Environmental Education Research: A Comprehensive Overview

The environment and the complex concept of sustainability are increasingly at the forefront of public discourse, political debate, and legislative action worldwide. Environmental education journals are reflecting this surge in interest by publishing research from diverse methodological perspectives, highlighting the connections between the environment, health, development, and education. This expansion of scholarship presents a valuable opportunity to review and synthesize the existing knowledge base within the field of environmental education (EE).

Introduction: Orienting to Environmental Education

Environmental Education (EE) is a multifaceted field, that encourages people to look into environmental issues, engage in problem-solving, and take action to improve the environment. It aims to cultivate:

Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges.
Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges.
Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality.
Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges.
Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges.

EE does not promote any specific point of view or action. Instead, it equips individuals with the ability to critically evaluate different aspects of an issue, enhancing their problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.

Conceptualizing Environmental Education as a Field of Inquiry

This area delves into the core ideas, progress, and ongoing debates that shape environmental education research.

Historical, Contextual, and Theoretical Orientations

This section explores the historical roots and theoretical underpinnings that have shaped environmental education research.

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The Emergence of Environmental Education Research: Understanding the development of environmental education research requires examining its historical context.

Socio-Ecological Approaches: These approaches offer a response to behavioral change orientations, providing a broader perspective on environmental education and research.

Thinking Globally: A critical history of environmental education reveals the importance of global perspectives in addressing environmental issues.

Trends in Doctoral Research: An analysis of doctoral research in environmental education in the United States highlights key trends and areas of focus. A review of dissertation abstracts from Dissertation Abstracts International reveals selected trends in thirty years of doctoral research in environmental education from collections prepared in the United States of America.

Transformation, Empowerment, and Environmental Conduct: Insights can be gained from a "history of the present" approach, focusing on transformation, empowerment, and the governing of environmental conduct.

Normative Dimensions of Environmental Education Research: Conceptions of Education and Environmental Ethics

This section examines the values and ethical considerations that underpin environmental education research.

Probing Normative Research: Ideas about education and ethics are crucial when exploring normative research in environmental education.

Self, Environment, and Education: The relationship between self, environment, and education raises fundamental normative questions.

A Critical Theory of Place-Conscious Education: Place-conscious education emphasizes the importance of local context and community in environmental learning.

Schools as Centers of Critical Inquiry: Schools can serve as hubs for critical inquiry and re-normatization, learning from natural systems like hermit crabs and mycelia. Learning from Hermit Crabs, Mycelia and Banyan: Schools as Centers of Critical Inquiry and Re Normatization.

Read also: Impact of Environmental Education

The Language of (Environmental) Education: A dedicated language is needed to effectively articulate the principles and practices of environmental education. Why We Need a Language of (Environmental) Education.

Environmental Ethics as Processes of Open-Ended Enquiry: Environmental ethics should be approached as a process of open-ended, pluralistic, deliberative enquiry. Environmental Ethics as Processes of Open-Ended, Pluralistic, Deliberative Enquiry.

Analyses of Environmental Education Discourses and Policies

This section analyzes the language, policies, and power dynamics that shape environmental education.

The Politics of Needs and Sustainability Education: Examining the politics of needs is essential for understanding the complexities of sustainability education.

Languages and Discourses: Exploring the languages and discourses used in education, environment, and sustainable development can reveal underlying assumptions and biases. Languages and Discourses of Education, Environment and Sustainable Development.

Researching Tensions and Pretensions in Environmental/Sustainability Education Policies: Critical and civically engaged policy scholarship is needed to research the tensions and pretensions within environmental and sustainability education policies. Researching Tensions and Pretensions in Environmental/Sustainability Education Policies: From Critical to Civically Engaged Policy Scholarship.

Changing Discourses: Professional self-development can play a role in shaping changing discourses in EE/ESD. Changing Discourses in EE/ESD: A Role for Professional Self -Development.

Connecting Vocational and Technical Education with Sustainability: Integrating sustainability into vocational and technical education is crucial for preparing students for a changing world. Connecting Vocational and Technical Education with Sustainability.

Trends in Latin American Environmental Education Research: Examining trends, junctures, and disjunctures in Latin American environmental education research provides valuable insights. Trends, Junctures and Disjunctures in Latin American Environmental Education Research.

EE Policies in Chinese Communities: Studying EE policies in Chinese communities reveals challenges and prospects for future development. EE Policies in Three Chinese Communities: Challenges and Prospects for Future Development.

