Annotated Bibliography – Environmental Education

Lauren Huber

1. Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., Roth, N. W., & Holthuis, N. (2018). Environmental education
and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research. The Journal of
Environmental Education, 49(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155
a. Summary: This article conducted a study using 119 articles to evaluate the
outcomes of environmental education programs for students K-12. The research
found that there needs to be a better understanding of what outcomes are assessed
in the field of environmental education. Different education tools, time frames
were investigated, and locations (inside and outside of school/classroom). The
study identified categories of outcomes including knowledge, dispositions,
competencies, behavior, personal characteristics, and multi-domain outcomes. It
was found that environmental education was highly successful in meeting
knowledge and competency outcomes. Overall, this review found that among
existing environmental education programs there are positive outcomes based on
the outcomes identified in the paper.
b. Use: This paper would be useful in defining what outcomes environmental
education should have not based on national, international, or state curriculum
standards that many public schools have to follow. If the education was to take
place in a park or learning center, it would make sense to structure the outcomes
of an educational session based on the outcomes defined in this paper. This paper
could also be used to identify current weaknesses in an existing environmental
education program and how to correct them. Specifically, Table 5 in this paper is
very useful because it details the outcomes that were identified and provides
necessary detail for other researchers to identify these outcomes in evaluations of
other environmental education programs.
2. Cincera, Johnson, B., & Kroufek, R. (2020). Outdoor environmental education programme
leaders’ theories of experiential learning. Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(6), 729–745.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2020.1770693
a. Summary: This paper studies how experiential learning is interpreted and
transferred into practice of outdoor environmental education centers. The study
was conducted using interviews and observations. The research identified three
different theories of learning: authentic learning, transformative experiences, and
supportive experiences. They then found that environmental education that they
investigated in practice seemed to be more eclectic than based on any one
approach. This paper identifies that that experiential learning is an important
approach to outdoor environmental education programs.
b. Use: This paper would be used in connection with others that based their study on
identifying a theory or approach to environmental education with the best
measurable outcome. The focus on experiential learning rather than
environmental education as a whole is important because it narrows down to one
approach rather than broadly describing how environmental education should be.
This paper in combination with others that talk about theories of how
environmental education should be provides information and a framework for
 making recommendations to having an effective environmental education
program.
3. Collado, Rosa, C. D., & Corraliza, J. A. (2020). The Effect of a Nature-Based Environmental
Education Program on Children’s Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: A Randomized
Experiment with Primary Schools. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 12(17), 6817–.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176817
a. Summary: This paper looks at children’s environmental attitudes and behaviors
after getting environmental instruction through a traditional classroom method
and a “nature-based environmental education” to see how their attitudes and
behaviors changed. The paper also discusses how environmental education
changes the way people perceive the environment around them. This paper set out
to solve the lack of research in controlled experiments that find the effects of that
contact with nature has on children’s pro-environmentalism attitudes. The study
found that nature-based environmental education had a greater positive effect on
children’s environmental attitudes than traditional instruction.
b. Use: This paper would be used to demonstrate the positive outcome that nature-
based environmental education has on children. This would be used in
conjunction with Ardoin et al. to describe how environmental education should be
structure to have the most benefit for the students. Also interpreting the statistical
results to show how the different approaches to environmental education are more
or less effective would be a good use of this paper.
4. Farmer, Knapp, D., & Benton, G. M. (2007). An Elementary School Environmental
Education Field Trip: Long-Term Effects on Ecological and Environmental Knowledge and
Attitude Development. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(3), 33–42.
https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEE.38.3.33-42
a. Summary: This paper examines the long-term effects of a school field trip to a
National Park on students who visited. The authors define three phases of
environmental education that will help the learner gain positive, proenvironmental
attitudes. The study was conducted on a group of 4th graders who visited the Great
Smokey Mountains National Park. The class took a trip to the National Park and
spent the day learning about different things within the park from the park
Rangers. A year later interviews were conducted with the children, and they were
asked to recall things they learned from the field trip. The research found that the
students could recall information within 4 types of recall: student action, general
content knowledge, ecological/environmental logic, and perceived
proenvironment attitudes. Ultimately the results of the study found that several of
the students gained long-term content knowledge that increased their
proenvironmental attitudes.
b. Use: This paper would be used to demonstrate that exposure of environmental
education in nature has a longer lasting effect than just basic classroom
instruction. The results of this paper would be used to support the idea that
environmental education should take place either in nature or should be conducted
by those that are in nature regularly.
