Maker-based learning activities offer benefits to both students and educators; however, there exist few research examples that examine how educators enact a process of identity exploration when implementing maker activities in their instruction. The Projective Reflection framework was used to assess three science educators' identity exploration as…

This article aims to contribute to the knowledge of how the 'scaling' of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) activities is conceptualized in practice through transactional learning encounters. In the context of the UNESCO Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD, I discuss the re-actualisation of experiences as part of these encounters. The…

There are clear expectations in the twenty-first Century that professional teachers and school leaders can articulate how and why their students learn through participation in the structured learning activities they design and facilitate. Individual teachers can express this through a personal teaching philosophy statement and schools can…

A two-day workshop was designed in order to increase awareness of pre-service teachers about the role of forests in adapting and mitigating the effects of climate change. In this workshop, five different activities were developed to reflect five sections, which are listed as forest strengths and weakness, general knowledge on climate change, the…

Background: Students' satisfaction with science education is one of the preconditions for the students' future interest in pursuing an academic career in science. However, to date it is still not clear what particular teaching strategies promote students' satisfaction with science and, specifically, what opportunities for promoting this…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the outputs of an internship programme, one of a number of campus-based sustainability activities that have been introduced at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, to encourage student-led campus-based greening initiatives. Design/methodology/approach: A case study approach was undertaken, allowing the…

Purpose: This paper aims to report on a case study concerning the development of sustainable energy partnerships involving engineering faculty and undergraduate students at the University of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Design/methodology/approach: Faculty were motivated to seek partnerships with public and private entities in the local area for the…

Although recent educational reforms emphasize the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), many elementary teachers feel less knowledgeable about STEM content and less comfortable teaching STEM than other subjects. This study examined a teacher education program that utilized place-based pedagogies within an…

Project "Green Footprint" is a local community environment project created by fifth-grade students to remind the citizens of their school (and Earth) to tread lightly on Mother Nature's creations. The students chose to focus on the air quality outside the school, specifically the carbon emissions produced by idling cars. Students complete Internet…

It is argued that social media has the potential to bridge formal and informal learning through participatory digital cultures. Exemplars of sophisticated use by young people support this claim, although the majority of young people adopt the role of consumers rather than full participants. Scholars have suggested the potential of social media for…

The Geosciences Institute for Research and Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn has been an example of a successful and effective model in increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in the geosciences. The program emphasizes involving middle school and at-risk high school students from the Detroit area public schools,…

This paper describes the design of an educational module which aims to raise awareness and change the attitudes of elementary school students about focal endangered species in protected areas. The proposed design builds on, and extends the General Teaching Model. The educational module which was developed through this approach was pilot-tested in…

Over the past three decades, environmental issues have been on the global forefront and continue to affect people's daily lives. Although the need for environmental attention is at an all-time high, outdoor and environmental education (OEE) plays an insufficient role in school systems. As technology continues to contribute to advancements in every…

Engaging students in science learning can be challenging, and incorporating new forms of technology into science has been shown to provide creative learning experiences. However most technology enhanced learning and e-Science experiences to date have been designed and run by researchers. There is significant challenge in moving these experiences…

What happens when you are faced with a group of blind, outdoor adventurers? Discusses a workshop for blind students at a camp situated in the mountains northwest of Los Angeles and suggests some ideas combining imagination and outdoor learning experiences that can help blind students understand more about their environment. (Author/RK)