<p> This research aimed to deepen understanding about effective Montessori teachers and broaden the context of the topic by examining aligning Montessori theory with Indigenous theory and sustainability theory. The research was guided by an Indigenous research paradigm and involved using appreciative inquiry and tapping into the wisdom of experienced Montessori educators, considered as coresearchers and elders. Using Bohm&rsquo;s dialogue process, six small groups of elders pondered together about the essence of Montessori and their insights about teachers who effectively implement the Montessori concept. The total of 20 coresearchers concluded that the essence of Montessori was when Montessori became a way of life, a process, coresearchers believed, is lifelong. The elders determined effective Montessori teachers are those who can apply the Montessori concept in their classroom. Key attributes of effective Montessori teachers included ability to trust, exercise keen observation skills, and develop mindfulness. One insight offered for teacher educators included allowing more time for adult learners to practice implementation of the theory. For administrators, elders believed that teachers&rsquo; development unfolds just as students&rsquo; and requires in-kind support. Findings help inform prospective and current Montessori teachers, teacher educators, and school administrators. Findings show an alignment between Maria Montessori&rsquo;s educational theory and how it is practiced, reveal the complex nature of the Montessori concept, and indicate Montessori education fosters a sustainability mindset. </p><p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2010. / Typescript (photocopy). "March 2010." Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-231).

<p> Addressing current environmental, economic, and social challenges requires a transformation in thinking. Education, if reoriented toward sustainability, has the potential to promote environmentally responsible behavior and advance society toward environmental, economic, and social well-being. Teachers have an important role in this shift in education, both as models of environmental sensitivity and as agents of change. Beginning and experienced teachers alike struggle to adapt to a model of education that allows young people to build the experience and skills necessary to address the sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. </p><p> This mixed-methods case study presents practices from whole-school sustainability programs in four U.S. K-12 institutions, with the purpose of providing resources and examples for further development of K-12 whole-school sustainability programs. Based on results from 35 interviews, four classroom observations, and four campus tours, I provide other school administrations and staff with institution-appropriate pathways towards implementing and refining their own whole-school sustainability education programs.</p><p>

<p> This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of six whitewater kayakers on the Potomac River on the east coast of the United States. Research participants, three women and three men, ranged in age from 21 to 72. The study reviews as context the history of kayaking and the theories of ecofeminism, participant motivation, transformational experience and environmental responsibility, and narrative identity. Further theories of flow, group flow, and earthflow inform the potential creative synergy of the paddler and the river. The study shows that participant motivations change through time and there are common elements of the experience shared among paddlers. The study proposes four themes and related subthemes that describe the whitewater kayaking experience: initiating, deepening, imagining, and appreciating. The study finds that, over time, whitewater kayakers feel connected to something larger than themselves. The majority of whitewater media coverage is incongruous with the reported experiences of whitewater kayakers. Healing the split between reported experiences and common representations may help broaden the appeal of whitewater kayaking to prospective paddlers, promote more reflective decision-making processes, and further active engagement through conservancy by clarifying the connection between the experience of paddling whitewater and the deep gratitude felt among participants. Other practical implications include bringing questions of community identity and the whitewater journey to the forefront of conversations, so that the community can work toward congruent representations of the whitewater experience that focus on connection to nature rather than glorified risk taking. This may help kayakers form a more seamless, ecocentric riverine identity. </p><p>

<p> Due in part to its geographic isolation and unique climate, Hawai&lsquo;i has a high number of endemic species and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. At the same time, these characteristics make Hawai&lsquo;i vulnerable to species loss. To protect endangered species, conservationists focus on preserving Hawai&lsquo;i&rsquo;s native ecosystems through invasive species control and habitat restoration. Native forests are central to Hawai&lsquo;i&rsquo;s watershed, provide habitat for endemic pollinators, and foster bioculture. Pollinators are integral for ecosystem health as well as for human spaces, and worldwide pollinators have been on the decline. Since pollinators and their flowering counterparts are embedded in human lives, this research challenges traditional conservation approaches by contextualizing more-than-human entanglements within social, political, and cultural milieu. The purpose of this work is to draw from posthumanism, new materialism, and indigenous discourse to examine the biopolitical issues in which Hawaii&rsquo;s endemic pollinators situate to re-envision questions and ethics of conservation. The researcher followed endemic pollinators through native forests to explore the entangled relationship between humans, pollinators, and forests examining the question, what is the biopolitical culture of endemic pollinators in Hawai&rsquo;i? This multi-sited, multi-method research used a mix of autoethnography, participant observations and interviews, visual data, and archival and biocultural accounts to articulate emergent findings. The findings of this dissertation discuss the nuances of multispecies entanglements and mattering, politics of biological conservation and extinction, and material-discursive understandings of place. This study suggests human/more-than-human encounters are grounded in reciprocity and responsibility and co-create place.</p><p>

<p> American colonization of the Hawaiian Islands has brought about generations of Native Hawaiian learners being subjected to educational practices that are incompatible with core Indigenous beliefs. Consequently, Native Hawaiian learners have lower academic achievement than other ethnic groups in the islands. The lack of success is not confined to academics since Native Hawaiians are also underrepresented in material-economic, social-emotional, and physical wellbeing. Hawaiian culture-based education (HCBE) can be used to decolonize educational practices by increasing cultural relevancy and compatibility within schools. This study was conducted within a school founded explicitly for the education of Native Hawaiian children. The selected campus has approximately 80 teachers and 650 Native Hawaiian learners (age eleven to fifteen). The purpose of the study was to better understand implementation of the HCBE framework components and data was collected through surveys and semi-structured follow-up interviews. The findings showed that although there was a range of the extent the teachers at the school understood and implemented the various HCBE components, there was commitment to using Hawaiian language, knowledge, and practices as the content and context for student learning. The data also showed though teachers have a high level of understanding of the importance of relationship building, that building family and community relationships remains an area of challenge. Additionally, teachers pride themselves on delivering meaningful personalized learning experiences and assessments to their students, and would like their own professional development to be grounded in the same educational practices. This study provides baseline data to inform further growth. </p>