5. Goralnik, & Nelson, M. P. (2017). Field philosophy: environmental learning and moral
development in Isle Royale National Park. Environmental Education Research, 23(5), 687–
707. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1074661
 a. Summary: This paper is an analysis of student writing data that aims to
understand the connection between physical experiences and the value that
students place on the natural world. There was a consistent finding that students
began to develop complex understandings of the natural world. This study also
focused on students who were in college rather than younger school-aged children
like other papers. The variety of majors and backgrounds of the students provides
a unique perspective. The results of this study recommend using the
planning/assessment tool to be able to facilitate growth in environmental learning.
b. Use: This paper would be used to extend the research supporting environmental
education beyond school-age children. It is important to keep environmental
attitudes positive into adulthood to ensure that adults have an appreciation for the
environment around them. This paper does a good job of explaining the higher-
level thinking that college students have and their ability to critically evaluate
ideas and concepts better than students in K-12. This paper would be used for the
unique research perspective on focusing on student at the college level.
6. Hutcheson, Hoagland, P., & Jin, D. (2018). Valuing environmental education as a cultural
ecosystem service at Hudson River Park. Ecosystem Services, 31, 387–394.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.03.005
a. Summary: This paper looks at environmental education through the perspective of
an urban area, New York City, and the Hudson River. The authors look the cost
analysis of running the educational programs about the Hudson River and related
environmental topics. The environmental services and education that the park
provides is important to the surrounding communities because of the urban
environmental ethics it promotes. The study found that they had more visitors
from schools with more minority students and English Language Learner
students.
b. Use: This paper would be used to show that even in urban areas, environmental
education is still important, if not more important to students in those areas. The
perspective of environmental education within an urban setting is one that may
not have been explored much but this paper offers unique insight. This paper
would be uses in a section that offers information about environmental education
outside of the typical K-12 setting.
7. Johanna G. Ferreira. (2013). Viewpoint: Curriculum Development for the Kids in Parks
Programme. Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, 29(2012/2013).
a. Summary: This paper examines resources and complies information on what
environmental education curriculum should include. The paper looks at a case
study done by the South African National Park and the idea of “context-bound”
environmental education curriculum. This paper looks at the following topics: the
connection between environmental education and sustainable development, kids
in park programs, trends in curriculum, implications in practice, and what can be
included in the kid’s curriculum. This paper is not a study but a review on
literature and case studies done by others.
b. Use: This paper would be used for the sections on the connection between
environmental education and sustainable development to demonstrate that
environmental education has implications for the world around us. The section
about Kids in the Park program would also be beneficial to use to show that park
 specific programing needs to reflect the interest of the park or area where the park
is. This section also gives a broad idea stating that there should be guidelines for
what educational programs should comply with that can be used in combination
with other papers to provide a recommendation for what environmental
curriculum should include.
8. Negra, & Manning, R. E. (1997). Incorporating Environmental Behavior, Ethics, and Values
into Nonformal Environmental Education Programs. The Journal of Environmental
Education, 28(2), 10–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1997.9942818
a. Summary: This paper is about a study that used information collected from the
Vermont state park system to define environmental behaviors, ethics, and values
from visitors. This information was used to develop educational programs to
address current environmental issues. This study used sociology-based research to
help better understand the audience of the park to effectively design
environmental education curriculum and programs. The research found that
environmental education needs to accommodate all visitors to be beneficial. The
study makes an interesting conclusion that a comprehensive environmental
education may be the best delivery of environmental education to the public.
b. Use: This paper would be used to provide more information on what should and
shouldn’t be included in effective environmental education. The educational
approaches for park visitors in Table 4 would also be useful because the
educational outcomes are different based on the approach. The full results of the
study detailing what environmental behaviors, ethics, and values were concluded
are also useful to connect this paper with Collado et al. to compare children’s
attitudes and the park visitors in this study.
9. Otto, & Pensini, P. (2017). Nature-based environmental education of children:
Environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature, together, are related to ecological
behaviour. Global Environmental Change, 47, 88–94.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.09.009
a. Summary: This paper studies the 4th-6th graders who received nature-based
education to see how their learning was connected to ecological behavior,
increased their environmental knowledge, and their connectedness to nature. The
paper examines the correlation of participation in nature-based environmental
education on children’s ecological behaviors they exhibit. The results of the study
found that the effect of connectedness to nature on ecological behavior was
stronger than the effect of environmental knowledge on ecological behavior. The
research also found promising effects of nature-based environmental education
for institutions around the area of study. The paper overall concluded that nature-
based environmental education was a promising approach to increasing ecological
behaviors.
b. Use: This paper would be used to demonstrate the relationship between nature-
based education and awareness outcomes that environmental education should
provide. This would be used in conjunction with Collado et al. to connect the two
papers based on nature-based environmental education and the specific outcomes
and relationships that the research identifies. This study was also conducted in
Berlin which provides a global perspective on environmental education and
education standards in general compared to the US offering a comparison point.
