Environmental Education and the United States Policy That Supports It - Term Paper Example

Environmental Education & US Policy that supports it (LITERATURE REVIEW) The Industrial Revolution dramatically increased mans environmental footprint and man has responded by becoming more aware, sensitive, and knowledgeable about the world in which he lives. The concept that the environment is an integral part of our lives goes back 250 years to the dawn of the scientific age of innovation. It has been refined and expanded upon as education has become of critical importance to our understanding of our environment. Government support for Environmental Education has helped maintain it as an important public issue in the US and around the world. Today, an Environmental Education includes not only the technical impact that technology has presented, but also the responsibility that industry and individuals have in their approach to maintaining a sustainable geography that is productive as well as healthy. The History of Environmental Education Modern attitudes towards an Environmental Education have been the result of an evolution in thinking towards the environment that has spanned the last two and a half centuries. Environmental Education traces its roots back to 1762 and the publication of Emile, a novel on educational philosophy that argued that education should focus on the environment (McRea). Wilbur Jackmans 1891 publication of Nature Study for the Common School initiated the Nature Study Movement that was pioneered by the American Nature Study Society headed by the naturalist Liberty Hyde Bailey (McRea). A greater environmental awareness was fostered in the United States by the Romantic Nature Movement and the Progressive Education Movement led by John Dewey (Haskin). In essence, "Environmental education did not spring forth fully formed from any one discipline, but rather as a product of a co-evolutionary process within science, public awareness of environmental issues, and educational ideas" (Haskin). The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was accompanied by an even greater awareness of our environment and the need for conservation and sustainability. The movement towards todays concept of environmental education has been rooted in conservation and student inquiry. This was a project-based approach that called for collaborative thinking and reduced the traditional boundaries that existed between disciplines. The Conservation Movement was spearheaded by Aldo Leopold, a Wisconsin educator that advocated an "an approach to science that merged environmental thinking, science and life practice" (Haskin). This thinking led to the first college degree in conservation at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 1946 and the coining of the phrase environmental education by Thomas Pritchard, Deputy Directory of the Nature Conservancy, at a meeting of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in Paris in 1948 (McRea). The next decade would see a greater public awareness of nature and the natural surroundings and a call for increased sensitivity and responsibility in our actions that affect our worlds environment. These attitudes were brought into greater focus by the 1962 publication of Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, a critical review of the devastating effects that man and technology can have on the environment (Haskin). The modern environmental movement had been born and the first Earth Day in 1970 can be considered the birth of the modern national policies on Environmental Education, as well as environmental law and policy. The Basic Principles of Environmental Education in the US Since the 1970s, environmental education has been addressed in the US and around the world based on a few basic principles. 1977 marked the worlds first intergovernmental conference on environmental education held at Tbilisi, in the former Soviet republic of Georgia (Archie and McRea). The conference set forth five broad objectives for environmental education that the EPA agreed to and continues to support. These five principles are (1) Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges; (2) Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges; (3) Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality; (4) Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges; and (5) Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges (Basic Information). These objectives promote critical thinking to drive the program of Environmental Education rather than advocating a specific viewpoint or stand on an issue. The Environmental Education Act (1970) The year 1970 brought the environment to the forefront of public awareness by the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Water Improvement Act, the creation of the Environmental. Protection Agency (EPA), and the passage of the Environmental Education Act of 1970. According to Bearden, the Environmental Education Act of 1970 "established an Office of Environmental Education in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to award grants for developing environmental curricula and training teachers" (CRS-1). Federal efforts to transfer the responsibility of education to the states resulted in the expiration of the Act in the 1980s, but it was reenacted through the Environmental Education Act of 1990. At that time, Congress found that "existing federal programs to educate the public about environmental problems and train environmental professionals were inadequate" and mandated the government to renew the "federal role in environmental education and reestablish an office of environmental education within EPA" (Bearden CRS-2). Since 1990 there has been an increased focus on Environmental Education as a separate and specialized discipline, as the EPA has worked with students and educators to heighten the awareness of the multiple facets concerning our knowledge of the environment. While funding authorizations for the program have expired, the Senate has continued to vote for additional funding to maintain the program. The cost of the program is approximately $9 million a year and is used to "work with educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, tribal governments, and state and local environmental agencies to educate the public about environmental problems and encourage students to pursue environmental