Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Socially-critical Environmental Education in Primary Classrooms pp 149–181Cite as

The Rhetoric and the Reality

  • Chapter

  • 685 Accesses

Part of the book series: International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education ((IEOEE,volume 1))

Abstract

In order to find ways in which to reduce the development of educational rhetoric–reality gaps when Education for Sustainable Development programs, such as the Sustainable Schools Program, are introduced into schools, it is essential to first understand the rhetoric and the reality that actually defines a rhetoric–reality gap in an educational context. This chapter explores both the rhetoric and the reality of teachers’ classroom practices as they responded to the requirement to implement the socially-critical pedagogy of the Sustainable Schools Program. This includes the rhetoric used by each teacher to explain their understanding of the educational and environmental goals of the program, and the reality of the manner in which they attempted to achieve the goals they identified.

This chapter also highlights the importance of an ontological-in-situ framework, informed by Giddens’ theory of structuration, in identifying the critical elements of the duality of structure and agency which underpinned the relationship between each teacher’s rhetoric and the reality of their classroom practices, including: permission and support; knowledge required to implement the Sustainable Schools Program; the need to implement a socially-critical pedagogy; and previous teaching experience. Both the rhetoric and the reality used to define a rhetoric–reality gap in the context of the requirement to implement a socially-critical pedagogy as part of the Sustainable Schools Program is identified.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Beare, H. (2001). Creating the future school. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burbules, N. C., & Berk, R. (1999). Critical thinking and critical pedagogies: Relations, differences, and limits. In S. P. Thomas & L. Fendler (Eds.), Changing terrains of knowledge and politics (pp. 45–65). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carneiro, P., Crawford, C., & Goodman, A. (2006). Which skills matter? London: Centre for the Economics of Education, University of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carson, J. A. (2007). The ecology of school change: An Australian primary school’s endeavor to integrate concept-based, experiential environmental learning throughout core curriculum. PhD, The University of Arizona, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D. (2004). Sustainability and our cultural myths. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 9, 92–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotton, D. R. E. (2006). Implementing curriculum guidance on environmental education: The importance of teachers’ beliefs. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38(1), 67–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cranston, N., Mulford, B., Keating, J., & Reid, A. (2009, July 2–4). Researching the public purposes of education in Australia: the results of a national survey of primary school principals. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, Canberra, Australia. http://www.aare.edu.au/publications-database.php/5850/Researching-the-public-purposes-of-education-in-Australia:-The-results-of-a-national-survey-of-primary-school-principals. Accessed 1 Oct 2014.

  • Cranston, N., Kimber, M., Mulford, B., Reid, A., & Keating, J. (2010). Politics and school education in Australia: A case of shifting purposes. Journal of Educational Administration, 48(2), 182–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutter, A., & Smith, R. (2001a). A chasm in environmental education: What primary school teachers ‘might’ or ‘might not’ know. In B. Knight & L. Rowan (Eds.), Researching in contemporary educational environments (pp. 113–132). Flaxton: Post Pressed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutter, A., & Smith, R. (2001b). Gauging primary school teachers’ environmental literacy: An issue of priority. Asia Pacific Education Review, 2(2), 45–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, S., Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., & Meyerson, D. (2005). School leadership study: Developing successful principals. Stanford: Educational Leadership Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • DEST. (2005). National framework for values education in Australian schools. Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), Canberra. http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/Framework_PDF_version_for_the_web.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2014.

  • Doll, J., & Ajzen, I. (1992). Accessibility and stability of predictors in the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(5), 754–765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, R. (1996). The human side of school change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, L. (2000). The effects of educational change on morale, job satisfaction and motivation. Journal of Educational Change, 1, 173–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feather, N. T. (1992). Values, valences, expectations and actions. Journal of Social Issues, 48(2), 109–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein, L. (2000). The relative economic importance of academic, psychological and behavioural attributes developed in childhood. London: University of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fien, J. (1993). Education for the environment: Critical curriculum theorising and environmental education. Geelong: Deakin University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fien, J. (2001). Education for sustainability: Reorientating Australian schools for a sustainable future. Tela series, Australian Conservation Foundation, Fitzroy, Australia. http://www.acfonline.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/tela08_education_%20for_sustainability.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2014.

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior. An introduction to theory and research. Reading: Addison-Wesley Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullan, M. (2001). The new meaning of educational change (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaussel, M. (2007). Leadership and educational change. Lettre d’information de la VST, 24. http://ife.ens-lyon.fr/vst/LettreVST/english/24-january-2007_en.php. Accessed 1 Oct 2014.