10. Padua, S. M. (1994). Conservation Awareness through an Environmental Education
Programme in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Environmental Conservation, 21(2), 145–151.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892900024577
a. Summary: This paper conducted a study to examine an environmental education
program implemented in São Paulo Brazil with the intent on educating local
students about the Devil’s Hill State Park conservation and its importance for an
endangered species. The program was assessed using Jacobson (1991) Planning,
Process, Product evaluation model. The program established primary goals and
objectives based on surveys, interviews, and observations. The effectiveness of
the program was determined based on if students could identify animal, plant,
flora, and fauna species. Students aged 10 to 14 were used for this study. The
results of the study affected the conservation of the park by a decrease in hunting
and local involvement.
b. Use: This paper would be used for the results of the study. This one took a
different approach than others by asking students to identify different species
within the park rather than what others did by looking solely at the change or lack
of change in environmental behaviors and attitudes. This paper would be used to
for its different perspective on what environmental education should achieve and
how its effectiveness is measured.
11. Park C. C. (1983). Problems, Priorities, and Prospects, in Environmental Education.
Environmental Conservation, 10(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892900012224
a. Summary: This paper looks at issues that have been important to the evolution of
environmental education. In the 80’s when this paper was written research
indicated that at the time environmental education was at a point of critical
development. The 1972 UN meeting was an important turning point for the call to
develop environmental education because of impending environmental crisis. The
paper identifies that the problem areas of environmental education are due to the
lack of agreement on what the goals and objectives should be for environmental
education. The author also identifies that environmental education must develop
realistic attitude and acquisition of knowledge.
b. Use: This paper would be used to show that the importance of environmental
education has not changed in the past several decades. Issues of what
environmental education should have been long standing, however there is a
common theme that the outcome of the education should be to change attitudes
and perceptions of the environment around us. This paper would also be used to
demonstrate some of the history surrounding the development of environmental
education.
12. Slattery, & Lugg, A. (2002). If they treated the whole world like a national park :
environmental education by teachers and rangers. Australian Journal of Environmental
Education, 18(2002), 47–55.
a. Summary: This paper conducted interviews, observations of groups, and analysis
of teacher documentation to assess teacher and park ranger roles in environmental
education. Rather than focusing on the outcome of the students learning this paper
chooses to focus on who exactly is responsible for the success of the learning. The
results of this study found that rangers in this park wanted to boost the public
image and make users know that the park was accessible to them. The teachers
 and rangers both wanted the students to be able to see themselves in the park and
get a sense of their influence on the future of the park. Overall, the results of the
study found that teachers and rangers have different objectives for the same
student experience.
b. Use: This paper would be used to show the importance of having an
environmental educator other than a traditional classroom teacher. This could be a
ranger, naturalist, etc. that has in-depth knowledge of the park that can offer more
than just state/national standard curriculum to the students. It would also be used
to make a case to have full-time staff at a park that can serve in this role as a park
educator if the area has a high demand for environmental education.
13. Vincent, S. & Focht, W. (2009). US higher education environmental program managers’
perspectives on curriculum design and core competencies: Implications for sustainability as a
guiding framework. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 10(2), 164–
183. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370910945963
a. Summary: This paper is to determine core competencies of environmental
education program graduates and if they are achievable. This study looks at
college programs. The study was done using an online survey to gauge managers
views of the curriculum. The research concluded that environmental programs
provide interdisciplinary learning. The research also found that there is a broad
consensus that solving environmental problems requires a holistic approach. The
implications of these results showed that developing environmental education
curriculum with sustainability in mind is needed for the future.
b. Use: This paper would be used to connect the ideas from Goralnik et al. which
also focuses on college students rather than the typical K-12 education system.
The continuation of environmental education beyond the K-12 setting is crucial to
keep people learning about the environment around them and how they can best
contribute to the preservation and sustainability of an area.
14. Williams, C. C. & Chawla, L. (2016). Environmental identity formation in nonformal
environmental education programs. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 978–1001.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1055553
a. Summary: This paper looks at the impacts of environmental education programs
5-40 years after people participated in them. The outcome of this paper explored
how the peoples social environmental and ecological identity was affected by
these educational programs. The results of the study found that adapting social
practice theory combined with ecological identity emphasized knowledge and
emotional bonds is necessary. The results of the study found that social practice
theory is an accurate way to examine the process of environmental learning.
b. Use: This paper would be used to show that there is theory behind the delivery of
environmental education and the delivery effects the overall learning. The use of
social practice theory provides an interesting take on why environmental
education sticks with someone in the future and how it effects their behavior. The
perspective of including social practice theory is unique and provides another way
of looking at how environmental education is a lasting education. Points made in
this paper would be used to connect ideas of other papers to suggests that an
effective environmental education curriculum can have lasting impacts on a learn.
15. Yandala, D., Wright, K., & Sánchez, J. (2020). A partnership model of education at
Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Parks Stewardship Forum, 36(2), 265–270.
https://doi.org/10.5070/P536248271
a. Summary: This paper looks at the curriculum development, leadership, and future
of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park which has an award-winning
environmental education center. This paper is an excellent example of how other
parks and natural areas could model their own environmental education programs
for development.
b. Use: This paper would be used to demonstrate how an effective environmental
education program is developed. As well as provide recommendations for how
other parks could model their environmental education programs after.