[Watersheds] Youth Environmental Ed Program Effectiveness

[Panciera, Ernie (DEM)]

Question and  Response regarding Environmental Education Programs

From:  NPSINFO Digest for Wednesday, June 07, 2017.





From: Larry Schaffner [mailto:schaffl at co.thurston.wa.us]

Sent: Monday, June 05, 2017 6:26 PM

To: NPS Information Exchange

Subject: [npsinfo] Water Resources Youth Ed Program Effectiveness



Regarding water resource-related environmental education programs, is anyone aware of research evaluating whether students retain what they've learned beyond their school years?  A member on our citizens advisory committee posed this question recently.  They are especially interested whether the students retained the values imbued by such educational programs.  Thank you.



Larry Schaffner | Thurston County Stormwater Utility

2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW | Bldg. 4, Rm. 100 | Olympia, WA 98502 360-754-4106<tel://3607544106/> | www.co.thurston.wa.us/stormwater





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Subject: RE: Water Resources Youth Ed Program Effectiveness

From: "Smith, Laura" <laura.smith at durhamnc.gov<mailto:laura.smith at durhamnc.gov>>

Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2017 16:26:55 +0000

X-Message-Number: 1



Louise Chawla is a leading researcher in this area. Here's an article that touches on some of her (and others') findings:  http://www.peecworks.org/peec/peec_reports/01795CA8-001D0211.34/jdpchawla.pdf     [See abstract below]



Usually for long-term retention, one or more of the following need to be present:



-        DURATION, e.g., a program lasting 3 or more days.



-        REPETITION, e.g., a program that runs monthly for a year.



-        SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE, e.g., a project that students complete that is meaningful to them and helps them to feel a sense of great accomplishment.



Another place to look is the North American Association for Environmental Education's Guidelines for Excellence. EE researchers have put those together based on peer-reviewed studies that suggest best practices. https://naaee.org/



--

Laura Webb Smith

Public Education Coordinator

Public Works Department, Stormwater and GIS Services City of Durham

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701



P 919-560-4326, ext. 30235







Growing Up Green: Becoming an Agent of Care for the Natural World

Louise Chawla

College of Architecture & Planning

University of Colorado Denver

louise.chawla at colorado.edu<mailto:louise.chawla at colorado.edu>



ABSTRACT: This article reviews research that suggests developmental paths to active care for the natural world in childhood

and adolescence. It emphasizes studies with young people that explore experiences associated with care for elements of nature, but

includes retrospective research in which adults who take action on behalf of the environment recall formative childhood experiences.

To provide a framework for the review, the article applies the expectancy-value model of achievement motivation of

Jacquelynne Eccles and Allan Wigfield and the synthesis of research on perceived efficacy by Albert Bandura, with the reasoning

that children's motivation to care for nature exemplifies general processes in the development of a sense of agency and motivation

to achieve valued goals. Within this framework, it looks more closely at how children develop empathy and sympathy for other

living things, as a motivation for care, by applying the theory of empathic morality of Martin Hoffman. The conclusion suggests

areas for future research.



http://www.peecworks.org/peec/peec_reports/01795CA8-001D0211.34/jdpchawla.pdf


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