Nine teenage participants and two adult guides were followed throughout a 10 day white water canoe trip to investigate the relationship between their impressions of connection with nature and the canoe trip experience, and their interactions with nature and the canoe trip experience. Themes providing a description of these relationships were identified and three major findings emerged. The first was that multiple themes mediating participants’ connectedness with nature did so both towards connection and disconnection. The second was that participants’ state of comfort was related to an impression of connection with nature while their state of discomfort was related to an impression of disconnection from nature. The third was that the relationship between participants’ connectedness and interactions with nature differed depending on the context (e.g., nature versus civilization). Possible directions for future research include investigating changes in participants’ conception of nature and the relationship between comfort and connection with nature.

D.Ed. / The general objective of this study is to illuminate the challenges experienced by educators in the provision of Environmental Education at schools in Curriculum 2005. In order to realize this general aim, the following serve as specific aims: Firstly, to provide a theoretical base for Environmental Education with a view to increasing the understanding of this relatively new discipline. Secondly, to examine and analyse the factors hindering the successful implementation of Environmental Education in schools. Thirdly, to identify and discuss potential solutions. An extensive literature review was undertaken to examine core areas impeding effective teaching of Environmental Education and its emphasis on Curriculum 2005. The investigation included data collection from experienced educators who have been incorporating Environmental Education in their subject teaching. The qualitative research design was utilized. The data collection methods the researcher applied include observation where personal visits were made to schools promoting Environmental Education. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with different individual educators; in schools with more than four environmental educators, focus group interviews were preferred. The data of this research were collected in schools in Gauteng Province through qualitative data collection techniques. The data collected was also analysed, coded, clustered and categorized. The empirical findings of the study were confirmed by using different methods and sources. The main findings indicated that where Environmental Education is well coordinated and all educators are involved, it is carried out in a more effective way compared to schools where Environmental Education is left to one educator and poorly coordinated. The study recommends that Environmental Education should not be left to one committed environmental educator, but that all educators need to be trained to incorporate Environmental Education into their school curriculum.

Essa pesquisa tem como intuito refletir sobre a Educação Ambiental (EA) tomando como referência os aportes teóricos de diversos estudiosos da área e a análise dos projetos de EA desenvolvidas em uma dada escola pública municipal de Ribeirão Preto/SP. Não é suficiente afirmar que a escola desenvolve atividades de EA sem considerar o contexto em que essas ações ocorrem, bem como as intencionalidades que definem sua presença no cotidiano de nossas escolas. Não se trata de identificar o certo e o errado, mas integrar teorias e práticas a partir de um olhar crítico e incentivador de abordagens que sejam, de fato, transformadoras e emancipatórias. Esta pesquisa possui contornos da abordagem qualitativa aplicada à área educacional. Como nossa intenção é analisar as ações de EA empreendidas em espaços escolares e perceber as possibilidades e intencionalidades que acompanham essas iniciativas, optamos pelo estudo de caso tomando como foco uma escola de Ensino Fundamental da rede municipal de Ribeirão Preto/SP. Para atender aos objetivos da pesquisa, os procedimentos metodológicos envolvem a análise documental e entrevistas, além de levantamentos bibliográficos na área educacional e na área específica da EA. Entendemos que a EA pode estar ligada a variados interesses, assumindo posições político-pedagógicas conectadas a ideais conservadores ou a princípios críticos e transformadores. Essa pesquisa considera o estudo detalhado dos projetos de EA empreendidas na escola de grande relevância para compreendermos seus impactos na rede municipal de ensino e, claro, na qualidade da educação oferecida aos nossos estudantes. As iniciativas presentes na escola pesquisada ainda carecem de maior fundamentação teórica para que a EA não seja ingênua e constituída por abordagens simplistas e generalizantes. Entendemos que a escola deve ser um espaço democrático e o mesmo princípio deve nortear os propósitos de EA assumidos em seu fazer pedagógico. O respeito à autonomia da escola na construção de suas ações em EA, a valorização de processos formativos (iniciais e continuados) que contemplem as reais necessidades dos professores e as discussões democráticas e permanentes em torno de um efetivo e coerente plano de trabalho são alguns dos elementos que identificamos como essenciais para que a EA cumpra seu papel transformador. / This research aims to reflect on Environmental Education, taking as reference the theoretical contributions of several scholars in the area and the analysis of the activities developed in a given public school in Ribeirão Preto/SP. It is not enough to say that the school develops Environmental Education activities without considering the context in which these actions occur, as well as the intentionalities that define their presence in the daily life of our schools. It is not about identifying right and wrong, but integrating theories and practices from a critical and encouraging view of approaches that are, in fact, transformative and emancipatory. This research has contours of the qualitative approach applied to the educational area. As our intention is to analyze the actions of Environmental Education undertaken in school spaces and to understand the possibilities and intentionalities that accompany these initiatives, we chose the case study focusing on a primary school of the municipal network of Ribeirão Preto/SP. In order to meet the research objectives, the methodological procedures involve documentary analysis and interviews, as well as bibliographic surveys in the educational area and in the specific area of Environmental Education. We understand that Environmental Education can be linked to varied interests, assuming political-pedagogical positions connected to conservative ideals or to critical and transformative principles. This research considers the detailed study of the Environmental Education actions carried out in the school of great relevance to understand its impacts on the municipal school network and, of course, on the quality of the education offered to our students. The initiatives present in the researched school still lack a greater theoretical foundation so that Environmental Education is not naive and consists of simplistic and generalizing approaches. We understand that the school should be a democratic space and the same principle should guide the purposes of Environmental Education assumed in its pedagogical work. Respect for the school\'s autonomy in the construction of its actions in Environmental Education, the valorisation of initial and continuous formative processes that contemplate the real needs of teachers and the permanent and democratic discussions around an effective and coherent work plan are some of the elements that we identify as essential for Environmental Education to fulfill its transforming role.

