

In so far as education has acknowledged creativity at all, it has commonly focused on ‘allowing’ rather than ‘developing’ creativity, on arts-based ‘experession’ rather than broader or deeper kinds of creativity; and on the role of techniques rather than dispositions. This paper seeks to redress the balance by arguing for a range of candidate ‘habits of mind’ that are conducive to general-purpose creativity, and focusing on some of the aspects of classroom culture that seem to be conducive to the development of these habits of mind. Two practical examples from action research projects carried out over the last four years in Cardiff are used to illustrate the potential of this approach. It is suggested that this kind of ‘gentle persuasion’ may well have greater long-term value than the kind of bolt-on reative binges that are sometimes found in primary schools.     

Building a theoretical framework of web-based instruction in the context of distance education

This study attempts to analyze teaching and learning processes of web-based instruction (WBI) as shown in recent literature, and to develop a theoretical framework of WBI using a prominent existing distance education theory called Transactional Distance Theory in order to provide better understanding of the essential pedagogical components of WBI. Recent studies have shown that the key elements of the structure of WBI are (1) content expandability, (2) content adaptability, and (3) visual layout. And also three emerging types of interaction, or three aspects of dialogue, in WBI have been identified through the studies. Those types were: (1) academic interaction, (2) collaborative interaction, and (3) interpersonal interaction. Finally, both learner collaboration (or learner collaboravity, if we create a new term) and learner autonomy seem to have emerged in Web-based learning environments.     

A framework for infusing multicultural curriculum into gifted education

Creative thinking can be encouraged in the intermediate grades by teaching specific skills that may be integrated into various subject areas.     

Difficulties in improving medical education: A framework for analysis

This article provides a framework for analysis of the difficulties inherent in educational change. Examples are drawn from medical education to clarify the propositions. Implications for interventions are discussed briefly.     

A wiki-based framework for collaborative learning design in teacher education

Education and Information Technologies - Harnessing the potential of wikis in teacher education is a significantly challenging task. Researchers suggest that incorporating wikis in the educational...     

A theoretical framework for the study of ICT in schools: a proposal

A sociocultural approach towards the study of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education rejects the view that ICT can be studied in isolation; it must be studied within the broader context in which it is situated. The paper argues for a more holistic approach of studying ICT in schools by adopting a sociocultural perspective. It proposes a theoretical framework based on activity theory, with the activity system as a unit of analysis that is surrounded by different levels of ecological circles.     

A theoretical framework towards understanding of emotional and behavioural difficulties

Children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties are the result of multiple individual, social and contextual factors working in concert. The current paper proposes a theoretical framework to interpret students’ emotional and behavioural difficulties in schools, by taking into consideration teacher–student relationships, students’ social and emotional skills and classroom context. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, according to which process, person and context are the main sources of children’s development, the current paper combines three theoretical approaches: firstly, in terms of process, the systems communication approach referring to teacher–students’ relationships; secondly, in terms of person, the Social and Emotional Learning, which refers to children’s social and emotional competences and skills; and thirdly, in terms of classroom context, the achievement goal theory, with emphasis on mastery classroom goal structure. The derived framework provides a means to capture the dynamic multidimensional process through which emotional and behavioural difficulties arise. This perspective provides educators with a comprehensive theoretical and practical preventative tool for emotional and behavioural difficulties.     

Management of inclusive education in Oman: A framework for Action

Inclusive education (IE) and the special education services related to it are relatively new in Oman. Efforts to manage special/inclusive education face many challenges due to a number of culturally rooted factors. Further, empirical research on IE in Oman is scarce and there is a need to advance IE discourse based on empirically validated perspectives. This article examines how IE is managed in schools from the perspective of school leaders in order to develop a framework for action. The author conducted a preliminary qualitative inquiry into how IE is understood and managed in Key stage 1 schools in Oman. The inquiry was based on a focus group interview with a cohort of 25 school leaders who were completing a two year bachelor in educational administration, an endorsement‐like programme at Sultan Qaboos University. Findings showed a number of challenges and tensions between theory and practice, highlighted by school leaders. These challenges and tensions were analysed in order to map out strengths and difficulties. A three level prism shaped framework for action was developed based on the analysis. The framework for action could potentially serve to guide policy‐ and decision‐makers, researchers, practitioners, and is advocated to develop a model of best practice for the successful implementation and management of IE in Oman.