This paper argues that the current ecological crisis arises from our dualistic consciousness which separates mind from body and self from world. This dualistic consciousness prevents us from experiencing the value in nature, and therefore leads to instrumentalist treatment of nature. We explore the Buddhist practice of mindfulness to help…

The Tree Circle is a green gathering area for children made by planting trees in a circle. For children, the Tree Circle becomes a magical place for dramatic play, quiet retreat, or lively nature exploration. For teachers and parents it becomes a shady grove for snacks and stories. The trees create a sweet spot that changes during the seasons and…

The present is a commentary on the article authored by Oliveira, Colak, and Akerson; and as such, it should provoke readers to re-consider the study from a different perspective, one that does not prescribe any intentionality to participants' discourse. It is also my contention that students and teachers should be treated as co-constitutives of…

Nancy Judd has been called a folk artist, an outsider artist, and a designer--all characterizations that she tends to shirk. Perhaps if labels are needed, environmental artist educator is more appropriate. Judd lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She dedicates much of her time to creating art that raises public awareness of environmental…

This article presents the findings of an action research study on developing learner autonomy through project work in an English for Specific Purposes class. The study was conducted at a Colombian regional and public university with environmental engineering undergraduates. The instruments for data collection were field notes, semi-structured…

The purpose of this research is to explore a new computer-based interactive learning approach to assess the impact on student learning and attitudes toward science in a large university ecology classroom. A comparison was done with an established program to measure the relative impact of the new approach. The first inquiry project, BearCam, gives…

Recent thinking in multicultural education can contribute to environmental education (EE) in culturally diverse societies. This article uses case studies of two minorities in Israel to illustrate the potential for bringing together these two areas of educational research that have developed significantly in recent years. After introducing the…

In this article, we present a mixed-methods study of 2 schools' elementary science programs including outdoor instruction specific to each school's culture. We explore fifth-grade students in measures of science knowledge, environmental attitudes, and outdoor comfort levels including gender and ethnic differences. We further examine students'…

Environmental experiences often engage learners and create an intention to act, which is then not followed through once the learner is removed from the environment. This study utilized an exploratory, interpretive framework with younger primary school classes to investigate if transfer of learning from field trip experiences "in" and…

This article examines the culminating activity--"la cosecha" or the harvest--in a yearlong project in which teachers at a bilingual afterschool program and staff from a citywide environmental advocacy group taught students to plant, harvest, and sell produce grown at the school site. The authors show how students are socialized to become…

Raising standards through inquiry-based science education (IBSE)--what are the challenges for pre-service teacher education? What do ongoing teachers and active teachers learn from each other when planning, conducting and evaluating minds-on and hands-on IBSE activities in the classroom? What do they learn "beyond" IBSE? The Bremen…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a ubiquitous problem-based learning system (UPBLS) on students' question-raising performance in field inquiry activities. An experiment was conducted on an elementary school natural science course. A total of 43 sixth and fifth grade elementary students divided into experienced and…

Integration of environmental issues in education is one approach to achieving sustainable development in Malawi and perhaps other countries. This paper analyses the integration initiatives in formal education including primary, secondary and university levels. The analysis is conducted with a view of identifying the successes and challenges. The…

The importance of addressing education for sustainable development (ESD) through technology education has been argued by a number of researchers; it appears increasingly in curriculum document statements; and some resources have been developed for use by teachers. However, when the concept of sustainable development is discussed within technology…

Co-written by a professor of philosophy and a practising primary school teacher, "Philosophy for Young Children" is a concise, practical guide for teachers. It contains detailed session plans for 36 philosophical enquiries--enough for a year's work--that have all been successfully tried, tested and enjoyed with young children from the age of three…