Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

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Influences on pro-environmental practicesshown to be important. This category (83 respondents) was sub-dividedbetween the influence of youth organisations such as scouting, guiding andsimilar programmes (28), and influence of membership of adultorganisations concerned with environmental matters and “green” thinking(55).Other main categories of response were “TV/media”, “Books” (notablyRachel Carson’s “Silent Spring”), “Foreign travel”, “Negative issues”(notably environmental catastrophes, nuclear threats, cruelty to animals,pollution), “Becoming a parent”, “Keeping animals”, and “Religion”.Significant responses scoring less than 10 were grouped in “Others” (35respondents) which included such responses as living in a large city, healthissues, music, poetry, death, personal heritage and personal networking.Eighty of the 232 respondents identified their single most important lifeexperience or influence. The results are given in Table 2.Table 2. Number of Subjects Naming Single Most Important Influence(n=80)Number %Outdoors 23 29Education / Courses 7 9Parents / Close relatives 21 26Organisations 5 6TV / Media 2 2Friends / other individuals 4 5Travel abroad 5 6Disasters / negative issues 4 5Books 3 4Becoming a parent 1 1Keeping pets / animals 0 0Religion / God 1 1Others 4 5Total 80The data were analysed more finely to examine differences in responseacross the age groups, and to establish correlations between the factors ofresponse. The positive experiences of nature and the countryside inchildhood, it was found, were much more commonly identified in theolder age groups than in the youngest. The figures for the enjoyment ofoutdoor activities in adult life and interest in gardening, agriculture andhorticulture gave similar results. Those who mentioned their employmentalso showed clear differences. Less than 10 percent of the under-30 agegroup referred to the influence of their work; this aspect of life wasmentioned by 74 percent of the over-50s. The influence of books and5
Planning education to care for the earthpapers which deal with environmental issues emerged in 33 percent of thelife accounts of the under-30s, but in only 11 percent of those supplied bythe over-50s.The types of organisation that have an influence provided anotherinteresting difference. Those dealing with the natural world, such asNaturalist Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, wereconsidered more influential by the oldest age group; organisationsconcerned with the danger of human impact on the global environment -for example Greenpeace and CND - are more influential with youngercitizens.A correlation between individual factors was only possible with the mostimportant responses. Two significant correlations (at 1 percent level) werefound: one between childhood experiences of nature and the influence ofclose family and the other between childhood experience of nature andwork-related influences.This study confirms the findings of Tanner that childhood experience of theoutdoors is the single most important factor in developing personal concernfor the environment. In the Palmer study, subjects in all the age groupsmade extensive and detailed references to early childhood days of exploringthe natural world and deriving sensory experiences in the open air. Theyalso stressed the crucial importance of parents, teachers and other adults.Many statements testified to the significant impact of the knowledge andexample of others on the early learning of respondents.The impact of formal programmes concerning the environment in the fieldof higher education is confirmed by the data of the study, and this isencouraging. The majority of respondents citing education as a single mostimportant influence were writing about degree-level courses. Others in thisgroup wrote about advanced self-chosen (A-level examination) courses inschool.One of the most disturbing findings, perhaps, is the total lack of referencesin the study data to a school course below A-level as a single mostimportant influence. Moreover, of the 51 respondents citing school lessonsor courses as a significant influence, 38 referred specifically to A-levelcourses and related field work. A number of respondents made clearstatements to the effect that formal school programmes had little or even noinfluence on their thinking in relation to the environment.Studies such as those of Tanner and Palmer clearly raise important issuesfor debate and action by those who establish policy and provideenvironmental education (EE) programmes at all levels. Policy-makers andeducationalists alike need to take serious account of the need to give youngpeople the opportunity to have a wealth of positive experiences in outdoorhabitats.Financial economies in the United Kingdom are forcing environmental andoutdoor education centres to close down. This is possibly the case in other6
Page 1 and 2: Planning educationto care for the e
Page 3 and 4: IUCN - The World Conservation Union
Page 5 and 6: Published by:IUCN, Gland, Switzerla
Page 7 and 8: Planning education to care for the
Page 9 and 10: ForewordMy introduction to IUCN - T
Page 11 and 12: Planning education to care for the
Page 14 and 15: Pllanning education to care for the
Page 18 and 19: Influences on pro-environmental pra
Page 20 and 21: Behaviour, social marketing and the
Page 22 and 23: Social marketing• Perceived benef
Page 24 and 25: Social marketingnew behaviours. The
Page 26 and 27: Social marketingchecklist of such d
Page 28 and 29: Social marketingThe recycling conta
Page 30 and 31: Social marketing2. Listen to the pe
Page 32 and 33: A basis for environmental education
Page 34 and 35: Basis for EE in the Sahelinstitutio
Page 36 and 37: Basis for EE in the SahelThe stages
Page 38 and 39: Basis for EE in the SahelCommentsIt
Page 40 and 41: Communication: an instrument of env
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Page 62 and 63: Environmental education programmes
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Environmental education in a Brazil
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Addressing urban issues through env
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Urban issues through environmental
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CAMPFIRE programme•manage and exp
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CAMPFIRE programmeTable 1. Some exa
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CAMPFIRE programmeCAMPFIRE is now l
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CAMPFIRE programmeFurther ReadingCh
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IUCN education in Sahel and West Af
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Matter of motivationlaboratory test
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Education and communication support
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Communication in support of protect
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Communication in support of protect
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Part 3From NGO to government strate
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