Environmental identity formation in nonformal environmental education programs

Nonformal environmental education programs support development of environmental identity

Williams, C.C., Chawla, L., (2016). Environmental identity formation in nonformal environmental education programs. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 978-1001.

Forest gardens – New opportunities for urban children to understand and develop relationships with other organisms

Forest gardens have the potential to connect children emotionally and cognitively to other organisms

Askerlund, P., Almers, E., (2016). Forest gardens – New opportunities for urban children to understand and develop relationships with other organisms. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

Young people’s cognitive achievement as fostered by hands-on-centred environmental education

Direct experiences with nature and hands-on follow-up activities can foster students’ cognitive achievement

Dieser, O., Bogner, F.X., (2016). Young people’s cognitive achievement as fostered by hands-on-centred environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 943-957.

Environmental education excursions and proximity to urban green space – Densification in a ‘compact city’

Green spaces in close proximity to schools stimulate environmental education fieldwork

Wolsink, M., (2016). Environmental education excursions and proximity to urban green space – Densification in a ‘compact city’. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 1049-1071.

Integrated animal-assisted and plant-assisted ecotherapy for preschool children with speech disturbances: A program for the Arctic

A program integrating animal- and plant- assisted therapy has multiple benefits for young children with speech problems

Kalashnikova, I.V., Oksana, B.G., Zhirov, V.K., Kalashnikov, A.O., (2016). Integrated animal-assisted and plant-assisted ecotherapy for preschool children with speech disturbances: A program for the Arctic. Ecopsychology, 8(2), 79-88.

Young students’ aesthetic experiences and meaning-making processes in an outdoor environmental school practice

Aesthetic experiences play a vital role in meaning-making processes in outdoor learning

Manni, A., Ottander, C., Sporre, K., (2016). Young students’ aesthetic experiences and meaning-making processes in an outdoor environmental school practice. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

Family learning outdoors: Guided participation on a nature walk

Study suggests adopting an expanded view of what counts as an informal science learning institution

Zimmerman, H.T., McClain, L.R., (2016). Family learning outdoors: Guided participation on a nature walk. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(6), 919-942.

Infant and toddler responses to a redesign of their childcare outdoor play space

The greening of an outdoor playspace led to an increase in the variety and level of infants’ and toddlers’ movement and physical activity

Morrissey, A-M, Scott, C., Wishart, L., (2015). Infant and toddler responses to a redesign of their childcare outdoor play space. Children, Youth & Environments, 25(1), 29-56.

Bringing nature to schools to promote children’s physical activity

Physical activity in schools will be enhanced when children have more opportunities for engaging with nature-related features

Sharma-Brymer, V., Bland, D., (2016). Bringing nature to schools to promote children’s physical activity. Sports Medicine, 46, 955-962.

Social justice, place, and equitable science education: Broadening urban students’ opportunities to learn

Equitable science instruction increases minority students’ science knowledge and interest

Leonard, J., Chamberlin, S.A., Johnson, J.B., Verma, G., (2016). Social justice, place, and equitable science education: Broadening urban students’ opportunities to learn. Urban Review, 48, 355-379.

Weather worlding: Learning with the elements in early childhood

Learning in and with the weather rather than about the weather is proposed as a new approach in early childhood environmental education

Rooney, T., (2018). Weather worlding: Learning with the elements in early childhood. Environmental Education Research, 24(1), 1-12.

Going, doing, gardening: School gardens in the underrepresented communities of LakeWorth, Palm Springs, and Greenacres, Florida

Garden programs positively influenced students’ and teachers’ lives in an impoverished community

Wagenfeld, A., Whitfield, E., (2015). Going, doing, gardening: School gardens in the underrepresented communities of LakeWorth, Palm Springs, and Greenacres, Florida. Children, Youth and Environments, 25(1), 119-131.

Young children’s ideas about environment: Perspectives from three early childhood educational settings

Study finds environmental sustainability education effective with young children

Madden, L., Liang, J., (2017). Young children’s ideas about environment: Perspectives from three early childhood educational settings. Environmental Education Research, 23(8), 1055-1071.

An Australian perspective of a forest school: Shaping a sense of place to support learning

A forest school approach promotes a sense of self, belonging, and relational connections

Cumming, F., Nash, M., (2015). An Australian perspective of a forest school: Shaping a sense of place to support learning. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 15(4), 296-309.

Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools: An updated national population survey

National survey update shows an increase in udeskole (outdoor learning) in Denmark schools

Barford, K., Ejbye-Ernst, N., Mygind, L., Bentsen, P., (2016). Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools: An updated national population survey. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 277-281.