careers" (Bearden CRS-2). The money is allocated to individual projects through the EPA with the goal of increasing "public knowledge about environmental issues and provide the public with the skills necessary to make informed decisions and take responsible actions to protect the environment" (Bearden CRS-2). The awards and grants have been used in all 50 states and US territories for the purpose of "educating elementary and secondary school students, training teachers, purchasing textbooks, developing curricula, and other educational activities" (Bearden CRS-2). There is a $250,000 limit per grant and most awards are small awards of less than $15,000 with the average being approximately $8,000. While the program has been effective at meeting some of its objectives, a significant portion of the grants that are requested are denied due to a lack of funding. The Environmental Education Grants Program The grants are utilized by a broad spectrum of individuals and organizations working in a multitude of disciplines. The largest recipients of grant money since 1992 have been non-profit organizations that have received almost 50 percent of the funding, with colleges, universities, and government agencies also getting a significant portion (EE Grants Awarded). The grants have addressed such issues as water, pesticides, solid waste, ecosystems, and environmental literacy. A typical program is the Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed (STRAW) Project operated by the Bay Institute in Novato California. Their $92 thousand grant is used to teach K-12 students "environmental issues specific to the San Francisco Bay region. Participants gain knowledge, skills, and experience in environmental science and place-based learning methodologies that ultimately improve community environmental stewardship" (US Environmental Protection Agency 4). School district #299 in the Chicago public school system received $86 thousand to study and preserve vital green spaces, ecosystems, and waterways throughout the city of Chicago. The students receive education relevant to "threats to the environment, including invasive species, development, pollution, and neglect. They also consider strategies for developing responses to restoring and conserving natural areas in the city" (US Environmental Protection Agency 4). Additionally, many schools and agencies are awarded grants of less than $3 thousand to study and correct a specific local issue. Political Issues Concerning Environmental Education in the US The environment is an issue that impacts everyone and is of critical importance in todays world of technology, globalization, and scientific discoveries. There is general agreement from the public and legislators that there is vital need for "improved understanding of complex environmental issues affecting human health, sustainability of natural resources, biological diversity, and other societal objectives" (Bearden CRS-2). Still, the issue has been politicized as the current administration has called for the elimination of the program since 2003. However, the Congress has continued to override the administrations request and has voted to continue the funding at the current levels. In addition, many legislators, educators, and concerned citizens have called for an expanded role of the federal government in the implementation of Environmental Education. Bearden reports that two bills recently introduced "would authorize $100 million annually from FY2008 through FY2012 for the Department of Education to award grants that would promote environmental education in elementary and secondary schools" (CRS-6). The bills call for a more active role on the part of the states in the development and promotion of environmental literacy programs as a condition of obtaining this funding. The environment is a sensitive political issue and has resulted in an emotionally charged debate on what and how to teach students concerning the important issues pertaining to the environment. Results of the program are difficult to measure and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had repeatedly rated the program "Results not Demonstrated" (Bearden CRS-3). Critics further contend that, "certain textbooks and curricula misinform students by advocating specific measures to address environmental problems, or by presenting unbalanced or scientifically inaccurate data" (Bearden CRS-6). Advocates point to the programs success such as "During the 2007 National Environmental Education Week, 1,453 environmental education partners taught more than 3.5 million students about the importance of caring for the environment through a full range of activities in K–12 classrooms, zoos, nature centers, museums, and aquariums" (Chepesiuk A497). While a field trip to the zoo may not be controversial, the presentation of global warming, it cause and cure, is deeply rooted in our social, political, and cultural values. Advocates of Environmental Education argue that public health is contingent on a healthy environment and that the two are intricately connected. To gain public support for a healthy environment it must be shown to have a significant impact on peoples health. Yet, in the US the subjects of health and the environment are separated as two distinct and exclusive disciplines. According to Chepesiuk, "Two literacy movements—health literacy and environmental literacy— work parallel to each other, and the twain has not necessarily met" (A498). This has limited the ability of engaging the public in Environmental Education and "Health care professionals and educators have limited understanding of the broader environment because it’s not incorporated into their education" (Chepesiuk A498). These are the obstacles that face Environmental Education and create a reluctance to increase funding for the program. Views on including Environmental Education in School Curriculum Majority of the educational and professional organizations across the world have acknowledged that environmental education should ideally be a part of the school experiences of children. Arne Duncan, the US Secretary of Education, has avidly supported environmental education as the key element in the "Blueprint for Success" in the schools of US. He passionately states: “I promise you that we will be a committed partner in the national effort to build a more environmentally literate and responsible