Ko Chi-Chung Andre. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 257-266). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.ii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vii / List of figures --- p.x / List of tables --- p.x / List of abbreviations --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Background of the study --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Statement of the problem situation --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Purpose and significance of study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research questions --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- Delimitation of the study --- p.6 / Chapter 1.6 --- Definition of key concepts --- p.7 / Chapter 1.7 --- Outline of the remainder of the thesis --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature review I: Environmental education and science education / Chapter 2.1 --- Overview of the literature review --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2 --- Understanding environmental education --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3 --- Present status of environmental education in Hong Kong schools --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4 --- Environmental education and science education --- p.30 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Literature review II: Research issues relevant to teaching environmental education / Chapter 3.1 --- Environmental education as a field of study and its paradigm of research --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2 --- The study of teachers' perceptions and practices --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3 --- Framework of analysis --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4 --- Research related to teachers' perceptions and practices --- p.58 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.66 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Research design / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview of the research design --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2 --- Research questions and associated research methods --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3 --- Questionnaire survey --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4 --- In-depth interview --- p.79 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Curriculum analysis / Chapter 5.1 --- Overview of curriculum analysis --- p.86 / Chapter 5.2 --- Background the curriculum --- p.86 / Chapter 5.3 --- Characteristics of the curriculum --- p.91 / Chapter 5.4 --- Evaluation of the curriculum --- p.112 / Chapter 5.5 --- Summary and conclusion --- p.121 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Questionnaire survey results / Chapter 6.1 --- Overview of the chapter --- p.123 / Chapter 6.2 --- Descriptive analysis of questionnaire survey data --- p.123 / Chapter 6.3 --- Inferential analysis of the questionnaire survey data --- p.142 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary --- p.1525 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Interview findings / Chapter 7.1 --- Overview of the chapter --- p.155 / Chapter 7.2 --- Interview findings --- p.157 / Chapter 7.3 --- Analysis of interview findings --- p.178 / Chapter 7.4 --- Summary --- p.197 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Discussion / Chapter 8.1 --- Overview of the chapter --- p.200 / Chapter 8.2 --- Self-reported practices of teaching environmental education --- p.200 / Chapter 8.3 --- Teachers' perceptions of EE and their relation to practices of teaching EE --- p.209 / Chapter 8.4 --- Synthesis of research findings --- p.218 / Chapter 8.5 --- Further discussion of research findings --- p.220 / Chapter 8.6 --- Summary --- p.238 / Chapter Chapter 9 --- Conclusion and recommendation / Chapter 9.1 --- Summing up: Hong Kong secondary school science teachers' perception of environmental education --- p.239 / Chapter 9.2 --- Implications of research findings --- p.243 / Chapter 9.3 --- Limitation of the research and recommendation for further study --- p.248 / Appendix A A sample of cover letter and survey questionnaire --- p.251 / Appendix B Relevant EE topics of the IS Syllabus recommended in the CDC Guidelines --- p.256 / References --- p.257

Environmental and sustainability issues prevail in modern society. Southern Africa, where this study is based, is one of the regions most at risk from intersecting issues of climate health risk, and poverty-related ills. Education has the potential to facilitate catalytic transformation of society through development of understandings of these intersecting environment and sustainability concerns, and to support engagements in more sustainable social practices oriented towards the common good. This requires a rethinking of education within a wider common good frame. It also has implications for how quality education is considered. However, little is said of how this could be done, especially in teacher education. The paper shares two cases of teacher educators’ change project experiences, as they emerged via professional development support and the mediatory processes applied in courses conducted by the Southern African Development Community Regional Environmental Education Programme (SADC REEP) aimed at enhancing professional capacity of teacher educators and other environmental educators for mainstreaming environment and sustainability education (ESE)1. These courses are framed using a change project approach, and involve teacher educators as main participants. In-depth data were generated from interviews with two teacher educators, their assignment write-ups, and observations of their teacher education practice. Realist social theory, particularly the principle of emergence, was used to trace the emergence of change in teacher education practice. Sociocultural learning theory was used to explain mediation of learning-oriented changes in teacher education practice. We illustrate how the change project model and approach contributed to mediating change in practice, showing emergent attributes of capacity for mainstreaming ESE and elements of a concept of quality education among course participants oriented towards the common good. In conclusion, we argue that ESE seems to be a sensitising construct for initiating and sustaining change for ESE in teacher education. In addition, the change project has proved to be a potential vehicle for mainstreaming the notion and practice of ESE into social systems and teacher education practices. We argue that reflexive ESE praxis provides a sensitising focus, initiating quality education with humanising properties necessary for the common good.