Agencies, educators, communities and wildfire: Partnerships to enhance environmental education for youth,

Community-school partnerships help students gain environmental knowledge, action competence, community skills, and efficacy, while helping partner agencies meet their goals

Monroe, M.C., Ballard, H.L., Oxarart, A., Sturtevant, V.E., Jakes, P.J., Evans, E.R., (2016). Agencies, educators, communities and wildfire: Partnerships to enhance environmental education for youth,. Environmental Education Research, 22(8), 1098-1114.

Measuring social capital among youth: Applications in environmental education

Researchers develop an instrument for measuring youth social capital outcomes with relevance for environmental education

Krasny, M.E., Kalbacker, L., Stedman, R.C., Russ, A., (2015). Measuring social capital among youth: Applications in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 21(1), 1-23.

Using mobile technology to engage children with nature

A mobile application proved effective in connecting children to nature

Crawford, M.R., Holder, M.D., O’Connor, B.P., (2017). Using mobile technology to engage children with nature. Environment and Behavior, 49(9), 959-984.

Effect of the Israeli “Green Schools” reform on pupils’ environmental attitudes and behavior

Intensity level of EE programs affects the environmental behavior results

Shay-Margalit, B., Rubin, O.D., (2017). Effect of the Israeli “Green Schools” reform on pupils’ environmental attitudes and behavior. Society & Natural Resources, 30(1), 112-128.

Nurturing environmental stewards through preschool physical design

Report provides guidance on how preschools can be used to nurture environmental stewards among Malaysian children

Shaari, M.F., Ahmad, S.S., Ismail, I.S., (2016). Nurturing environmental stewards through preschool physical design. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 1(3), 9-10.

School grounds as a resource of green space to increase child-plant contact

School grounds have potential for, but are currently underutilized as, resources for child-plant interaction

Akoumianaki-Ioannidou, A., Paraskevopoulou, A.T., Tachou, V., (2016). School grounds as a resource of green space to increase child-plant contact. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 375-386.

Children's use of iPads in outdoor environmental education programs

Students showed more interest in nature than in mobile devices during an outdoor environmental education experience

Kacoroski, J., Liddicoat, K.R., Kerlin, S., (2016). Children's use of iPads in outdoor environmental education programs. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 15(4), 301-311.

School gardens and adolescent nutrition and BMI: Results from a national, multilevel study

High school students, especially students living in poverty, benefit from access to school gardens

Utter, J., Denny, S., Dyson, B., (2016). School gardens and adolescent nutrition and BMI: Results from a national, multilevel study. Preventive Medicine, 83, 1-4.

How is high school greenness related to students' restoration and health?

High school greenness can help students recover from stress

Akpinar, A., (2016). How is high school greenness related to students' restoration and health?. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 16, 1-8.

Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature families with preschool children. Evaluation of pilot study "Play&Grow"

A pilot study using nature-related activities to address obesity offers support for more rigorous research

Sobko, T., Jia, Z., Kaplan, M., Lee, A., Tseng, C-h., (2016). Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature families with preschool children. Evaluation of pilot study "Play&Grow". Pediatric Research, 81, 572-581.

Opening garden gates: Teachers make meaning of school gardens in Havana and Philadelphia

Teachers in Havana and Philadelphia use opportunities through schools and the social context to legitimate marginalized garden-based learning

Bucher, K., (2017). Opening garden gates: Teachers make meaning of school gardens in Havana and Philadelphia. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 12-21.

Environmental action and student environmental leaders: Exploring the influence of environmental attitudes, locus of control, and sense of personal responsibility

Predictors of pro-environmental behavior in adults overlap with, but aren’t the same, as predictors of environmental action in youth

Ernst, J., Blood, N., Beery, T., (2017). Environmental action and student environmental leaders: Exploring the influence of environmental attitudes, locus of control, and sense of personal responsibility. Environmental Education Research, 23(2), 149-175.

Exploring the benefits of school gardening for children in Taiwan and identifying the factors influencing these benefits

Multiple factors contribute to the benefits and highlight the unique characteristics of gardening with children

Chang, Y-Y, Su, W-C, Tang, I-C, Chang, C-Y, (2016). Exploring the benefits of school gardening for children in Taiwan and identifying the factors influencing these benefits. HortTechnology, 26(6), 783-792.

Children and nature in Tukum Village: Indigenious education and biophilia

Educational experiences of indigenous children promote biophilia and environmental awareness

Profice, C., Santos, G.M., dos Anjos, N.A., (2016). Children and nature in Tukum Village: Indigenious education and biophilia. Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior, 4(6)

Critical caring for people and place

A teacher’s authentic caring played a critical role in how students related to their environmental learning experiences.

Schindel, A., Tolbert, S., (2017). Critical caring for people and place. The Journal of Environmental Education, 48(1), 26-34.