Research on Environmental Education Curriculum, Learning, and Assessment: Processes and Outcomes

This section focuses on the practical aspects of environmental education, including curriculum design, learning processes, and assessment methods.

Curriculum Research in Environmental Education

This section explores the various approaches and trends in environmental education curriculum research.

Overview of Curriculum and Learning Research: An overview of environmental education curriculum and learning research highlights both traditions and new niches. Traditions and New Niches: An Overview of Environmental Education Curriculum and Learning Research.

Environmental Education in a Cultural Context: The importance of cultural context in shaping environmental education is emphasized. Environmental Education in a Cultural Context.

Place-based Education: The practice and impacts of place-based education, which connects learning to local environments, are examined. Place-based Education: Practice and Impacts.

Reflection in Environmental Education: Moving from old reflection (hearing pictures and telling tales) to new reflection (seeing voices and painting scenes). Getting the Picture: From the Old Refl ection-Hearing Pictures and Telling Tales, to the New Reflection-Seeing Voices and Painting Scenes.

Environmental Education, Participation and Autonomy in Rural Areas: Environmental education, participation and autonomy within the context of rural areas. Moinho D’Água: Environmental Education, Participation and Autonomy in Rural Areas.

Research on Learning Processes in Environmental Education

This section delves into how individuals learn about and engage with environmental issues.

Insights from Research into the Student Experience: Research into the student experience provides valuable insights into environmental learning. Environmental Learning: Insights from Research into the Student Experience.

Conventional and Emerging Learning Theories: The implications and choices for educational researchers with a planetary consciousness are explored in relation to conventional and emerging learning theories. Conventional and Emerging Learning Theories: Implications and Choices for Educational Researchers with a Planetary Consciousness.

Belief to Behavior: The vital link between belief and behavior in environmental action is examined. Belief to Behavior: A Vital Link.

Landscapes as Contexts for Learning: Landscapes serve as important contexts for learning about the environment. Landscapes as Contexts for Learning.

Evaluation and Analysis of Environmental Education Programs, Materials, and Technologies and the Assessment of Learners and Learning

This section focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of environmental education initiatives and assessing student learning.

Research on the Long-Term Impacts of Environmental Education: Investigating the long-term impacts of environmental education is crucial for understanding its lasting effects. Research on the Long-Term Impacts of Environmental Education.

Advancing Environmental Education Program Evaluation: Insights from a review of behavioral outcome evaluations can help advance environmental education program evaluation. Advancing Environmental Education Program Evaluation: Insights from a Review of Behavioral Outcome Evaluations.

National Assessments of Environmental Literacy: A review, comparison, and analysis of national assessments of environmental literacy provides valuable data on environmental knowledge and understanding. National Assessments of Environmental Literacy: A Review, Comparison, and Analysis.

Geospatial Technologies: The present and future roles of emerging geospatial technologies in environmental education are explored. Geospatial Technologies: The Present and Future Roles of Emerging Technologies in Environmental Education.

Sustainability Education: Theory and practice in sustainability education are examined. Sustainability Education: Theory and Practice.

Learning from Neighboring Fields: Conceptualizing outcomes of environmental education within the framework of free-choice learning experiences, drawing from insights in related fields. Learning from Neighboring Fields: Conceptualizing Outcomes of Environmental Education within the Framework of Free-Choice Learning Experiences.

Issues of Framing, Doing, and the Missing in Environmental Education Research

This section addresses critical perspectives, methodologies, and overlooked areas in environmental education research.

Moving Margins in Environmental Education Research

This section explores marginalized perspectives and issues within environmental education research.

Researching Differently: Generating a gender agenda for research in environmental education necessitates researching differently. Researching Differently: Generating a Gender Agenda for Research in Environmental Education.

The Representation of Indigenous Knowledges: Ensuring the appropriate representation of Indigenous knowledges is crucial in environmental education. The Representation of Indigenous Knowledges.

Educating for Environmental Justice: Environmental justice issues must be addressed through education. Educating for Environmental Justice.

Indigenous Environmental Education Research in North America: A review of Indigenous environmental education research in North America highlights key contributions and perspectives. Indigenous Environmental Education Research in North America: A Brief Review.

Accounting for Naturecultures: Accounting for naturecultures in environmental education research. Three Degrees of Separation: Accounting for Naturecultures in Environmental Education Research.

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