University Environmental Education Research Articles

Consumer Habits of Forestry and Natural Environment Students and University's Environmental Education on Sustainability

Consumer Habits of Forestry and Natural Environment Students and University's Environmental Education on Sustainability

Analysis of Undergraduates’ Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Case Study of Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program

The Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program, based on a theory of change, consisted of four weeks of lessons involving environmental and sustainability topics, followed by hands-on sorting of recyclables and four weeks of weekly documenting of environmentally friendly behavior. The Program was analyzed using written thoughts from the Experimental Group, as well as 78 and 116 valid survey responses of the Control and Experimental Groups, respectively. The survey consisted of questions regarding demographics and five constructs: environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior. No significant average differences were found between the pre-tests of the Control and Experimental Groups, or between the pre- and post-test of the Control Group. The post-test of the Experimental Group displayed a significantly higher average value when compared to both the pre-test of the Experimental Group and the post-test of the Control Group, as the means of the self-reported environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior significantly improved statistically after participating in the Program. Analysis revealed that lessons from the Program increased undergraduates’ environmental awareness and attitudes; “hands-on recyclables sorting” and “weekly documentation of environmentally friendly behavior” strengthened undergraduates’ environmental norms and efficacy, while their combination resulted in a significant improvement toward environmentally friendly behavior.

Экологическое образование как фактор устойчивого экономического развития

The year 2017 is called the year of ecology, because the state of the environment is constantly deteriorating and requires a serious attitude towards itself. The lack of proper environmental education entails misunderstanding and the inability to adequately assess the catastrophic ecological situation that has developed. The article analyzes the components of the university environmental education in Russia: a scientific one, including the theory and methodology of the issue of environmental protection; normative, studying moral, legal and aesthetic issues; value, considering ideals, ideas, goals and defining nature, as a primary value. The problem of environmental education for economists, financiers, managers in the conditions of the “new economy” has been studied. Conclusions are drawn about the need for comprehensive environmental education, which includes economic, social and educational aspects for improving the ecological culture of the society, with a special role of the educational aspect of environmental education.

高校环境教育新模式浅析—以福建省为例

面对日益恶化的自然环境，人们意识到进行环境教育，提升大众的环境意识是解决环境问题的根本途径。党的十八届五中全会将“绿色”作为“十三五”规划的重要理念，具有十分深远的意义。福建省植被覆盖率达61%以上，长久以来，福建省将生态文明大省作为自己的发展目标，环境建设也取得了一定的成就。但仍存在很多问题，特别是在高校环境教育方面。分析福建省环境教育现实问题，结合福建省具体情况，提出高校环境教育发展的“三元空间”模式，以期助力福建省高校环境教育发展。 In the face of the deteriorating natural environment, people get to realize that to carry on the en-vironmental education and enhance the public’s environmental consciousness is the fundamental way to solve the problem of environment. In the Fifth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the government regards “green” as an important concept of the “Thir-teenth Five-Plan”, which has very far-reaching significance. The vegetation coverage of Fujian province is above 61%, and for a long time, Fujian province attaches much importance to the eco-logical civilization and regards it as its own development goals, which makes some achievements in environmental construction. But there still remain many problems, especially in the exploration of university environmental education. According to the reality and current situation of envi-ronmental education in Fujian province, the model of “three dimensions” is put forward to boost the development of environmental education in universities in Fujian Province.

La formación ambiental en la educación superior:una revisión necesaria

The aim of this research was to review and compare investigations of researches that have done significant contributions to the topic of environmental education in higher education in Latin America. A review of 51 works of different researchers of nine countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela) that contribute with sufficient conceptual arguments to derive the criteria with which environmental education has been carried out in higher education institutions in the last 15 years in the countries of the region. The analysis criteria used for the review and comparison between researches were: areas of environmental education in the universities; and the pedagogical and the didactic and the curriculum in environmental education at the university. As principal results it is found that, though there are interesting and relevant experiences directed to curricular innovation, there are still many processes with trends towards the fragmented vision of reality, with curricula similar to plans of study and environmental education centered in disciplines. As a conclusion, the research proposes an alternative university environmental education.