<p> Global education for global competency in Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is neither defined nor aligned as a priority for its 21st-century learners. Various schools within the Department of Catholic Schools address global competency through world languages, dual-language immersion, activities, or programs, but no specific global education focus permeates the entire district. The relevance of global competency for nearly 80,000 students from Early Childhood (EC) programs/PreK&ndash;12th grade (high school) Catholic schools in Los Angeles is not just a curricular necessity or spiritual aspiration, it is, at its core, a question of social justice, particularly for students of color and first-generation immigrants who live mostly in underserved communities. </p><p> This study analyzes whether PreK&ndash;12th-grade Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have unique assets, as well as what challenges the district would face if it were to adapt a more formalized approach to global education. The study researches whether diverse community cultural wealth, demographics, mission, innovation, and Catholic social teachings align or hinder the development of a global education curriculum that addresses the universally adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The study investigates urgency, opportunity, scalability, and sustainability for this social justice priority. This inquiry also attempts to answer why a globally connected organization, such as the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles and its school system, is not virtually connected in its own worldwide network in order to promote global competency for its 21st-century learners. </p><p>

<p> In recent years a surge in research focused on the influences of water on humans. However, few have studied the effects of water on our relationship with nature, particularly to explore enduring impressions from a longitudinal perspective. Addressing these gaps, this qualitative exploratory research enlisted a case study methodology that employed multiple methods to investigate how a multi-day wilderness trip on the Tatshenshini River might affect participants&rsquo; connection to nature and position toward a sustainable lifestyle. The 12 participants were administered the Kellert Shorb Biophilic Indicator (KSBVI) questionnaire prior to the trip and reflected in journals during the experience. Six months after the trip ended a survey was administered. After 16 months, in-depth interviews were conducted. The results suggest that immersion into <i> river time</i>, an experience conceptualization that connected participants to nature&rsquo;s rhythm, generally equated with a <i>flow</i> state and a condition of <i>blue mind</i>, positively influenced their connection to nature. It appears that living water in concert with awe-inspiring encounters in the natural world enhanced and affirmed participants&rsquo; position toward a sustainable lifestyle. Furthermore, this multi-day wilderness experience seemed to inform their orientation toward sustainability. The findings suggest that further research into the lasting effects of river time and awe within these types of contexts is warranted.</p><p>

<p> Mountains are filled with both mystery and grandeur. They are places where the natural world can be experienced in its most raw form. Humans have been climbing mountains for centuries, yet it is still difficult to adequately explain what draws people to the mountains. There is danger in the mountains, but there can also be rewards in the form of physical health, mental well-being, and personal growth. My climbing experience has led me to believe that these benefits are felt most when climbers approach a mountain with a sense of reverence and respect, and that the colonizing mindset of conquering a mountain or completing a tick-list is detrimental to the climber, the people that the climber interacts with, and the natural environment of the mountain. This study examines the worldviews of mountain climbers and the aspects of mountaineering that seem to enhance these worldviews. The worldviews of the mountaineers are explored in regard to both the natural environment and human society. Focus is placed on the aspects of mountaineering that seem to encourage biocentric worldviews, with the hope of being able to apply these findings to future sustainability initiatives. This study finds that mountaineers have a generally negative view of societies which put too much emphasis on material wealth, social prestige, and power structures. These materialistic tendencies of society are in direct contrast with the world of mountains. The benefits of climbing mountains are extensive, with personal and spiritual benefits being even more essential to the experience than the physical benefits. Climbers do not climb mountains for these benefits though; they climb mountains to climb. The findings of this study are discussed in terms of the future of climbing, environmental and social sustainability initiatives, and genuine learning experiences. </p><p>

<p> This dissertation research examines the perceptions held by African Africans as they pertain to the environment and nature and the factors influencing those perceptions. The research covers the ecopsycological elements, historical narratives, and current social dynamics of African American culture in order to understand their frame of reference in connection to the environment. Two populations of African American adults in Michigan and South Carolina were used to study the perceptions and behaviors exhibited by the culture. The research study used interview sessions and questionnaires in order to generate qualitative and quantitative data. The data focused on outdoor childhood activities, adult involvement, concerns about the environment, perceptions of individuals and mainstream organizations associated with the environment, current and potential environmental behaviors, and factors contributing to the participants&rsquo; environmental actions and decisions. With unanimous responses indicating that research participants have engaged in some form of outdoor activity during childhood, as well as a majority of these individuals expressing time spent outdoors or in nature as positive, there is indication the environment plays an integral part in the lives of African Americans. Additionally, participants acknowledged discussions about the environment and nature rarely occurred between themselves and their parents or other adults during their childhood, especially in regards to conservation, preservation, and pollution prevention measures. What they did experience, however, was language through demonstration; any specific actions about managing or taking care of the earth was learned through hands-on approaches rather than verbal communication. Lastly participants in this study overwhelmingly cited Caucasians and elements oftentimes associated with Caucasians as the frame of reference for environmentalism. In contrast, African Americans are just as interested in and concerned about the environment, yet they do not perceive themselves as environmentalists. The study results indicate there are significant correlations between some environmental and social aspects exhibited by the participants and overall, African Americans are interested in the environment and some of the components associated with it.</p>