Water is one of Earth's fundamental natural systems. It is crucial to foster water literacy in today's global citizens, particularly through formal education. The purpose of this research, in parallel with a study focused on human dimensions of water systems (Mostacedo-Marasovic et al., in press), is to examine water-related K-12 standards for…

Connectedness to nature (C2N) shows a positive relationship with many factors supporting children's health, wellbeing, and development. In addition, C2N has been shown to have a positive relationship with learning about and caring for nature. Despite a long history of outdoor education in early childhood settings in Sweden, C2N is not a concept…

Educational games provide learners with team-based, experiential, and problem-centered learning opportunities. Therefore, educational games are recommended to encourage learner success in an increasingly complex and collaborative world. Research exploring interventions to increase teacher affinity toward games is needed to inform expansion of…

Purpose: A faculty development program (FDP) introduced postsecondary instructors to a module focused on the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus, a socio-hydrologic issue (SHI) and a sustainability challenge. This study aims to examine factors influencing faculty interest in adopting the instructional resources and faculty experience with the FDP,…

We describe how a group of secondary mathematics teachers posed and solved a real-world problem. The problem was posed by teachers on a sandbar off the coast of an island in the Bahamas, where panoramic views of water meeting sky spurred the teachers to wonder how far away they could see. We analyze how the teachers translated the natural…

Environmental science (ES) was introduced in Bhutan as an optional school subject for classes IX-XII to equip young people with the knowledge, values, and skills to protect the environment and promote sustainable and equitable use of natural resources in the pursuit of gross national happiness. Teachers are believed to play a crucial role in the…

In this case study, we explored an innovative Professional Development (PD) approach where teachers were positioned as experts and drivers of change. Simplified as Participatory PD, Michigan State University Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Education faculty constructed an experience for Michigan AFNR Educators following the…

Water scarcity is a global problem in which, through consumption and eutrophication of freshwater, agriculture has contributed. The impact of water scarcity necessitates research into how agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) educators can support solutions. A subset of AFNR educators in the Great Lakes Basin participated in a…

How can early childhood teacher educators at the community college level create opportunities for their students to explore and relate to the natural world? This article discusses three learning opportunities in an early childhood associate-degree program that foster connections between preservice and inservice early childhood teachers and nature…

The authors argue that the narrowing of the K-12 curriculum in the past twenty years has changed the relationship between K-12 schoolteachers and the community. Using an ecological perspective as the theoretical lens, the article describes these changes as well as an effort by an economic development organization in Indiana to help rebuild those…

This article describes an early childhood teacher-preparation program that infuses environmental education and nature experiences into courses, practicum, and student-teaching experiences. Program philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and methods are described and linked to the Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for…

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture (ATCOFA) faculty members were trained how to integrate service learning activities within senior level classes at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) in Nacogdoches, Texas. The service learning training, taught under the acronym Mentored Undergraduate Scholarship (MUGS), involved meeting…

Assessing the retention of knowledge is the first step of environmental education programs. The low education level in rural areas is one factor influencing habitat loss in Madagascar. We tested whether environmental education lessons given to teachers from a municipality, Iaboakoho, in a priority area for lemur conservation were retained after…

The 2021-2040 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Education Strategic Plan is a reflection of the knowledge and dedication of the NOAA education community. Strategic planning provides guidance for NOAA Education and a framework for tracking and reporting progress. This plan builds on the foundation of the 2015-2035 NOAA…

In January 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Education Council released an updated Education Strategic Plan (ED615369). This guiding document outlines the five strategic plan goals and supporting objectives that help advance NOAA's mission through education: (1) Science-Informed Society; (2) Conservation and…