Genetic Diversity in Kentucky Spicebush Populations using Simple Sequence Repeat Markers

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin L.) is a small native shrub that grows in the moist, understory areas of Appalachia and has potential as a new niche crop for small farmers. Native Americans and early settlers used this plant traditionally as a tea, and used the berries for jam, to spice food, and possibly for health benefits. Native spicebush patches may serve an important role in forest ecosystems in terms of fruit production for animals, soil erosion control, and enhancing insect biodiversity. Spicebush may also serve to hold ecological niches by outcompeting invasive plants compared to those in unchallenged areas. Genetic diversity of native spicebush populations in Kentucky has not been examined. The objective of this study is to determine the genetic diversity in spicebush populations in Kentucky using simple sequence repeat (SSR) DNA marker systems. Leaf samples were collected from 120 spicebush plants in the forests at the Kentucky State University Environmental Education Center (EEC), at a location near the Kentucky River, and at Cove Spring Park. DNA was extracted using the DNAmite Plant Kit. Primers A7, A115, B105, B122, C4, and C10 were used to amplify SSR products that were separated with a 3130 Applied Biosystems capillary electrophoresis system. The software program Power Marker was used to examine genetic relationships among genotypes. The SSR markers generated showed high genetic variation among the spicebush genotypes with the observed heterozygosity at 0.78. A number of selections with unique genotypes should be sampled and propagated for study in the KSU germplasm collection for potential cultivar development.

Pawpaw Patch Genetic Diversity, and Clonality, and its Impact on the Establishment of Invasive Species in the Forest Understory

The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a native understory tree of 26 states of the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Pawpaw's genetic diversity and clonality in relation to this tree's ability to compete with local invasive species in Kentucky has not been examined. The objectives of this study were two-fold: to determine the genetic diversity and clonality displayed in seven native pawpaw patches located at the Kentucky State University Environmental Education Center (KSU-EEC), The Kentucky River, Cove Spring Park, and the KSU Research and Demonstration Farm in Franklin County using DNA microsatellite markers; and to determine if patches reduced the incidence of invasive species. Twenty-five trees from seven patches in the four different locations were sampled for genetic analysis. Leaf samples were extracted using the DNAmite Plant Extraction Kit and products from four microsatellite loci were analyzed using a 3130 Applied Biosystems Gene sequencer. String grids were created and invasive plants counted in three 5 meter squares in each of the patches and control plots outside of each patch. The number of plants for each invasive species within pawpaw patches was counted and compared to the control plots. Pawpaw patches displayed high genetic diversity among populations with some clonal sections in patches using DNA microsatellite makers, but no totally clonal patches. Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), and winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei) were found in most locations; however, there was no significant difference in the incidence of invasive plants between the patches and the control plots. Pawpaw stem density and shading, among other factors may be important in the incidence of invasive plants within patches.

Rhodes University EE and Sustainability Unit

In the early 1990s, in response to the emphasis laid on environment and development issues by the new South African Constitution, Rhodes University undertook several initiatives such as establishing the first Chair of Environmental Education (EE) in Africa. Another important initiative was the introduction of an open-entry participatory course for environmental educators. Owing to its flexible format and practice-based methodology, the course gained rapid popularity, necessitating the setting up of a Service Centre to help meet the increased demand. The Chair and the Service Centre have been providing a range of short courses in environment and sustainability education to professionals, and are today widely known as the Rhodes University Environmental Education and Sustainability Unit (RUEESU). The Unit offers PhD and Masters level programmes in EE, encourages meaningful research in key thematic areas, and is actively involved in publishing, and policy transformation. It also endeavours to define the role of Universities in enabling sustainability education.

