Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of various approaches that exist within the field of environmental education (EE). Like science education, environmental education is an interdisciplinary and complex field that offers a multitude of strategies for learning, dependent on the variables of resources, time, space, curriculum, student characteristics, plus a full range of factors that can affect any kind of educational implementation. Seven approaches are briefly described: EE and the schoolyard; place-based education; the Projects curricula (PLT, WILD, and WET) and Population Connection; science and EE in nature centers, zoos, and museums; investigating and evaluating environmental issues and actions; action research and EE; and the Science-Technology-Society approach to EE. Each of these approaches individually addresses several important goals of EE, but none of these is totally prescriptive or comprehensive. There are many different EE teaching and learning approaches one can select from. It is up to the individual educator to select and apply the approach that will be most effective in specific settings.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aikenhead, G. (2003, August). Review of research on humanistic perspectives in science curricula. Paper presented at the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) 2003 Conference, Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands.
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1989). Project 2061. Science for all Americans. Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science.
American Association of Museums. (2009). What is a museum? Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www.aam-us.org/aboutmuseums/whatis.cfm
American Chemical Society. (2002). ChemCom: Chemistry in the community. New York: W. H. Freeman.
American Forest Foundation. (2008). Project Learning Tree: Pre-K environmental education activity guide. Washington, DC: American Forest Foundation.
Broda, H. W. (2007). Schoolyard enhanced learning: Using the outdoors as an instructional tool K – 8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
California Department of Education. (2009). A garden in every school. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www.cde.ca.gov/Ls/nu/he/garden.asp
Center for Place-Based Education. (2008). What is place-based education? Retrieved October 5, 2009, from http://www.anei.org/pages/99_place_based_education.cfm
College of William and Mary Center for Gifted Education. (1997). Acid, acid everywhere: A problem-based unit. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Council for Environmental Education. (2008a). Project WILD: K-12 curriculum and activity guide. Houston, TX: Council for Environmental Education.
Council for Environmental Education. (2008b). Project WILD Aquatic K-12 curriculum & activity guide. Houston, TX: Council for Environmental Education.
Cronin-Jones, L. L. (2000). The effectiveness of schoolyards as sites for elementary science instruction. School Science and Mathematics, 100(4), 203–211.
Dewey, J. (1959). School and society. In M. Dworkin (Ed.), Dewey on education. New York: Teachers College Press.
Hammond, W. F. (1994). Action within schools. In L. V. Bardwell, M. C. Monroe, & M. T. Tudor (Eds.), Environmental problem solving: Theory, practice and possibilities in Environmental Education (pp. 40–48). Troy, OH: North American Association for Environmental Education.
Harms, N. C., & Yager, R. E. (Eds.). (1981). What research says to the science teacher (Vol. 3). Washington, DC: Nation Science Teachers Association.
Hungerford, H. R., Litherland, R. A., Volk, T. L., Ramsey, J. M., & Peyton, R. B. (2003). Investigating and evaluating environmental issues and actions: Skill development modules: A curriculum development project designed to teach students how to investigate and evaluate science-related social issues. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
Hungerford, H. R., Peyton, R. B., & Wilke, R. J. (1980). Goals for curriculum development in Environmental Education. Journal of Environmental Education, 11(3), 42–47.
Hungerford, H. R., Volk, T. L, & Ramsey, J. M. (1990). Science-Technology-Society: Investigating and evaluating STS issues and solutions. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
Hungerford, H. R., & Volk, T. L. (1990). Changing learner behavior through environmental education. Journal of Environmental Education, 21(3), 8–21.
It’s About Time. (2002). EarthComm earth system science in the community. Armonk, NY: It’s About Time.
Leonard, W. H., & Penick, J. E. (2003). Biology: A community context. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Maine Department of Education. (2007). Maine learning results: Parameters for essential instruction. Retrieved February 17, 2009, from http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/pei/index/html
Marcinkowski, T. J. (1988). An analysis of correlates and predictors of responsible environmental behavior (Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1988). Proquest Dissertations, AAT 8903716.
Martin, S. C. (2003). The influence of outdoor schoolyard experiences on students’ environmental knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and comfort levels. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 15(2), 15–23.
National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
National Research Council. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
National Science Teachers Association. (1990). NSTA position statement on Science/Technology/Society: A new effort for providing appropriate science for all. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/sts.aspx
Natural Science for Youth Foundation. (1990). Natural science centers: Directory and NSYF blue ribbon reports from the Natural Science for Youth Foundation. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED319 619)
Peterson, N. J., & Hungerford, H. R. (1981). Developmental variables affecting environmental sensitivity in professional Environmental Education. In A. B. Sacks, L. A. Iozzi, & R. J. Wilke (Eds.), Current issues in environmental education and environmental studies (pp. 111–113). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science and Mathematics Education.
Population Connection. (2009). Teaching materials and tools. Retrieved February 19, 2009, from http://www.populationeducation.org/
Sadler, K. C., Smith-Walters, C., Ring, T., & Lasater, M. (2006). Thinking outside the box: No child left inside at Campus School. In Exemplary science in grades PreK–4: Standards-based success stories. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
Sivek, D. J., & Hungerford, H. R. (1989/1990). Predictors of responsible environmental behavior in three Wisconsin conservation organizations. The Journal of Environmental Education, 21(2), 35–40.
Smith, G. (2002). Place-based education: Learning to be where we are. Phi Delta Kappan, 83, 584–594.
Stapp, W. B., & Wals, A. E. J. (1994). An action research approach to environmental problem solving. In L. V. Bardwell, M. C. Monroe, & M. T. Tudor (Eds.), Environmental problem solving: Theory, practice and possibilities in Environmental Education (pp. 51–65). Troy, OH: North American Association for Environmental Education.
The Watercourse & Council for Environmental Education. (2007). Project WET. Bozeman, MT: The Watercourse & Council for Environmental Education.
Tolley, K. (1994, April). Study nature, not books: The nature study curriculum 1891–1932. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED37400)
UNESCO. (1978, September). The Tbilisi declaration. Connect: UNESCO-UNEP Environmental Education Newsletter, 3(1), 1–8.
UNESCO-UNEP. (1976, January). The Belgrade charter. Connect: UNESCO-UNEP Environmental Education Newsletter, 1(1), 1–2.
Wals, A. E. J., Beringer, A., & Stapp, W. B. (1990). Education in action: A community problem-solving program for schools. The Journal of Environmental Education, 21, 13–19.
Wigginton, E. (Ed.). (1971–2004). Foxfire (Vol. 1–12). New York: Anchor Books.
Winther, A. A., Volk, T. L., & Hungerford, H. R. (1994). Issue investigation and action training: An instructional model for EE. In L. V. Bardwell, M. C. Monroe, & M. T. Tudor (Eds.), Environmental problem solving: Theory, practice and possibilities in Environmental Education. Troy, OH: North American Association for Environmental Education.
Winther, A. A., Volk, T. L., & Shrock, S. A. (2002). Teacher decision making in the 1st year of implementing an issues-based EE program: A qualitative study. Journal of Environmental Education, 33(3), 27–33.
Wyzga, M. C. (1995). Homes for wildlife. Concord, NH: New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
Yager, R. E., & Akcay, H. (2008). Comparison of student learning outcomes in middle school science classes with an STS approach and a typical textbook dominated approach. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 31(7), 1–16.
Yager, S. O., Lim, G., & Yager, R. E. (2006). The advantages of an STS approach over a typical textbook dominated approach in middle school science. School Science & Mathematics, 106(5), 248–260.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Appendices
Appendix 1:
Representative Programs Providing Training and Support for Educational Use of Schoolyards
There are several programs available to provide support and training for teachers interested in using their schoolyards as learning sites. Some examples include:
-
The National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat Program – http://www.nwf.org/schoolyard/. This program provides encouragement, rationale, and examples of how to develop school grounds as wildlife habitats.
-
Many states have a “Homes for Wildlife” program. These are usually administered through a state’s Fish and Game Department or Department of Conservation or Natural Resources. New Hampshire has developed an excellent guide that has been adapted by many states for their specific ecosystem (Wyzga 1995).
-
Project Learning Tree’s Greenworks! grant program can provide grants for environment-related service learning projects. Information available at: http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_22_18.html
-
The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education – http://www.maeoe.org/habitat/. This organization provides support and training for teachers interested in schoolyard habitat projects.
-
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – http://www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/schoolyd.htm. This government organization coordinates schoolyard habitat programs with state agencies and school districts to promote the development of school grounds as wildlife habitats. They provide resources, training, and funding.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Winther, A.A., Sadler, K.C., Saunders, G. (2010). Approaches to Environmental Education. In: Bodzin, A., Shiner Klein, B., Weaver, S. (eds) The Inclusion of Environmental Education in Science Teacher Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9222-9_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9222-9_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-9221-2
Online ISBN: 978-90-481-9222-9
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)