Programmatic Implementation of Environmental Education in an Elementary Educator Preparation Program: A Case Study

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of research regarding preservice teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about the environment and describes one approach to engaging future teachers in environmental education within an educator preparation program curriculum. The successes and challenges of retooling one educator preparation program to include EE are discussed. Also, findings of a national survey conducted to determine the extent of the inclusion of EE in educator preparation programs are reported. Based on this research and survey findings, it is recommended as initial steps that educator preparation programs tap into the greatest identified supports for inclusion of EE, namely collaboration between formal and non-formal education agencies and organizations, student interest, and available curriculum materials.

Appendices

Appendices

Appendix 13.1. Draw an Environment Test (DAET)

Date: _________	ID#___________
In the space below draw a picture of what you think the environment is. Below that, please provide your definition of the environment (in words).
My drawing of the environment is:
My definition of the environment is:

1. Adapted from Wee et al. (2006)

Appendix 13.2. Draw an Environment Test – Rubric (DAET-R)

Date: _________				ID#___________
Factor		Present	Interactions with other Factors	System interactions made explicit	Score
	0 Points	1 Point	2 Points	3 Points
Human	Drawing does not contain pictures of humans.	Human(s) drawn without any apparent interaction with other factors.	Human(s) drawn interacting with other humans and/or another factor (e.g. human fishing or walking on a bridge), but without special emphasis placed on the influence of the interaction on the environment.	Humans drawn with obvious deliberate emphasis placed on interaction with one or more factors and the influence of that interaction on the environment through the use of special indicators such as conceptual labels and/or arrows.
Living	Drawing does not contain pictures of living organisms.	Living organisms (e.g. plants and animals) drawn without any apparent interaction with other factors.	Living organisms drawn interacting with other living organisms and/or another factor (e.g. animals grazing), but without special emphasis placed on the influence of the interaction on the environment.	Living organisms drawn with obvious deliberate emphasis placed on interaction with one or more factors and the influence of that interaction on the environment through the use of special indicators such as conceptual labels and/or arrows.
Abiotic	Drawing does not contain pictures of abiotic factors.	Abiotic items (e.g. mountains, rivers, Sun, or clouds) drawn without any apparent interaction with other factors.	Abiotic items drawn interacting with other abiotic items and/or another factor (e.g. wind blowing a palm tree), but without special emphasis placed on the influence of the interaction on the environment.	Abiotic items drawn with obvious deliberate emphasis placed on interaction with one or more factors and the influence of that interaction on the environment through the use of special indicators such as conceptual labels and/or arrows.
Human Built or Designed	Drawing does not contain pictures of human built factors.	Human built or designed items (e.g. buildings, automobiles, and bridges) drawn without any apparent interaction with other factors.	Human Built items drawn interacting with other human built items and/or another factor (e.g. smokestack emitting smoke into the air), but without special emphasis placed on the influence of the interaction on the environment.	Human Built items drawn with obvious deliberate emphasis placed on interaction with one or more factors and the influence of that interaction on the environment through the use of special indicators such as conceptual labels and/or arrows.
				Total possible points: 12
				Total Points

Directions for Completing the DAET-R

• 1. Assign points for each Factor—Human, Living, Abiotic, Built—based on whether it is Not Present or Cannot be Determined (0 Points), merely Present (1 Point), Interacting with other Factors (2 Points), or Interacting with other Factors with special additional emphasis placed on the interaction and its influence on the environment (3 Points). For example, if a drawing contains the presence of a human that is fishing, but there is no special additional emphasis placed on the fishing activity to indicate deliberate acknowledgment of systemic awareness, the participant would receive a score of 2 for the Human Factors category.

• 2. Factors MUST be drawn, not implied, to be considered. The use of just words or labels to indicate a factor with no drawings should receive 0 points.

• 3. Conceptual Labels: a label that depicts interactions between two or more factors AND the influence of that interaction on the environment. For example, a cloud labeled as ‘Water Cycle’ instead of just cloud, indicates interaction between abiotic and living factors. Human and Human Built waste by-products indicate interactions between two or more factors AND the influence of that interaction such as smog, garbage, or trash. A label that only classifies or identifies an object such as tree, bird, house, or ocean is not considered a Conceptual Label.