Bay Area
Serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano Counties

General EE Research

This section includes links (listed alphabetically) to documents or websites pertaining to research related to environmental education and academic achievement developed nationally, in California, and the Bay Area.  This section includes:

  •  Research Studies

  • Surveys, Needs Assessments, and Literature Reviews

  • Websites

RESEARCH STUDIES

An Evaluation of National Wildlife Federation's Schoolyard Habitat Program in the Houston Independent School District (Danforth, 2005)  This study compares 3 pairs of Houston Schools, the treatment school implementing a NFW Program, and the control school using a traditional curriculum.  The study found that the NWF school improved their math scores from 3rd to 4th grade.  Summary adapted and document retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Research/S0083A79D-0083A7CA

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.org

California 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.

Environment-Based Education: Improving Attitudes and Academics for Adolescents
(Falco, 2004)  10 middle schools who participated in Environment as an Integrating Context (EIC) Model gained some improvement in academic achievement.  Summary adapted and document retrieved July 28, 2008 from the SEER website.  See the SEER website for more information.  http://www.seer.org/pages/research.html

Environmental Education: Improving Student Achievement (Bartosh, 2003) This research compares two groups of school implementing EE with non EE schools.  The results were that schools that engage in in-depth EE programs have higher test scores on the state standardized tests over comparable non-EE schools.  Retrieved July 28, 2008 from http://www.audubon.org/chapter/wa/wa/education_EE_Research.html

Growing to Greatness: The State of Service Learning (National Youth Leadership Council, 2004) This is the first on-going national study of the state of service learning in kindergarten through 12th grade.  Retrieved July 28, 2008--the 4 documents can be retrieved from the PEEC website http://www.peecworks.org.

Schoolyards and Test Scores (Lopez et al, 2008) This Boston study compares 4th grade test score results in renovated vs. unrenovated schools.  The study suggests that improvements to the physical environment and/or better access to physical activity may result in better school performance. Summary was adapted and document retrieved July 29, 2008 from the PEEC website http://www.peecworks.org

The Effects of Environment-Based Education on Students' Achievement Motivation (Athman, et al, 2004) This study examines the effects of environment-based education on high school students' achievement motivation.  Retrieved from Journal of Interpretation Research July 29, 2008.  http://interpnet.com/JIR/archive.htm.

They Remember What They Touch: The Impact of Place-Based Learning in East Feliciana Parish (Emekauwa, 2004) This study investigated 4th grade ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies scores on Louisiana Educational Assessment Program comparing the district  to the state for % of students at unsatisfactory level.  While the performance gap decreased between the district and the state the greatest individual success occurred at the one place-based elementary.   This summary was adapted and document retrieved July 28, 2008 from the PEEC website http://www.peecworks.org.

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/

North American Association Environmental Education NAAEE offers a diverse array of materials of interest to the EE practitioner and publishes new topical materials on a regular basis.  Take note of two research studies Environmental Education Research, Special Issue on Significant Life Experiences and Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs About Teaching Environmental Education-Final Report. http://www.naaee.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

Children and Nature Network Research and Studies Children and Nature Network have compiled a set of research studies to help understand what's best for children's healthy development.  They have created two publications of research studies that include original research studies or a syntheses of existing research providing an  executive summary of the research report, full citation, and information on its availability.  The first volume highlights youth benefits from experiences in nature.  The second volume focuses on evidence of changes in children's experience in nature.  Summary adapted from http://www.childrenandnature.org/research/intro

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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