  • Gayford, C. (1996). The nature and purpose of environmental education. In G. Harris & C. Blackwell (Eds.), Environmental issues in education (pp. 1–20). Hants: Ashgate Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1979). Central problems in social theory: Action, structure and contradiction in social analysis. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1984). The constitution of society. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gitlin, A., & Margonis, F. (1995). The political aspects of reform: Teacher resistance as good sense. American Journal of Education, 103(4), 377–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough, A. (1997). Education and the environment: Policy, trends and the problems of marginalisation. Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grace, M., & Sharp, J. (2000). Exploring the actual and potential rhetoric-reality gaps in environmental education and their implications for pre-service teacher training. Environmental Education Research, 6(4), 331–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield, W. D. (2005). Leading the teacher work group. In L. W. Hughes (Ed.), Current issues in school leadership (pp. 245–264). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, P. L. (1990). The making of a teacher: Teacher knowledge and teacher education. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gynnild, V. (2002). Agency and structure in engineering education: Perspectives on educational change in light of Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory. European Journal of Engineering Education, 27(3), 297–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (1998). What’s worth fighting for out there? New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huckle, J. (1986). Ten red questions to ask a green teacher. Education Links, 37, 4–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jickling, B., & Spork, H. (1998). Education for the environment: A critique. Environmental Education Research, 4(3), 309–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, T. M. (1986). Discussing controversial issues: Four perspectives on the teacher’s role. Theory and Research in Social Education, 14(2), 309–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kemmis, S., Cole, P., & Suggett, D. (1983). Orientations to curriculum and transition: Towards the socially-critical school. Melbourne: Victorian Institute of Secondary Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korthagen, F. (2001). Linking practice with theory: The pedagogy of realistic teacher education. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Labaree, D. F. (1997). Public goods, private goods: The American struggle over educational goals. American Educational Research Journal, 34(1), 39–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Margo, J., Dixon, M., Pearce, N., & Reed, H. (2006). Freedom’s orphans: raising youth in a changing world (Vol. January 31). London: Institute for Public Policy Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • MCEETYA. (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians. Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, Australia. http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf. Accessed 1 Oct 2014.

  • McRobb, S., Jefferies, P., & Stahl, B. C. (2007). Exploring the relationship between pedagogy, ethics and technology: Building a framework for strategy development. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 16(1), 111–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, R., & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2006). Environmental education: Is it really a priority in teacher education. Paper presented at the Sharing wisdom for our future: environmental education in action.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, C., & Castle, J. B. (2005). The instructional role of elementary school principals. Canadian Journal of Education, 28(3), 409–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mogensen, F. (1997). Critical thinking: A central element in developing action competence in health and environmental education. Health Education Research, 12(4), 429–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulford, B., & Edmunds, B. (2010). Educational investment in Australian schooling: Serving public purposes in Tasmanian primary schools. Hobart: University of Tasmania.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connell, R. F., Ely, M., Krasnow, M., & Miller, L. (2001). Professional development of change agents: Swimming with and against the currents. In R. F. O’Connell (Ed.), Guiding school change: The role and work of change agents (pp. 16–36). New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oulton, C., & Scott, W. (2000). A time for revisioning. In B. Moon, M. Ben-Peretz, & S. Brown (Eds.), Routledge companion to education (pp. 489–501). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raulo, M. (2000). Moral education and development. Journal of Social Philosophy, 31(4), 507–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, C. L., & Krugly-Smolska, E. (1997). Gaps between advocated practices and teaching realities in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 3(3), 311–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, V. M. J. (1994). The practical promise of critical research in educational administration. Educational Administrative Quarterly, 30(1), 56–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, V. M. J. (2006). Putting education back into educational leadership. Leading and Managing, 12(1), 62–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, V. M. J. (2007, August 12–14). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: making sense of the evidence. In Australian Council for Educational Research Conference, The leadership challenge: improving learning in schools, Melbourne, Australia (pp. 12–17).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohan, M. J. (2000). A rose by any name? The values construct. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 4(3), 255–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahid, A. (2004). The changing nature of the role of principals in primary and junior secondary schools in South Australia following the introduction of local school management. International Education Journal, 4(4), 144–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Said, A. M., Ahmadun, F., Paim, L. H., & Masud, J. (2003). Environmental concerns, knowledge and practices gap among Malaysian teachers. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 4(4), 305–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schofield, K. (1999). The purposes of education 3. A contribution to the discussion on 2010: Final report. Brisbane: Queensland State Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweisfurth, M. (2006). Education for global citizenship: Teacher agency and curricular structure in Ontario schools. Educational Leadership, 58(1), 41–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W., & Gough, S. (2003). Sustainable development and learning: Framing the issues. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W., & Gough, S. (2004). Key issues in sustainable development and learning: A critical review. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W., & Oulton, C. (1999). Environmental education: Arguing the case for multiple approaches. Educational Studies, 25(1), 89–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spillane, J. P. (2006). Distributed leadership. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spork, H. (1992). Environmental education: A mismatch between theory and practice. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 8, 147–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, R. B. (1987). Schooling and environmental education: Contradictions in purpose and practice. In I. Robottom (Ed.), Environmental education: Practice and possibility (pp. 69–82). Burwood: Deakin University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, R. B. (2007). Editorial. Environmental Education Research, 13(2), 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timperley, H. S. (2005). Distributed leadership: Developing theory from practice. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 37(4), 395–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlins, B., & Froud, K. (1994). Environmental education: Teaching approaches and students’ attitudes: A briefing paper. Slough: UK Foundation for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2005). United Nations decade of education for sustainable development 2005–2014. International implementation scheme. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001486/148654e.pdf. Accessed 1 Oct 2014.

  • UNESCO. (2007, November 26–28). Moving forward from Ahmedabad. Environmental education in the 21st century. Fourth Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, Ahmedabad (India), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. http://www.unevoc.net/fileadmin/user_upload/docs/AhmedabadFinalRecommendations.pdf. Accessed 1 Oct 2014.

  • Vare, P., & Scott, W. (2007). Learning for a change: Exploring the relationship between education and sustainable development. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 1(2), 191–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, K. (1997). Challenging critical theory in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 3(2), 155–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, L. (2009). Issus in reinventing school leadership: Reviewing the OECD report on improving school leadership from an Australian perspective. Leading and Managing, 15(1), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wink, J. (2000). Critical pedagogy: Notes from the real world (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Jane Edwards

Authors
  1. Jane Edwards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Edwards, J. (2016). The Rhetoric and the Reality. In: Socially-critical Environmental Education in Primary Classrooms. International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02147-8_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02147-8_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-02146-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02147-8

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation