In order for the green movement to be successful, it is necessary for society to be aware and to participate on all levels. Holyoke is a city of the working class and there are several vocational programs available offering job-specific training. Unfortunately, these programs pay little attention to the environmental issues associated with their trade; and, as issues of global warming are becoming more pertinent, the vocational curriculum remains disconnected. To promote sustainable awareness and participation among vocational students in Holyoke, a new campus located in the downtown neighborhood will be introduced to the school system. In this new green vocational school, students from multiple disciplines will come together to engage in the sustainable practice of their trade. Given the decaying state of the downtown neighborhoods, the urban landscape will serve as a canvas for new ideas and projects. Through the collaboration of these vocations, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge addressing real projects while contributing to the social and physical revitalization of downtown Holyoke.

The purpose of this study was to examine the environmental education curriculum which has been utilized within Green Schools. For this study the researcher defined Green Schools as educational facilities with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification or United States Education Department (USED) Green Ribbon recognition. Currently, there is no set standard for the implementation of environmental education in Green Schools or for schools that utilize the building as a teaching tool for students. This descriptive study surveyed Green Schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia in order to better understand what common programs and curricula were being utilized. This study will also assist in establishing pedagogical best practices for environmental education while describing how LEED certified buildings are currently being used by educators as a teaching tool to support sustainable practices. Overall, 14 Green Schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia agreed to participate in the study. Once principals gave consent for their school to participate in the study, they were asked to respond the survey instrument and invite teachers to participate in the Green Schools eSurvey also. The survey instrument consisted of 14 multiple choice and open response survey items. Overall, 98 principals and staff participated in the survey. Multiple choice survey questions served as the quantitative data for the research study. Quantitative data were examined to report descriptive statistics to provide parameters about the sample population. The frequency and percentage from each category, mean, and mode were also reported from each quantitative survey item. Qualitative data were examined by emerging themes according to pedagogical strategies and programs. The findings from the study indicated that teachers are employing practices that are consistent with current emphases on environmental education. Data also supported that educators take pride in their buildings and incorporate the facility as a teaching tool in a variety of instructional practices throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. / Ed. D.

The United States has over 26 million students in primary and secondary schools nationwide. The result of such a large school-aged population, in combination with an increasingly environmentally conscious culture, has been a national effort towards green and sustainable school design. In theory, high performance school design utilizes a combination of key technologies in order to improve the learning environment while saving money, resources, and energy. An abundance of literature supports the lofty promises of this design strategy, but in an industry that has only recently begun to gain widespread support, very little substantive research of case studies has been documented. This report explores the history and characteristics of green schools, followed by a case study of Pickle Elementary School, located in Austin, Texas. Through the use of quantitative, qualitative and anecdotal research, this report begins to unveil the reality of this ever-growing movement towards greening America’s schools. / text

Abstract A WATERSHED MOMENT: IMPLEMENTING STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY POLICY INTO A CENTRAL VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT By Melinda J. VanDevelder, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018 Director: Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Educational Leadership Policy goals may be impossible to achieve at the classroom level (Ravitch, 2014), as policy depends on those who implement it (Lipsky, 1980). The purpose of this research was to investigate how the voluntary environmental educational executive order, EO42, was implemented and executed in a Central Virginia Public School district. The requirements of EO42 were former Virginia Governor MacAuliffe’s response to a multi-state policy he signed called the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which called for all Virginia public education schools to implement Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) with students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Interviews of state educational and environmental policy-makers indicated EO42 was a hurried process that came without funding and which was done, in large part, to make a political statement. An interview of the Central County Public School’s science specialist portrays the practices used with local environmental outreach educators in order to prepare 64 middle and high school science teachers to implement MWEE lessons required by EO42 for the 2015-2016 school year. A 2 x 2 Chi-squared analysis done on data collected from teacher surveys indicated a statistically significant difference [Chi-squared (1 d.f.) = 4.17, p < 0.05] between teachers’ professional development attendance and teachers’ perceived ability to complete a MWEE lesson with their students. Analyzed teacher survey data also indicates that teachers who had attempted MWEEs in prior years were more likely to attempt a MWEE with their students [t (61) = -2.846, p = 0.006] than were teachers who had not. Though 83% of teachers reported completing a MWEE with the majority of their students, analysis of teacher-reported lessons indicated that only 22% of teachers completed the four components required of a MWEE (environmental issue definition, an outdoor field experience, an action project, and project synthesis and conclusion). Results indicate that there is much work to be done when introducing new policy into secondary schools (Ball, Maguire, & Braun, 2012).

Cette recherche comparative – terrains français et polonais – a été menée à Lyon et à Cracovie. L’objet du travail concerne le tourisme social destiné aux enfants, et ce dans le cadre des classes de découvertes en France et écoles vertes en Pologne, ces voyages scolaires constituant à la fois un temps de vie collective et un temps d’éducation. Le cadre scolaire de la recherche concerne l’école primaire. Le travail s’inscrit dans la vaste problématique de l’acquisition de savoirs géographiques. Le sujet de la recherche mobilise le champ du tourisme dans la mesure où les pratiques qui en relèvent constituent des moyens et modalités d’appropriation de l’espace que les individus mettent en œuvre dans l’élaboration de leurs représentations spatiales. A travers ses expériences, l’individu construit un modèle intériorisé de son environnement. Cette recherche questionne les modalités de l’apprentissage spatial chez les jeunes enfants, questionnement dont l’objectif essentiel est de valider l’hypothèse selon laquelle l’expérience du voyage scolaire est susceptible de modifier leurs représentations spatiales. Pour vérifier si tous les enfants ont des chances égales pour se construire leur propre capital spatial, la recherche examine aussi l’influence sur leurs représentations de la mobilité spatiale antérieure. Afin d’approcher les représentations spatiales des écoliers, sont mobilisés à la fois les données discursives (questionnaires) et graphiques (cartes mentales). L’enquête, menée auprès de 192 élèves de Lyon et de Cracovie, explore donc finalement l’interface entre deux champs scientifiques, ceux de la géographie et ceux de la psychologie, en s’appuyant sur le postulat de représentations spatiales intrinsèques au paradigme qui conçoit l’espace comme un construit. Le travail s’inscrit dans l’approche d’une géographie mettant l’espace vécu au centre de ses préoccupations. / This comparative research - in France and Poland - was conducted in Lyon and Cracow. The purpose of the work is social tourism for children, more specifically the “discovery classes” in France and the “green schools” in Poland, the school trips constituting both a life experience and a time of collective education. The object of the research is primary schools.The work is part of a broader problem of the acquisition of geographical knowledge. The subject of the research mobilizes the field of tourism since the practices that stem from it are ways and means of appropriation of space that individuals implement in the construction of representations of space. Through experience, the individual constructs an interior model of his or her environment. This research project studies the modalities of spatial learning. The objective is to understand if the experience of school trips modifies children’s spatial representations. To ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to build their own spatial capital, research also examines the influence on their representations of previous spatial mobility. In order to examine the children’s spatial representations, both discursive (questionnaires) and graphics data (mental maps) are mobilized. The research, carried out with 192 pupils in Lyon and Cracow, is related to two disciplines, geography and psychology. It is supported by the postulate of spatial representations within the framework of the paradigm of spatial production. The work is part of an approach to geography, in which the “espace vécu” is the central preoccupation.

Ce travail souligne la nécessité d’un changement de paradigme sociétal face aux défis environnementaux contemporains et met l’accent sur l’éducation comme vecteur essentiel de cette transformation. Il se concentre sur les écoles vertes, qui tendent à s’enraciner dans une approche holistique de l’éducation environnementale, afin de cerner leur contribution face à la crise environnementale actuelle. Il commence par l’exploration de l’impact significatif de l’activité humaine sur la biosphère et le système terrestre, mettant en évidence l’influence profonde de l’anthropocentrisme. Ensuite, il souligne l’insuffisante intégration de la dimension écologique dans l’éducation formelle qui est principalement attribuable à l’influence persistante des pressions économiques et politiques sur la pensée et la pratique éducatives dominantes. Il poursuit en analysant les mouvements d’écoles vertes sur le plan théorique ainsi que leur orientation sur une approche scolaire environnementale globale. Enfin, il combine une analyse de la littérature sur les mouvements Éco-écoles et Enviroschools avec une étude de terrain menée en Uruguay auprès de l’école pionnière du mouvement Escuelas Sustentables afin de mettre en évidence leurs contributions respectives aux effets directs (impact environnemental) et indirects (littératie environnementale). Il conclut que les écoles vertes offrent une réponse multidimensionnelle aux enjeux soulevés par la crise environnementale actuelle. À ce niveau, il est remarqué que, parmi les mouvements d’écoles vertes étudiés, Enviroschools se distingue de manière significative en contribuant à la fois de manière substantielle à l’impact environnemental et à la littératie environnementale, notamment grâce à son enracinement local et à sa valorisation des perspectives autochtones locales. Dans l’ensemble, il découle de ce travail que l’efficacité des écoles vertes pour répondre à la crise environnementale repose sur leur décolonisation, intégrant les perspectives autochtones de manière culturellement appropriée pour assurer une adaptation à un monde en déséquilibre. / This work highlights the need for a societal paradigm shift in the face of contemporary environmental challenges and emphasizes education as an essential vector of this transformation. It focuses on green schools, which tend to be rooted in a holistic approach to environmental education, in order to assess their contribution to the current environmental crisis. It begins by exploring the significant impact of human activity on the biosphere and the Earth system, highlighting the profound influence of anthropocentrism. Next, it underscores the insufficient integration of the ecological dimension in formal education, mainly due to the ongoing influence of economic and political pressures on prevailing educational ideologies and practices. It continues by analyzing green school’s movements on a theoretical level as well as their orientation towards a whole school environmental approach. Finally, it combines an analysis of the literature on the Eco-Schools and Enviroschools movements with a field study carried out in Uruguay with the pioneer school of the Escuelas Sustentables movement to assess their respective contributions to direct (environmental impact) and indirect (environmental literacy) effects. It concludes that green schools offer a multi-dimensional response to the issues raised by the current environmental crisis. At this level, it is noticed that, among the green school’s movements studied, Enviroschools stands out as making a substantial contribution to both environmental impact and environmental literacy, thanks in particular to its local roots and its valuing of local indigenous perspectives. Overall, it follows that the effectiveness of green schools in responding to the environmental crisis rests on their decolonization, integrating indigenous perspectives in culturally appropriate ways to ensure adaptation to a world in imbalance.

This study is environmental in nature, occurring within a series of nested frameworks, namely school role players, sustainable development and greening schools. From a South African context, the day-to-day operations of the school activities and programmes are not solely the principal’s responsibility. It is a shared responsibility among every person involved in an educational school context. The principal has the overall responsibility of leading and professionally managing the school through the school management team (SMT) and is accountable to the employer, which is the provincial Head of the Department of Education. The principal is also accountable to the community through the school governing body (SGB), which consists of elected representatives from the school community. This study was guided by these research questions: (1) What is the nature of the knowledge of the role players in the Tshwane North District schools about greening the school? (2) How do the contextual factors in the Tshwane North District schools shape the greening of the school? The SMT and SGB are key role players and gatekeepers at the school level. They were purposefully and conveniently sampled at three Tshwane North District (TND) primary schools in Gauteng Province of South Africa according to their locations (rural, township, urban). They participated in focus group interviews, observations and document analysis. The study, qualitative in nature, explored strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in greening the school for sustainable development. The two role players might not be knowledgeable about green and sustainable development, however given the opportunity to explore their knowledge, provided insight about greening schools and how to possibly change to more sustainable practices. Data collected was subjected to thematic content analysis. The results revealed that schools’ funds are swiftly depleted on resources such as water, energy, transportation, paper, stationary, maintenance