Experiencing amphibians: Instruction for biophilia, ecoliteracy, and sustainability.

The current crisis in ecology, identified as a sixth mass extinction, may be addressed by providing children with opportunities to experience nature. Without these experiences, biophilia, or affinity for nature, may lie dormant. This study was designed by a conservation biologist who delivered and evaluated a community-education curriculum based on local amphibians. Fifteen youth were divided into three treatment groups: rural parkland, urban parkland, and indoor to alter educational experience. A pre-post study design was used to study potential treatment effects on biophilia and ecoliteracy. A Modular Ecoliteracy Instrument (MEI) was used to collect item scores on various ecological concepts. The piloted study design was partly limited by a small sample size and an ineffective control group. After reviewing the general outcomes of the study, the author advocates for further development of the MEI and hypothesizes that niche construction in the learning environment presents new opportunities for biophilia and ecoliteracy. --Leaf ii.