abstract: Institutions of higher learning can be centers of meaning-making and learning and are expected to play a pivotal role in a global shift toward sustainability. Despite recent innovations, much sustainability education today is still delivered using traditional pedagogies common across higher education. Therefore, students and facilitators should continue innovating along pedagogical themes consistent with the goals of sustainability: transformation and emancipation. Yet, more clarity is needed about pedagogical approaches that will transform and emancipate students, allowing them to become innovators that change existing structures and systems. My dissertation attempts to address this need using three approaches. First, I present a framework combining four interacting (i.e., complementary) pedagogies (transmissive, transformative, instrumental, and emancipatory) for sustainability education, helping to reify pedagogical concepts, rebel against outdated curricula, and orient facilitators/learners on their journey toward transformative and emancipatory learning. Second, I use a descriptive case study of a sustainability education course set outside of the traditional higher education context to highlight pedagogical techniques that led to transformative and emancipatory outcomes for learners partaking in the course. Third, I employ the method of autoethnography to explore my own phenomenological experience as a sustainability student and classroom facilitator, helping others to identify the disenchanting paradoxes of sustainability education and integrate the lessons they hold. All three approaches of the dissertation maintain a vision of sustainability education that incorporates contemplative practices as essential methods in a field in need of cultivating hope, resilience, and emergence. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2019

Thesis (M.Phil.(Environmental Law and Management)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / Environmental Education in schools is one of the vital means through which learners can acquire environmental literacy, which is vital for the protection of the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of environmental literacy among Grade 12 learners based on selected issues namely: Acid rain, soil erosion and global warming. There is a need to encourage active participation in resolving environmental issues. This will in turn ensure compliance with laws of the country. Environmental Education is the process of recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitude necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness or interrelationships among people, their culture and their biophysical surroundings. Environmental education also entails practice in decision-making and self-formulation of a code of behaviour about issues concerning environmental quality (IUCN World Conservation Union 1971). This research was conducted in five schools located in Ga-Molepo area. The Grade 12 geography learners were tested to determine their level on environmental literacy. This knowledge was tested by means of a questionnaire, which contained questions that tested the learners’ environmental literacy level. The level of literacy was compared between males and females. Their understandings of legal implications were also tested. Anderson & Arsenault (1990:170-179) states that questionnaires need no introduction. The advantage of questionnaire is that if properly designed, it provides a collection of reliable and reasonably valid data in a simple manner. Yet constracting a good questionnaire is a challenge and requires thorough thought, piloting, revision and reformatting. 85% of learners from all the schools indicated that they are aware of the causes and effects of soil erosion. 42% of learners understand what acid rain is and only 20% of them understand what global warming is. Learners must be educated on environmental issues in relation to environmental protection and improvement. Legal obligations and accountability under laws as well as the need to comply with law must be part of all environmental education. Hammond et al (1999:42) explains Coefficient of Variation (CV) as a normalized measure of dispersion of a probability distribution. The Coefficient of Variation was used where Tshebela high school got 33%, which indicated that the learners level of understanding did not indicate variability. In the other 3 schools (Mamokgari, Mamodikeleng and Mmapadi) their level of understanding did not indicate a high level of variation. The last school, Mokwatedi indicated that the learner’s level of understanding indicated a high level of variation which shows that their level of understanding is not good. When coming to what the law requires of them it is clear that only 40% of them understand the legal implications but the rest may harm the environment as they use natural resources for their own benefit such as chopping trees while not considering environmental sustainability and the people around them. It is, therefore, concluded at the end of the research that environmental laws need to be integrated into the learner’s knowledge as their opinions on environmental laws shows clearly that they do not have knowledge and understanding of the environmental legal implications.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 135-139). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 198-200). Also available in print.

Nine teenage participants and two adult guides were followed throughout a 10 day white water canoe trip to investigate the relationship between their impressions of connection with nature and the canoe trip experience, and their interactions with nature and the canoe trip experience. Themes providing a description of these relationships were identified and three major findings emerged. The first was that multiple themes mediating participants’ connectedness with nature did so both towards connection and disconnection. The second was that participants’ state of comfort was related to an impression of connection with nature while their state of discomfort was related to an impression of disconnection from nature. The third was that the relationship between participants’ connectedness and interactions with nature differed depending on the context (e.g., nature versus civilization). Possible directions for future research include investigating changes in participants’ conception of nature and the relationship between comfort and connection with nature.