Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the components of a sustainability transdisciplinary education model (STEM), a contemporary approach linking art, science, and community, that were developed to provide university and K-12 students, and society at large shared learning opportunities. The goals and application of the STEM curriculum…

We report on a study investigating the relationship between cognitive ability grouping, reflective inquiry scaffolding, and students' collaborative explanations of an ecosystem disturbance which took place when a number of flamingo birds died in a salt lake because of nearby intensive human activities. Twenty-six pairs of students from two intact…

This article connects world culture and local culture literatures to enhance understanding of educational globalization. Specifically, I examine the worldwide expansion of environmental education organizations (EEOs), which are important catalysts in promoting environmental education. I use a mixed-methods research design: (a) multivariate…

Snakes are controversial animals emblazoned by legends, but also endangered as a result of human prejudice and fear. The author investigated gender and age-related differences in attitudes to and knowledge of snakes comparing samples of school children and pre-service teachers. It was found that although pre-service teachers had better knowledge…

The NorthBay Adventure Center offers five-day residential programs that meld environmental and character education using experiential techniques and multi-media messaging. This article explores the influences of these programs on urban and non-urban middle-school participants in three areas: character development and leadership; environmental…

How do children relate to and interact with their natural and built environments? What opportunities in science are schools and other groups offering children to help their environmental encounters to be a positive and healthy--even enjoyable--experience? These are questions raised by the concept of "environmental education"--the…

This report is based on five years experience working with primary and secondary school teachers in Italy to develop organic farming as an activity for students. The tasks involved were intended to develop our students' environmental awareness, allow them to produce food organically and show that market gardening could be a productive hobby. In…

Climate change and sustainability are issues of global significance. While other education sectors have implemented education for sustainability for many years, the early childhood sector has been slow to take up this challenge. This position paper poses the question: Why has this sector been so slow to engage with sustainability? Explanations are…

In a climate of increased concern for the environment and its protection, teachers in disciplines as diverse as biology, microbiology, environmental studies, and environmental engineering may be seeking teaching materials and laboratory exercises that will enable them to introduce these new concepts into their classrooms and laboratories. The…

It can be argued that the environmental behaviors of conservation and natural resources professionals' may well serve as exemplars for the general public to emulate. Understanding the experiences and influences that shape the behaviors of individuals with contextual and empirical knowledge about desirable and beneficial conservation practices can…

In 2000 the National Water Quality program (USDA-CSREES) was refocused to provide water resources education to citizens on a regional basis. The Pacific Northwest--consisting of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington--comprises one of these regions. Even though the Pacific Northwest appears to be a relatively homogeneous region, there are large…

Over the past four decades, numerous professionals in the field of environmental education (EE) have attempted to take stock of conditions within and outside of EE. In turn, many used the results of their analyses to describe challenges to and opportunities for EE. Many of these challenges and opportunities continue to ring true today, although…

In 1990, Congress passed the National Environmental Education Act, thereby charging the United States Environmental Protection Agency with providing national leadership to increase environmental literacy. Since the first appropriation in 1992, almost $100M has been spent to increase the public's awareness of environmental issues; nevertheless, the…

The Japanese government provided various political opportunities for non-governmental groups and individuals in Japan to "jointly propose" policy on education and sustainable development at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002. These opportunities resulted in the emergence of the Japanese education for…

Dead zones--areas experiencing low levels of dissolved oxygen--are growing in shallow ocean waters around the world. Research has shown that dead zones form as a result of a specific type of pollution, called nutrient enrichment or eutrophication, and are found in almost every coastal zone where humans have large populations. Concepts related to…