The majority of research in environmental education (EE) has focused on measuring knowledge, attitudes, and behavior using quantitative tools and methods. Few studies have attempted to elicit and characterize children's conceptions of the environment or nature, particularly those resulting from a residential EE experience, which contextualize knowledge, attitudes, and may be used to predict behaviors. Therefore little is known about how physical, socio-cultural, and personal dimensions are reflected in conceptual learning in the context of a guided outdoor program. This study begins to address this relative knowledge void by employing qualitative and phenomenological methods in a grounded theory approach. Interviews, writings and drawings on the topic of nature were collected from 5th grade students before and after a three-day residential outdoor school program conducted on the Oregon coast. Students' responses were analyzed in terms of breadth and depth of their nature conceptions. Individual students' additions to the emergent categories of breadth, including new organisms, habitats, processes, and non-living things, were used to measure change in the breadth of students' nature concepts. Change in depth of students' nature concepts was measured by means of emergent hierarchical typologies representing ideas included in students' understanding of nature. Factors affecting students' learning, including the themes students use to frame their interpretations of nature, emergent misconceptions, references to TV and books, students' interest, and weather, are discussed in terms of their impact on the breadth and depth of students' nature conceptions. Findings indicate almost universal gains in breadth and modest gains in depth of students' nature concepts. Children's preconceived ideas about nature, particularly an idealized view in which nature is seen as the opposite of human environments, appear to play an important role in learning. / Graduation date: 2006

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M.Ed. / Wildlife areas are considered by many to be "wilderness" islands, which do not have anything to do with the local communities surrounding them. These areas are seen as elitist. The Kruger National Park is no exception to these thoughts. Due to its immense size, many neighbours of the park have over the years been ignored. A questionnaire was given to 127 of the neighbours along the southern boundary of the park to determine the environmental literacy of these neighbours. The neighbours sampled were from informal and formal settlements and tourist destinations such as lodges and hotels. From the results it was found that there was very little difference between these neighbours in terms of their environmental literacy. An environmental education model was proposed in order to address the lack of knowledge or misconceptions that the neighbours held about the environment.

This project offers a nature program that can be implemented into youth camp programs. Outdoor Residential Camp programs offered by youth organizations provide an outdoor camp experience for many children in the communty. Many offer participants resident summer camp programs which is a perfect venue for the outdoor experience. Children exposed to outdoor experiences develop a greater sense of responsibility to the natural environment around them. The schools are not doing enough to educate youth about the natural environment. This project was written specifically for the Azalea Trails Girl Scout Camp located in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California however, it could be adapted to be used at any residental camp setting.

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a blueprint for the creation of the Free Spirit Children's Nature Center. The center has in mind the preservation of a habitat and will offer naturalist programs that enhance children's understanding and love of nature. The interactive nature of the experiences provided through the programs and activities will offer children a hands-on approach to learning that is developmentally appropriate. The primary role of the nature center is proposed to re-create a sense of connectedness to nature and generate healthy communities.