Bay Area Coordinator
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Bay Area |
| Author: | Laura | |||
| Posted: | 2/27/2007; 4:11:44 PM | |||
| Topic: | General EE Research | |||
| Msg #: | 56 (top msg in thread) | |||
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| Reads: | 2273 |
This section includes links (listed alphabetically) to documents or websites pertaining to research in environmental education nationally, in California and the Bay Area. This section includes
Original Research Studies
Surveys, Needs Assessments, and Literature Reviews
Websites
ORIGINAL RESEARCH STUDIES
Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context Executive Summary (Lieberman and Hoody 1998) is a report that demonstrates the academic and behavioral benefits to using the environment as the integrating context for learning. This study looks at 40 schools nationally that use the environment as the integrating context for learning for teaching science, social studies/history, math, and English/language arts. The data collected from this study demonstrated increased academic performance on standardized tests, increased enthusiasm for teaching and learning, decreased discipline problems, and increased attendance. The report also distills out some of the best practices these schools engaged in to develop the Environment as the Integrating Context (EIC) Model. See the report for more information on these practices. http://www.seer.orgCalifornia Student Assessment Project: The Effects of Environment-based Education on Student Achievement, Phase One (State Education and Environment Roundtable, 2000)
This study compared 8 pairs of sets of students, one set experiencing an environment as an integrating context (EIC) type program and the other without. The results supported what Closing the Achievement Gap's findings were. Students undergoing the EIC type program scored higher on standardized tests, showed better attendance, had fewer discipline problems, and an increased enthusiasm for learning. http://www.seer.org
California Student Assessment Project: The Effects of Environment-based Education on Student Achievement, Phase Two (State Education and Environment Roundtable, 2005)
This study reports the findings of 4 matched treatment control schools. The data used was the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) assessment system. The findings were that the EIC schools outperformed the control groups for most of the core subject area testing. http://www.seer.org
Effects of Outdoor Education Programs on Children in California (American Institute of Research, 2005). AB 1330 called on California Department of Education to measure the impact of week-long residential outdoor education programs for at-risk sixth graders in California. The investigation included 4 elementary schools who attended 3 outdoor education programs using hands-on and inquiry-based approaches in the natural world to study ecology and earth science. The findings were that the students who participated in outdoor education program increased their scores in science, maintained the science knowledge they learned, and increased their ratings in conflict resolution, cooperation, and environmental behaviors.
SURVEYS, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, LITERATURE REVIEWS
California Integrated Waste Management Board Educator Needs Assessment (Prepared by The Acorn Group, Inc., 2002). Results of a survey of California teachers to identify current environmental concepts in school curriculum and existing barriers to teaching these concepts. Includes data tabulation and narrative. Conducted as part of the California Integrated Waste Management Board's implementation of the School Diversion and Environmental Education Law (School DEEL).
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Publications/default.asp?pubid=1087
Environmental Education Leadership Action Project: Recommendations Presented to the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board (Community Resources for Science, 2004). A qualitative research report that provides insight into the factors that support or deter effective EE in the county. Common observations are identified. Leverage points for change were identified and were to strengthen and improve access to resources, and strenghthen teaching practices and administrative support. Action Recommendations are provided for the Agency program and for improving EE in Alameda County.
http://www.crscience.org/informal/index.html
Environment and Education Initiative Educator Needs Assessment Executive Summary conducted for the Environment and Education Initiative (AB 1548) Model Curriculum Plan (Prepared by State Education and Environment Roundtable and The Acorn Group, Inc., 2005). This survey on pg. 15 of the Plan was sent to 10,000 teachers and
numerous focus group meetings and discussion sessions were conducted to
gather information regarding design elements for the Model Curriculum.
Design alternatives were developed as a result of these meetings. The results indicated that teachers
would require the Model Curriculum to address grade and discipline-specific
standards. In response, the Model Curriculum is being designed to fit with
teachers existing lesson plans without increasing instructional content.
