If you haven't heard, outdoor and environmental education works! Studies
show it increases test scores across the curriculum and has a positive effect
on
student achievement and behavior. Here are some key studies: (you will need
pdf viewing software - get free Adobe Reader)
According to the findings of the "Caring About America" survey conducted on behalf of Doubletree Hotels (NYSE:HLT), ninety-nine (99) percent of kids ages six to eleven surveyed across the country believe that it's important to take care of the environment. More details in the article.
The Doubletree "Caring About America" Survey was conducted in March 2006 by Kelton Research. The survey polled 400 parents and 400 pre-teens (ages six to eleven years old) across the U.S. to learn more about the attitudes and actions of parents and kids on the environment and taking care of it.
The National Youth Leadership Council just released "The National Survey on Service-Learning and Transitioning to Adulthood." The report reveals that, in relation to their peers, young adults who participated in K-12 service-learning are more satisfied with their current status in life; are more likely to discuss politics or community issues and vote in an election year; are more politically and socially connected to their communities, both as leaders and as role models; understand the importance of lifelong learning and, as a whole, are more educated and have higher aspirations; and are more active members of society. Download a pdf of the full report or download an article summarizing the report. To learn more, visit http://www.nylc.org/happening_newsarticle.cfm?oid=5453
National Trust research
shows lasting value of nature-based school trips. Learn
more about the study at National Trust: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-news/w-news-top_story.htm. The
National Trust works to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and
buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
As the Government’s consultation into out-of-classroom education draws
to a close, the National Trust is today releasing the results of a pioneering
study confirming school trips can change the lives of children.
‘We looked at whether school children’s learning about their local
environment would influence the way they treat it. We found that not only
was this the case, but high quality out-of-classroom learning also influenced
how children behave and the lifestyle choices they make. It shows the potential
for schools trips not just to change children’s lives, but the lives
of whole communities,’ Dr Peacock said. Read more here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-learning_discovery/w-schools/w-schools-guardianships/w-schools-guardianships-research.htm
Closing the Achievement Gap:
Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning
This report, prepared by the State Education and Environment Roundtable,
is the story of the schools, teachers, and students who are involved in implementing
EIC programs (using the Environment as an Integrating Context for learning).
It presents the results of a nationwide study; describes the major concepts
and assumptions underlying EIC; explores a range of successful EIC programs
across the; United States; identifies the major characteristics of successful
EIC programs; and, analyzes the implications of EIC-based education for student
learning and instruction.
AB 1330Research on the Effects of Outdoor Education on Children in
California,
January 2005
Study Final Report (Summary): "Children
who attended outdoor school significantly raised their science scores by
27 percent as measured by a pre- and post survey administered
upon their return to school" and more good news about the effectiveness
of outdoor school programs!
In a survey taken in 1997, 75% of high school students surveyed indicated
that their Woodleaf Outdoor School experience
was the most important experience of their school careers. In 1996
a study was completed to see
how students who attended Woodleaf faired on their standardized tests as
compared to those who had not.
It was shown that students who attended Woodleaf scored significantly better
in all areas than their peers who had not. Within the
State of California as study was sanctioned and completed through the Department
of Education to determine the impact of utilizing the environment as an integrating
factor in school studies.
The results demonstrated a clear achievement gap favoring those students who
had utilized the environment in their classrooms (See The
Effects of Environment-Based Education on Student Achievement and Closing
the Achievement
Gap, from SEER, above).
The EE-Works.org -Update: According to NEETF, "The EE works.org website was not a NEETF funded program, but a separate website with information about the value and benefits of EE. We will be incorporating the theeeworks.org content into the National Environmental Education Week website, www.eeweek.org in the next few months."
Does environmental education actually work and how? Does
it help young people and adults do a better job of conserving environmental
resources and the natural world? And, can human health, one's
overall education and even the economy be improved through basic
environmental education? Are the effects measurable and significant?
The
quick answers are yes, yes, and yes!. This website has
information you can use as an educator, a community leader, a business
executive or public official to explain the reliable results from
environmental education to friends and skeptics alike. The information
is in six main categories: Environmental
Stewardship, Standardized
Testing, Science
Learning, Reading
Proficiency and Learning Skill, Character
Education and Responsible Behavior, and Context
for Diversity. The EE-works is a service of the National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation
Linked list from Earthgate Services: Earthgate Services was founded on
a simple premise: Life on the planet as we know it cannot be sustained unless
greater environmental literacy informs all human endeavors.
These publications of 100 pages plus contain the latest research on outdoor
education presented at the Coalition's biennial symposia. Copies of the proceedings
are a benefit of membership. Copies of past symposia proceedings may be purchased
for $18 each, including shipping and handling.
The EE-Works.orgUpdate: According to NEETF, "The EE works.org website was not a NEETF funded program, but a separate website with information about the value and benefits of ee. We will be incorporating the theeeworks.org content into the National Environmental Education Week website, www.eeweek.org in the next few months."
Does environmental education actually work and how? Does it help
young people and adults do a better job of conserving environmental resources
and the natural world? And, can human health, one's overall education
and even the economy be improved through basic environmental education? Are
the effects measurable and significant? The quick answers are yes,
yes, and yes!. This website has information you can use as an
educator, a community leader, a business executive or public official to
explain the reliable results from environmental education to friends and
skeptics alike. The information is in six main categories: Environmental
Stewardship, Standardized
Testing, Science
Learning, Reading
Proficiency and Learning Skill, Character
Education and Responsible Behavior, and Context
for Diversity. The EE-works is a service of the National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation
The American Institutes of Research, a prominent evaluation research center,
is conducting an evaluation study of how California Outdoor Schools impact
students' stewardship of the environment, personal and social skills, as
well as learning outcomes, especially in science. Of particular interest
is their "delayed treatment" design, which provides some attributes
of an experimental design. The final report is due in January 2005. Funding
for the study was made possible through advocacy efforts by the Sierra Club.