society...Right now, in the second decade of the 21st century, preparing our students to be good environmental citizens is some of the most important work any of us can do. It is for our children, and our childrens children, and generations yet to come.” (Duncan, 2010) National Science Teachers’ Association, too, has strongly supported environmental education as a mode to inculcate environmental knowledge in the nations pre-K-16 students. The association has asserted that environmental education “should be a part of the school curriculum because student knowledge of environmental concepts establishes a foundation for their future understandings and actions as citizens.” (KACEE, 2003) The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, which is a global community committed to quality in learning and teaching worldwide, has stated in its official position statement on environmental education that: “Because people in developing nations are rapidly consuming Earths natural resources and because the world population is increasing rapidly, human beings must take individual and social responsibility for the environment. Schools should provide environmental education.” (ASCD, 1970, 1993) The National Council for the Social Studies considers that an effective environmental education program must be a balanced combination of regional, global and international education. The Council believes that “Global and international education are important because the day-to-day lives of average citizens around the world are influenced by burgeoning international connections… A global perspective is attentive to the interconnectedness of the human and natural environment and the interrelated nature of events, problems or ideas. An important characteristic of global studies is the analysis or problems, issues, or ideas from a perspective that deals with the nature of change and interdependence.” (KACEE, 2001) Benefits of Environmental Education for Children Apart from all the obvious and apparent aforesaid benefits, environmental education also helps to address the issue of “nature deficit disorder” in children. A recent study has revealed that children in the 21st century spend 6 hours a day, on an average, watching TV or sitting in front of the computer. In sharp contrast to this, they spend less than 4 minutes a day in outdoor games. This has led researchers to discern a new disorder applicable to the current generation of kids that they have named the “nature deficit disorder”. The wide gap between the time spent indoors in front of TV and PC screens versus the outdoor time in play has been discovered as a leading cause for a number of “negative psychological and physical effects including obesity, loneliness, depression, attention problems and greater social isolation due to reduced time with friends and family.” (No Child Left Inside website) It has been proved by research that increased outdoor activities and a parallel study of science and nature is tremendously helpful for mental functioning, reduction and cure of attention deficit disorder, better self-discipline and emotional health, in individuals of all age and especially in the young children. Richard Louv, in his book “Last Child in the Woods”, has dealt with the subject of the detachment of young people from their natural environment. Louv asserts that this lack of engagement with nature is the root cause of most of the widespread childhood issues, such as anxiety, poor concentration, obesity, restlessness, stubbornness, attention deficit disorders and depression. He terms this phenomenon as the “nature-deficit disorder” and proposes proximity to nature as the only possible remedy for this. Besides, research has also shown that attention deficit disorders can be greatly mitigated if young people spend more time outdoors and in the vicinity of nature. (Faber Taylor, 2001) Conclusion In conclusion, the importance of Environmental Education has increased with technology and our understanding of our role in the environment. However, government support has failed to keep pace with our scientific advancements. Most grants are limited in size and go to educating elementary and high school students in an effort to prepare them for the environmental challenges we face in the 21st century. However, the Environmental Education program administered under the EPA has been limited in funding due to political infighting. Only when the public can realize the direct impact that the environment has on our health, will public pressure demand a more liberal approach to Environmental Education. The public as well as the government needs to understand the vital importance and relevance of environmental education. This becomes increasingly critical in the current scenario when the environment is subject to consistent threats in the form of pollution, global warming, ozone depletion and ecological imbalance. A thoughtful and considerate approach towards the environment is the only choice left with us if we wish to avert the calamity which otherwise awaits humanity. White Paper The term ‘Environmental Education’ is more than often assumed to be information about the environment. This analogy, though partly true, does not however capture the essence of the much broader idea of environmental education. Environmental information is merely limited to the conveying of related facts and opinions regarding the environmental issues. Environmental education, on the other hand, is aimed at raising the public’s knowledge of and awareness regarding the serious environmental issues. While the former primarily insists on promoting one or more viewpoints, the latter looks forward to a more comprehensive approach rather than advocating any particular viewpoint. Not only this, environmental education also helps to improve upon an individual’s critical thinking ability, problem solving skills and decision making capacity. Hence, environmental education is a far-reaching concept that includes, but is not restricted to, the concept of environmental information. (EPA website, 2014) Over the years, different scholars and experts have proposed different factors as the constituents of the idea of environmental education. However some elements have been widely accepted and espoused as the chief components of environmental education. These elements are the familiarity and understanding of the environment; an