Each lesson may stand alone or be used in combination with other units. The
Model Curriculum will use content and instructional materials already
adopted, incorporating the Environmental Principals & Concepts (EP&Cs) as the content for instruction. It will
provide a scope and sequence for teaching the EP&Cs through a learning
continuum from kindergarten through 12th grade. http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Education/EEI/Curriculum/Default.htm#ModelCurriculumPlan
Environmental Literacy In America: What Ten Years of NEETF/Roper Research and Related Studies Say About Environmental Literacy in the US
(National Environment Education Training Foundation, 2005). This report offers data and analysis along with recommendations for environmental educators, educators, NGO leaders, funders, and public decision makers. It emphasizes the need for more research, clearer benchmarks to demonstrate impact, and far more coordination and collaboration for the environmental educaton field. http://www.neetf.org/pubs/index.htm
Lessons from the Environment: Why 95% of Adult Americans Endorse Environmental Education (The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation/Roper Starch Worldwide, 2001). This survey conducted in 1997 demonstrates that the American public lacks essential environmental knowledge, but overwhelmingly supports environmental education. http://www.neetf.org/pubs/index.htm
Non-Science Teacher Perceptions of Environmental Education: Results from EETAP (Environment and Education and Training Partnership, 2002). Go to “resources” and find “reports”. This report contains findings
and implications of a focus group study done by Environmental Education and Training and Partnership to increase the
effectiveness of reaching formal educators (i.e. teachers) with
messages about Environmental Education (EE) and related training. Focus groups were used to
identify teachers perceptions about EE so that EETAP partners and other
environmental educators could better develop messages to what
teachers already know and understand about EE, and avoid using language
that is complicated, jargon-laden, threatening, or unappealing. Their recommendation is the best way to talk about EE is to not call it EE and to emphasize the specific educational outcomes of EE in general. http://eetap.org/
The Impact of Environmentality-Related Education on Academic Achievement: A Literature Survey. A Literature Review of Environmental Education on Academic Achievement (Community Resources for Science commissioned by Stopwaste.Org, 2006). The purpose of this survey was to determine whether meaningful evidence exists that shows a connection between environmentally-based education programs and improvements in academic achievement. 8 studies out of 200 documents reviewed provided strong evidence to demonstrate environment-based programs improve academic achievement. Further findings were study of the natural environment can be a significant factor in academic achievement, certain teaching practices and teaching support in EE programs appear to strengthen academic outcomes, and more and better research is needed to reach conclusive results. http://www.crscience.org/informal/index.html
Understanding and Developing Elementary Environmental Education in the Bay Area (Community Resources for Science commissioned by Stopwaste.Org, 2003). This report examines the intersection between the array of environmental education programs and the world of the elementary (K-5) public school classroom teacher in Alameda County, CA. The data in this report support the following broad conclusions: 1. There is a rich array of EE programs in the Bay Area 2. EE programs can help teachers to accomplish teaching goals 4. EE programs providers attract teachers to their programs... 5. Specific science concepts and types of experiences are underrepresented through local program offerings. http://www.crscience.org/informal/index.html
WEBSITES
Association of Outdoor and Environmental Education This
comprehensive site includes sources for finding research, such as
journals, organizations, websites, articles, and bibliographies where
you can download most of the documents.
http://www.aeoe.org/resources/research/index.html
Place-Based Education Evaluation Collaborative This is a partnership of multiple organizations working collaboratively on evaluation and to identify successful program characteristics of place-based education. They host a website that houses over a hundred downloadable research files arranged by title of report and when it was updoaded to the website. http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Research/
State Education and Environment Roundtable This group has focused on the academic benefits of environment-based education for K-12 students and published research about the academic and behavioral benefits of using the environment as an integrating context called Closing the Achievement Gap. Visit the website and go to “EIC –Related Research” where you can download the Closing the Achievement Gap Executive Summary, and the California Student Assessment Project Phase One and Two. Also, the site offers “Reports from the SEER's Research Program” including EIC models, place-based and outdoor education research. http://www.seer.org
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The CREEC Network brings together local, state, and federal agencies to support environmental education across California. The CREEC Network receives financial support from the California Department of Education, Environmental Education Program as well as many other state and local partners. The CREEC Network is directed by Celeste Royer. For a complete listing of CREEC Leadership you can visit the Network Leadership page.
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