This is the result of AB
1330. STUDY
RESULTS-CLICK HERE LA
Times article on this study: "An
outside chance for schoolkids - Environmental courses improve science scores
and build confidence, a study finds." By Hugo Martín, Times
Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2005
Environment and Behavior brings you current research and theories as they
develop. The articles are always fresh, the information consistently at the
forefront of the discipline. Environment and Behavior analyzes and records
the influence of environment on individuals, groups and institutions. Through
feature articles, discussions and book reviews, you’ll explore such
topics as: · Beliefs, meanings, values and attitudes of individuals
or groups concerning various environments such as neighborhoods, cities,
transport routes and devices, or recreational areas · Evaluation and
effectiveness of environments designed to accomplish specific objectives · Interrelationships
between human environments and behavioral systems · Planning, policy
and political action aimed at controlling environments and behavior.
A Journal publication of NAAEE (North
American Association for Environmental Education) Environmental Education
Research is an international refereed journal which publishes papers and
reports on all aspects of environmental education. The purpose of the journal
is to help advance understanding of environmental and sustainability education
through a focus on papers reporting research and development activities.
The journal also carries more diverse papers including, for example, conference
reviews, retrospective analyses of activities in a particular field, critical
commentaries on policy issues and comparative aspects of an environmental
education issue. The criteria for acceptance of papers are that they are
analytical and critical; that the ideas being discussed are transferable
to other educational systems and cultures; and that they are accessible to
an international audience.
Environmental
Education Research Web Resources Everyone's redesigning their
websites. I can no longer find the research web resources that used to be on
this site. Good luck.
From The Center For Environmental
Education of Antioch New England Institute:
Antioch New England Institute promotes a vibrant and sustainable environment,
economy, and society through informed civic engagement. A nonprofit environmental
and educational consulting organization of Antioch New England Graduate
School, the Institute provides training and resources to communities and
organizations in the following areas: environmental education, leadership
training, environmental policy development, nonprofit management and governance,
exhibit planning and design, public administration, facilitation, and democracy
building.
Great resource put together by Annique Sampson of Prescott College: Includes
1: What is EE? 2: Why is EE Important? 3: Is EE Under Attack? (see article
below) 4: What Can You Do to Help? 5: Resources and Bibliography
Paper by Michael Sanera, Environmental Education Research Institute, USA
Published in the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 3, Spring 1998
pp. 9-26 This article presents a negative point of view, not born out by
more recent studies. It's good to know the different "sides" of an issue,
however.
Studies find natural settings help both kids and adults shrug off stress;
By Karen Patterson, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS May
5, 2004. A patch of greenery isn't just another pretty space. A growing body
of research is showing that natural settings provide tangible mental health
benefits. Children are better able to shrug off stress and better able
to concentrate when they have contact with natural surroundings, studies
show.
Adults
are less overwhelmed by their problems when there's green space near their
inner-city homes. Read the article for more
References and related stories
for Green Power article:
From the Outdoor Education Research and Evaluation Center - an excellent
summary of Outdoor Education Theory, History, Research and Practice (below).
This is a great primer for research which will help you get started, and
give you great direction and resources to keep going.
Any educator in the environmental field will find The Journal of Environmental
Education indispensable. Based on recent research in the sciences, social
sciences, and humanities, the journal details how best to present environmental
issues and how to evaluate programs already in place for primary through
university level and adult students. University researchers, park and recreation
administrators, and teachers from the United States and abroad provide new
analyses of the instruction, theory, methods, and practices of environmental
communication and education in peer-reviewed articles. Reviews of the most
recent books, textbooks, videos, and other educational materials by experts
in the field appear regularly. Not only for teachers, JEE is for those who
administer and fund environmental education programs for schools, parks,
camps, recreation centers, and businesses.
This site provides resources about outdoor education and related programs
and methods, such as residential camping, experiential education, environmental
education, and adventure therapy. They provide online access to academic
resources such as articles, essays, papers, and theses about philosophical,
theoretical, research, and evaluation aspects of outdoor education. An excellent
resource! Site includes not only research on outdoor education, but also
lists of team-building games, resources and so much more. Take some time
to explore this site - you will learn something useful! Guide to Outdoor
Education Research and Evaluation
This document is an attempt at outlining and describing pertinent educational
evaluation methodologies and tools. Its purpose is not to reinvent the wheel,
but rather to connect environmental educators with solid, practical evaluation
strategies, methods and advice. Outcome-Based Evaluation is rapidly growing
in popularity and use among both funding and the non-governmental community,
and the authors describe a program logic model and an evaluation scheme that
flows from this model, using illustrative examples from existing environmental
education programs. Finally, some outcome indicators are suggested that can
be used to assess the ‘hard to measure’ long-term outcomes that
pertain to values, behaviour, and environmental benefits. This report also
briefly reviews the basic tenets of environmental education, reports on ten
principles of excellent environmental education, and includes a glossary
and written and online resources to assist the reader.
Talk by Sue Staniforth, June 19,
2002, "An overview of some of the current research in the field of EE
in order to provide some context and background and touch on some challenges
and potential ways to address these challenges: Specifically – Focus
further on some of the key elements that make good EE, such as: The 3 C’s – connection,
concern and care, Experiential learning, Learning stages and ages appropriate
for specific topics, Teaching Controversial Issues, Values Clarification,
Cultural diversity, Action Learning, Student engagement"
NATIONWIDE SURVEY SHOWS TODAY'S KIDS ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SAVVY, Education Research Report, May 2006
STUDY
RESULTS-CLICK HERE 