Abstract
So far, evaluation of environmental learning has evaluated only single points in time; however, accumulated learning experiences should have greater effect on learning and on environmental problems. We investigate conceptions of learning and the accumulated educational experiences they reflect in the context of environmental education, which has a unique position in education systems. We developed and conducted a systematic survey in order to create a learning scale for environmental education conceptions; participants were Japanese high school students (N = 771). Analysis found that students’ conceptions of learning consist of six orientations: (1) Environmental Recognition/Conservation Responsibility Orientation, (2) Thought Expansion/Fulfillment, (3) Certainty/Applicability Orientation, (4) Teacher-Dependent Orientation, (5) Experience-Based Physical Activity Orientation, and (6) Duty-Adjusted Orientation. Factors (1), (2), and (5), above, are considered unique to environmental learning. Factor (1) reflects the societal content of environmental conservation, which is a criterion for evaluating environmental learning. In contrast, Factors (3), (4), and (6) are general educational factors mediated by elements such as academic achievement. The scale obtained from this research will help determine learners’ views of and degree of interest in environmental learning.
Highlights
Conscious behavior can exert a great effect on environmental problems and sustainability, including those caused by human activities [1,2]
In light of the possible problems that could emerge in this research, the nature of each of these categories will be examined and compared with established conceptions of learning. Considering these six factors based on the process of environmental learning [10,11], the factors that reflect learners’ experiences of environmental learning well are “Environmental Recognition/Conservation Responsibility Orientation”, “Thought Expansion/Fulfillment Orientation”, and “Experience-Based Physical Activity Orientation”
We were able to outline an environmental learning conception consisting of six common factors across groups: “Environmental Recognition/Conservation Responsibility Orientation”, “Thought Expansion/Fulfillment Orientation”, “Experience-Based Physical Activity Orientation”, “Certainty/Applicability Orientation”, “Teacher-Dependent Orientation”, and “Duty-Adjusted Orientation”
Summary
Conscious behavior can exert a great effect on environmental problems and sustainability, including those caused by human activities [1,2]. In other words, such behavior refers to actions to realize sustainability. Promoting environmentally conscious actions is an effective measure to realize sustainable environmental conservation in situations such as everyday purchasing/consumption behavior, energy consumption, and participation as environmental volunteers [4,5]. To encourage environmentally conscious action, it is effective to encourage people to think critically about what it means to take such action [6], that is, to think critically about one’s actions, with consideration to their environment and sustainability [7,8,9]. In terms of dealing with environmental problems, the role of environmental learning is fulfilled when the stage of “working for the environment”, that is, of commitment to dealing with environmental problems, is reached [12,13]
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