and equipment, to name but a few. The results also revealed limited green culture across institutions, due to little knowledge of greening and sustainability practices by school role players. This was attributed to a lack of policy framework by schools which was exacerbated by a lack of capacity building from expertise in greening schools for sustainable development. / Hierdie studie is omgewings van aard wat plaasvind binne 'n reeks nes raamwerke, naamlik skoolrolspelers, volhoubare ontwikkeling en vergroening van skole. Uit 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is die dag-tot-dag-bedrywighede van die skoolaktiwiteite en -programme nie net die skoolhoof se verantwoordelikheid nie. Dit is 'n gedeelde verantwoordelikheid onder elke persoon wat in 'n opvoedkundige skoolverband betrokke is.Die skoolhoof het die oorhoofse verantwoordelikheid om die skool deur die skoolbestuurspan (SUT) te lei en professioneel te bestuur en is verantwoordbaar teenoor die werkgewer, wat die provinsiale hoof van die departement van onderwys is.Die skoolhoof is ook deur die skoolbeheerliggaam (SGB) aan die gemeenskap verantwoordbaar, wat uit verkose verteenwoordigers uit die skoolgemeenskap bestaan.Die SMT en SGB is sleutelrolspelers en hekwagters op skoolvlak.Hulle is volgens hul plekke (landelike, township, stedelike) doelgerigte en gerieflik by drie Tshwane-Noord-distrikskole (TND) in Gautengprovinsie van Suid-Afrika gemonster.Hulle het deelgeneem aan fokusgroeponderhoude, waarnemings en dokumentanalise.Die studie, kwalitatiewe van aard wat daarop gemik is om sterk punte, swakhede, geleenthede en bedreigings te ondersoek om die skool vir volhoubare ontwikkeling te verging Die twee rolspelers is dalk nie kundig oor groen en volhoubare ontwikkeling nie, maar gegewe die geleentheid om hul kennis te ondersoek, het hulle 'n insig gegee oor groen skole en moontlik verandering aan volhoubare gedrag.Data wat ingesamel is, is aan tematiese inhoudsanalise onderwerp. Die bevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat skole se fondse vinnig uitgeput is op hulpbronne soos water, energie, vervoer, papier, stilstaande, instandhouding en toerusting om maar net 'n paar te noem.Die bevindinge het ook min kennis van vergroenings- en volhoubaarheidspraktyke deur skoolrolspelers geopenbaar.Dit is toegeskryf deur 'n gebrek aan beleidsraamwerke deur skole wat vererger is deur 'n gebrek aan kapasiteitsbou van kundigheid in die vergroening van skole vir volhoubare ontwikkeling. / Thutong ena ke ea tikoloho e hlahang ka hara letoto la meralo, e leng, ba nkang karolo ea sekolo, ntshwetsopele ea nako e telele le likolo tse tala.Ho tsoa maemong a Afrika Boroa, tshebetso ea letsatsi le letsatsi ea mesebetsi ea sekolo le mananeo ha se feela boikarabello ba mosuoe-hlooho.Ke boikarabello bo arolelanoeng hara motho e mong le e mong ea amehang molemong oa sekolo sa thuto.Hlooho ea sekolo e na le boikarabello ka kakaretso ba ho etella pele le ho tsamaisa sekolo ka sehlopha sa botsamaisi ba sekolo (SMT) mme o ikarabella ho mohiri, e leng Hlooho ea profinse ea Lefapha la Thuto.Hlooho ea sekolo e boetse e ikarabella ho sechaba ka sehlopha se busang sa sekolo (SGB), se nang le baemeli ba khethiloeng ba tsoang sechabeng sa sekolo.SMT le SGB ke karolo ea bohlokoa le balebeli ba liheke boemong ba sekolo.Li ile tsa etsoa sampole ka morero le ka mokhoa o bonolo likolong tse tharo tsa mathomo tsa Tshwane North (TND) tse Profinseng ea Gauteng ea Afrika Boroa ho latela libaka tsa bona (mahaeng, metse-literopong, le toropong).Maloko a SMT le SGB ba nkile karolo lipuisanong tsa sehlopha se tsepamisitseng maikutlo, maikutlo le tlhahlobo ea litokomane.Boithuto bona, bo nang le boleng ba tlhaho bo ikemiselitse ho lekola matla, bofokoli, menyetla le litšokelo ho silafatsa sekolo bakeng sa ntshetsopele e tsitsitseng. Baetsi ba karolo ba babeli ba kanna ba se be le tsebo mabapi le ntshetsopele ea botala le bo tsitsitseng, empa ba fuoe monyetla oa ho lekola tsebo ea bona, ba fane ka leseli mabapi le likolo tse talafatsang mme mohlomong li fetohela mekhoeng e tsitsitseng.Boitsebiso bo bokelletsoeng bo ile ba hlahlojoa ka litaba tsa bona, mme liphuputso li senotse hore lichelete tsa likolo li felloa kapele ho lisebelisoa tse kang metsi, motlakase, lipalangoang, pampiri, tse emeng, tlhokomelo le lisebelisoa ho bolela tse maloa feela.Liphuputso li boetse li senotse tsebo e nyane ea tshebetso ea tikoloho le botsitso ke bankakarolo ba sekolo.Sena se bakiloe ke ho haelloa ke moralo oa leano ke likolo tse ileng tsa mpefatsoa ke khaello ea matlafatso ho tsoa boitseaning ba likolo tsa botala bakeng sa ntshetsopele e tsitsitseng / Environmental Sciences / D.Litt. Phil (Environmental education)