Participating in the UN Decade of Education for Sustainability: Voices in a southern African consultation process

This paper documents the outcomes of the consultation process on participating in the UNDESD which was led by the SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme in 2005/2006, assisted by the Rhodes University Environmental Education and Sustainability Unit and Environment Africa. The goals of the consultation process were to explore interpretations and meaning-making around the global discourse of ESD in a southern African context. Findings from the consultation process provide useful baseline information on the status of debate on sustainable development in educational circles; participation and partnerships; insights into environmental and sustainability education (ESD) practice and mechanisms needed for supporting this practice. The paper ends by outlining a research agenda for ESD in southern Africa, as discussed during the consultation process.

Environmental education scholarship in a 'marketised' setting: A case study in a university environmental education programme

For more than a decade the traditional roles of universities and the traditional and conventional views of scholarship (academic work) have been called into question. These shifts in the academe have led to the introduction of various forms of practice, which has often resulted in conflicting viewpoints and tensions. Restructuring in higher education in South Africa (as elsewhere) has been linked to global, social and economic trends and a general decrease in revenue for universities from state sources (Jansen, 2001; Mora & Villarreal, 2001). This has forced universities into an entrepreneurial culture which has had far reaching implications for the work of academics. This has led to conflict between intrinsic work motivation and working towards extrinsic reward systems. In this paper we describe a university-based case study which demonstrates how a practice of scholarship in environmental education can be in conflict with conventions related to the construct of scholarship at institutional and broader academic levels in a 'marketised' environment. In terms of our experience we argue for a broader view of scholarship which focuses on more than 'brownie points' and 'bean counts' and includes service rendered to various academic communities as indicators for scholarly practice and scholarship in environmental education.

A Role for Ecological Restoration Work in University Environmental Education

The effects of ecological restoration field work and in-class instruction on students' ecological behavior, environmental attitudes, and perceptions of restorative qualities in a natural environment were studied in 3 classes of university undergraduates (N = 488). In 1 class, students (n = 145) carried out ecological restoration work on 8 field trips. Students in 2 control classes (n = 157; n = 186) each made only 1 field trip, to a site where the other class had done restoration work, but did no restoration work. In 1 of the control classes, data were collected from 5 subgroups at different points in the course to examine the effects of cumulating in-class instruction. Ecological restoration work positively affected environmental attitudes and ecological behavior, but within the attitude measures it affected only ecological behavior intention and not environmental knowledge or environmental values. In-class instruction was associated with perceived restorative qualities in the study site; perceptions of Being Away, Coherence, and Fascination increased over the course of instruction.

"We're just teaching in a vacuum". Teaching in context in the learning for sustainability project

Learning for Sustainability is a Danish-funded project for supporting teachers in environmental education curriculum development, in the Departments of Education in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa. The Rhodes University Environmental Education Unit is responsible for its evaluation. Instead of establishing baseline data against which to compare the project outcomes, the researchers are developing contextual profiles towards a deepening understanding of the contexts in which the teachers work, and to judge the appropriateness of project activities. This paper introduces insights from the developing profile based on questionnaires; interviews; observations during project meetings and school visits; and document analysis. The emerging issues pertain to curriculum and professional development in environmental education, within the context of educational policy transformation. In particular the paper highlights the role of context in responsive reform initiatives.

Environmental Training in The Netherlands

The “Long‐term Plan on Nature and Environmental Education 1992‐1995” describes what changes will take place in basic, general secondary and vocational education in The Netherlands. In recent years, university environmental education has risen dramatically. Responsibility for developments in this field is in the hands of a combination of six ministries. In the near future, the subject of the environment will be a more frequent object of research. The European dimension in university education has not yet been fully developed. There is currently a huge amount of activity concerning the environment with regard to education.

University environmental education: The role of international programmes

In universities throughout Europe, environmental education is characterized by expansion and change. The increased emphasis on the environment is requiring universities to consider the most appropriate means of meeting the wide-ranging needs of students, employers and society. International programmes do have a key role in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning and research in universities. This is especially so in the case of the environment, where problems are multinational or global, and they can only be solved by determined international collaboration. This paper considers some of the benefits (and difficulties) for universities arising from involvement in international programmes, with reference to specific examples in European environmental education and training.