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      • HARVEST
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      Engaging families in environmental education: How action, critical thinking, and social learning can foster change

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      DYCK-THESIS.pdf (84.18Mb)
      Date
      2012-07-17
      Author
      Dyck, Shannon
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      Families are important drivers of sustainability yet little research has studied how to engage them in environmental education. Therefore, a family environmental education program based on action, critical thinking, and social learning was developed and piloted that provided five households (17 participants in total) with the opportunity to pursue environmentally responsible change in their lives throughout a five-month timeframe. Participants were asked to (a) set and pursue action-oriented, environmentally responsible goals with their family members, (b) analyze their daily (in)actions (e.g., through photographs, family and multihousehold discussions, and journal writing), and (c) locate resources that would engage them in environmental learning and action. Data collection methods included family interviews, multihousehold focus groups, and personal journals. The data were coded using inductive analysis and the research was framed within a participatory action research methodology. The research findings indicate that involvement in the program led participants to engage in environmentally responsible action and helped them to identify areas that they wished to take action on in the future. This was particularly due to their participation with and alongside family members and other participants, as being with others who felt the environment was important was considered to be not only motivating, but valuable and enjoyable as well. Furthermore, providing participants with the opportunity to reflect upon their actions, share their ideas and knowledge with others, and discuss various sustainability-related topics prompted critical thinking and led them to identify what they felt to be the biggest barriers and supports to sustainability. Lastly, both adult and youth participants expressed that they felt formal education has an important role to play in supporting sustainability; however, they also noted that there is much room for improvement in the current educational system if it is to engage students in environmental learning and action.
      Degree
      Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)
      Department
      School of Environment and Sustainability
      Program
      Environment and Sustainability
      Supervisor
      McKenzie, Marcia
      Committee
      McVittie, Janet; Reed, Maureen
      Copyright Date
      May 2012
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/ETD-2012-05-485
      Subject
      Environmental Education
      Family Change
      Green Families
      Environmental Action
      Critical Thinking
      Social Learning
      Participatory Action Research
      Household Ecology
      Informal Education
      Community Engagement
      Socioecological Education
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      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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