awareness and thoughtfulness for the environmental issues; a concerned and motivated attitude for improving the quality of environment; the skill set to recognize and resolve environmental challenges; and a participation in activities for resolving such issues. Environmental education is a practice that enables the individuals to examine and understand myriad issues related to the environment. It develops in them the capability to take part in solving the problems surrounding the environment and to execute the required measures to improve the state of the environment. It does not uphold any particular perspective or course of action. Rather it teaches one to dissect any given issue, critically analyze all possible facets of the issue, measure the positive and negative aspects associated with it, and then finally come to an informed and well-thought decision. Environmental education thus enhances the problem solving and decision making skills of a person. As a result, individuals who possess environmental education exhibit a far deeper level of understanding of various environmental issues and also have a far greater potential to make knowledgeable and judicious decisions regarding the same. The essence of this concept has been succinctly presented in the UNESCO- Tbilisi Declaration of 1978 which states that “Environmental education is a learning process that increases peoples knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action.” (Falk, 2009, p. 6) In common usage, the term environmental education is simply confined to the education at primary, secondary and post-secondary levels under the school system. But in the real sense, it encompasses all possible modes of educating the general public about environment and includes print media, telecasts, broadcasts, websites, blogs and media campaigns. Outdoor education and experiential education are two more modern avenues for imparting environmental education. Although both outdoor education and experiential education are parallel fields of education that accompany environmental education yet they dwell on distinctive viewpoints. Both these disciplines offer a range of outdoor experiences that help in teaching and enhancing environmental education. “Outdoor education means learning "in" and "for" the outdoors. It is a means of curriculum extension and enrichment through outdoor experiences.” (Hammerman, 1980, p. 33) The experience of teaching out of doors may not always be rigorously environmental in nature. But none the less, it contains the essential components of teaching about the environment. “Experiential education is a process through which a learner constructs knowledge, skill, and value from direct experiences” (Martin, 2004, p. 11) In the delivery of the concepts and skills related to environmental education, experiential education can serve both as a method as well as a process. Though the two realms of outdoor education and experiential education have their own distinct set of objectives, at some points they often correspond to the purposes and values of environmental education. Thus we can say that environmental education, in short, refers to all forms of organized attempts to educate the masses on the working of the natural ecosystems and on the ways in which human beings can contribute to the proper functioning of their environment and help in its sustainable existence. (Auer, 2010) Environmental education, as a stream of study, is innately interdisciplinary and includes learning in the classroom as well as in the field. It needs an amalgamation of the various teaching methods like classroom education, theoretical education, interactive education, outdoor education and experiential education. The teaching approach for environmental education should be highly student-centric and inquiry-driven. It should engage the students in higher level thinking skills which are pertinent to the students daily lives. It should make them realize that environment provides us a lifelong support and helps us to thrive in the world. So we too should reciprocate by addressing the problems and disorders related to the nature and the environment. This would lead to the development of awareness, increase of knowledge, building of skills and creation of the ability for good citizenship in relation to the environment, on which we rely for our lives. Such a practice will not only promote partnerships and alliances amongst schools and other educational communities, but also assist in the holistic development of children. Education about the environment will also enhance the students’ success in the other related subjects like reading, writing, mathematics, science and social science. Environmental education can be defined, in a way, as the study of the interactions between the human and the natural worlds, and the shared relationships between man and nature. Incorporation of environmental and sustainability education into the school curriculum instills in the students the awareness about the underlying value of sustainable development and helps them to gain a deeper understanding of their surrounding environment. It develops in them a feeling of care and concern for the environmental issues. It motivates them to develop the ability to examine and solve the environmental challenges. Above all, it encourages them to adopt practices and activities that aim at the protection, maintenance and improvement of the environment. Annotated Bibliography Archie, Michele, and Ed McRea. "Environmental Education in the United States: Definition and Direction.". Murray State University. 5 Dec. 2008 http://coekate.murraystate.edu/courses/edu515/Readings/PDF/EEintheUS.pdf This paper offers an outline of the progress of environmental education and its current status in the United States. It also provides an in-depth definition of environmental education, its characteristics and its possibilities. "Basic Information." Environmental Education (EE). 3 June 2008. Environmental Protection Agency. 5 Dec. 2008 < http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/basic.html>. The webpage offers the basic knowledge and information regarding the idea of environmental education and its significance in the life of an individual. Bearden, David M. National Environmental Education Act of 1990: Overview, Implementation, and Issues for Congress. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2007. This report aims at augmenting the public understanding of the environment by discussing in detail the program implemented by the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 which includes issues related to grants for funding elementary and secondary education, training teachers, fellowships and awards for environmental vocations, and sponsorship for workshops and symposiums. Chepesiuk, Ron. "Environmental Literacy: Knowledge for a Healthier Public." Environmental Health Perspectives 115.10 (2007): A494-99. In this article, the author has highlighted the importance of environmental education by putting forth a number of relevant examples and by enumerating the edicts issued by the State in this direction. "EE Grants Awarded." Environmental Education (EE). 3 June 2008. Environmental Protection Agency. 5 Dec. 2008 . This webpage enlists the provisions under the Environmental Education Model Grants Program which is responsible for funding environmental education projects that help in raising general awareness and concern for environmental issues. Haskin, John. "Environmental Education in the United States: Teaching in the Present, Preparing Students for the Future." Paper presented at the International Symposium on Environmental Education, February 19, 1999. Tokyo, Japan: New Horizons for Learning, 2003. 5 Dec 2008 The paper explores the prevailing condition of environmental education in the US, the current teaching methodology and how it helps to equip the students for a better and environment-friendly future. McRea, Edward J. The Roots of Environmental Education: How the Past Supports the Future. Washington, DC: North American Association For Environmental Education, 2006. The author goes back in history to trace the pervasive and diverse origins that propel the modern environmental education activities, extend support for the contemporary field and deliver sustenance for future development. US Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Education Grants Program: Grants Awarded 1992 - 2007. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency, 2008. The report furnishes the statistics regarding the grants issued by the US government in the field of environmental education during the period from 1992 to 2007 under the Environmental Education Grants Program. “What is Environmental Education?”. (2014). United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA website. Retrieved from: http://www2.epa.gov/education/what-environmental-education This webpage puts forward the worldwide accepted characteristics of Environmental Education by setting it against the concept of Environmental Information and also enumerates its benefits and utility in an individual’s life. Falk, J. H., Heimlich, J. E., & Foutz, S. (Eds.). (2009). Free-choice learning and the environment. Rowman Altamira. This book lays down the theoretical base for environmental education beyond the realm of formal education system, with the suggestion to apply this theory to the learning process and develop new policies for a sustainable environmental education system. Auer, M.R. (2010). “Sense of place and the physical senses in outdoor environmental learning”. In Teaching Environmental Literacy: Across Campus and across the Curriculum, edited by Reynolds, H.L., Brondizio, E.S., and J.M. Robinson. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pp. 142-149 This article discusses the vital content, the essential skills and the dynamic abilities crucial for spreading environmental literacy. It offers multiple strategies for developing cohesive and comprehensive programs to stimulate critical thinking among students. Hammerman, W. M. (1980). Fifty years of resident outdoor education, 1930-1980, its impact on American education. American Camping Association. This volume traces fifty years of pioneering program design in resident outdoor education in the United States, in practice from 1930-1980. It studies the evolution of resident outdoor education and its impact on the American education curriculum. Martin, A., Franc, D., & Zounková, D. (2004). Outdoor and experiential learning: A holistic and creative approach to programme design. Chicago: Gower Publishing. This book traces the progress of outdoor and experiential learning, led by the Czechs and Slovaks, over the last 20 years. It is a guide to the techniques of education including dramaturgy, role play and theatre. Duncan, A. (2010). “The Greening of the Department of Education: Secretary Duncans Remarks at the Sustainability Summit: September 21, 2010”. US Department of Education. Retrieved from: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/greening-department-education-secretary-duncans-remarks-sustainability-summit This speech delivered by the US Secretary of Education during the summit on sustainability in 2010 establishes how education and sustainability are the keys to a healthy, safe and sustainable future for the US and the world. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1970, 1993). Official Position Statement on Environmental Education. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/news-media/ASCD-Policy-Positions/All-Adopted-Positions.aspx#environmental_education This webpage of the ASCD website shares information and resources on environmental education and displays the innovative strategies and advanced solutions in the field of education for children, which ensure excellence in learning, teaching, and leading. The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education. (2014). Support for E.E. in Schools. Retrieved from: http://www.kacee.org/support-ee-schools This KACEE webpage enlists the viewpoints of various organizations about the inclusion of environmental education in the school curriculum. Taylor, A. F., Kuo, F. E., & Sullivan, W. C. (2001). Coping with ADD The surprising connection to green play settings. Environment and Behavior, 33(1), 54-77. This paper suggests that interaction with nature everyday improves attention and concentration, in both children and adults. “Why Is Environmental Education Important?”. The No Child Left Inside Coalition. Retrieved from: http://www.cbf.org/ncli-federal-microsite/pages/ncli---solution---why-ee-imp The webpage summarizes the views of various environmental, educational, and public health organizations on the need for a comprehensive environmental education system for all. Read More