Estimating scale, diversity, and professional training of environmental educators in the U.S.

Abstract

After decades of growth in environmental education (EE) in the US, the number of practitioners in the field remains unknown. A national study was conducted to estimate the field’s size through an online consumer survey panel stratified by race, ethnicity, and geographic region representing the US adult population. In addition to demographic data, three categorical questions assessed self-perceptions as environmental educators, the paid/unpaid nature of their work, and educational background in EE. Near one-fifth of the sample identified as environmental educators. Sample estimates of the overlap of environmental educators in formal education, non-formal, and unpaid (volunteer) work and their population numbers were used to calculate a conservative estimate of approximately 3.9 million environmental educators in the US Racial minority groups comprised 47% of the total number of environmental educators, indicating they were over-represented among those who consider themselves environmental educators compared to the general population. These results counter traditional assumptions that EE itself is not diverse, suggesting that inclusive practices may require more attention to who is currently excluded in organizations with low representation of minority communities.