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.
This thesis explores the relationship between international recommendations for environmental education developed at United Nations Conferences and non-formal environmental education initiatives undertaken by Chinese civil organizations. Data were collected and analysed through an interpretivist window and involved: (1) a historical and content analysis of recommendations from United Nations-sponsored conferences related to environmental education; (2) interviews with academics, Chinese officials, and Chinese civil organisations representatives; and (3) document analysis of academic literature as well as governmental and non-governmental publications related to environmental recommendations. Findings were compared, contrasted and interpreted in order to assess patterns of influence and consistency. Briefly, results showed that international recommendations for environmental education did not directly influence non-formal environmental education efforts in China; nevertheless, some non-formal environmental education efforts in China were consistent with the international recommendations, suggesting the existence of indirect communication pathways between international conferences and local agents.
