Youth unemployment and environmental degradation are two critical issues facing
Australia today. This action research study concerns learning and teaching with
participants in a government labour market program which was established to address
these two issues.
The study was based on three cycles of action research with six groups of participants.
The main objective of the research evolved to consider whether critical thinking and
action learning can enhance self-concept and environmental education for unemployed
young people. The research provides a positive response to this problem, although
certain limitations are noted. Conclusions are drawn in five areas. Three of these are
from the first cycle of action research. These relate to environmental attitudes,
knowledge and action; approaches to environmental education and learning; and the
impact of unemployment, peer pressure and mass culture. Two conclusions are drawn
from the second cycle of action research. These relate to the integration of action
learning and critical thinking strategies into the learning and teaching; and the
individual participants' life history and prior knowledge and experience of
environmental issues.
Recommendations are made concerning professional development and support for staff
working in the area, and the planning and implementation of programs. The major
recommendation is for the integration, where appropriate, of integrated critical thinking
and action learning strategies, through all aspects of the training and project work. This
recommendation draws on evidence from a number of areas where these approaches are
shown to be beneficial. These include the potential for emancipation and improved selfconcept,
and the contribution to environmental education.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218953 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Gibson, Graeme, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Resource, Environmental & Heritage Sciences |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Graeme Gibson |
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