Green inclusion: Biophilia as a necessity

Environmental education promotes the inclusion of children with special needs and addresses their biophilic needs

Stavrianos, A., (2016). Green inclusion: Biophilia as a necessity. British Journal of Special Education, 43(4), 416-429.

Children and nature: Following the trail to environmental attitudes and behavior

Decades of research points to connection between childhood time in nature and environmental attitudes

Wells, N. M., Lekies, K. S., (2012). Children and nature: Following the trail to environmental attitudes and behavior. In: J. Dickinson and R. Bonney (Eds.) Citizen Science: public collaboration in environmental research. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press., 201 - 213.

An ethnographic comparison of real and virtual reality field trips to Trillium Trail: The salamander find as a salient event

Real field trips provide better overall learning environments than virtual field trips

Harrington, M. C. R., (2009). An ethnographic comparison of real and virtual reality field trips to Trillium Trail: The salamander find as a salient event. Children, Youth and Environments, 19(1), 74-101.

Development and validation of two scales to measure elaboration and behaviors associated with stewardship in children

Newly-developed assessment tools show high potential for evaluating the outcomes of environmental education programs

Vezeau, S.L., Powell, R.B., Stern, M.J., Moore, D.D., Wright, B.A., (2017). Development and validation of two scales to measure elaboration and behaviors associated with stewardship in children. Environmental Education Research, 23(2), 192-213.

The child in the garden: An evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening

School gardens positively impact children's learning and behavior

Blair, D., (2009). The child in the garden: An evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. Journal of Environmental Education, 40(2), 15-38.

Assessment of outdoor school environments and physical activity in Ankara's primary schools

Schoolyard size and landscape quality influence children's satisfaction and weight

Ozdemir, A., Yilmaz, O., (2008). Assessment of outdoor school environments and physical activity in Ankara's primary schools. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(3), 287-300.

Youth day in Los Angeles: Evaluating the role of technology in children's nature activities

Technology may help engage children in outdoor activities in nature

Chavez, D. J., (2009). Youth day in Los Angeles: Evaluating the role of technology in children's nature activities. Children, Youth and Environments, 19(1), 102-124.

The impact of direct and indirect experiences on the development of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior

Direct nature experiences are important for changing environmental attitudes and behavior

Duerden, M. D., Witt, P. A., (2010). The impact of direct and indirect experiences on the development of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 379-392.

Biodiverse or barren school grounds: Their effects on children

Green schoolyards provide rich play environments

Samborski, S., (2010). Biodiverse or barren school grounds: Their effects on children. Children, Youth and Environments, 20(2), 67-115.

Effects of an environmental education program on the environmental orientations of children from different gender, age, and ethnic groups

Non-formal outdoor environmental education programs can improve children's environmental orientations

Larson, L. R., Castleberry, S. B., Green, G. T., (2010). Effects of an environmental education program on the environmental orientations of children from different gender, age, and ethnic groups. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 28(3), 95-113.

Biocentric reasoning in children: Implications in science and environmental education

Children express biocentric perspectives despite little exposure to animals in natural areas

Almedia, A., Strecht-Ribeiro, O., Vasconcelos, C., (2011). Biocentric reasoning in children: Implications in science and environmental education. Proceedings of the ESERA 2011 Conference: Science Learning and Citizenship., 8, 121 - 126.

Experience in local urban wildlife research enhances a conservation education programme with school children

Nature-based experiences with academic mentors in urban environments enhances students' awareness and interest

Awasthy, M., Popovic, A. Z., Linklater, W. L., (2012). Experience in local urban wildlife research enhances a conservation education programme with school children. Pacific Conservation Biology, 18(1), 41 - 46.

The nature of udeskole: Outdoor learning theory and practice in Danish schools

Outdoor education in the context of Danish "udeskole" provides insights into best practices and practical challenges

Bensten, P., Jensen, F. S., (2012). The nature of udeskole: Outdoor learning theory and practice in Danish schools. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 12(3), 199 - 219.

Promoting science outdoor activities for elementary school children: Contributions from a research laboratory

Children enjoy, but could use more practice with, nature-based scientific research

Boaventura, D., Faria, C., Chagas, I., Galvãoc, C., (2013). Promoting science outdoor activities for elementary school children: Contributions from a research laboratory. International Journal of Science Education, 35(5), 796 - 814.

Effects of integrating garden-based learning and E-learning into life education

Garden-based learning strengthens student's life learning and positive attitudes

Chen, M.L., Lou, S., Shih, R., (2013). Effects of integrating garden-based learning and E-learning into life education. Life Science Journal, 10(2), 2048 - 2057.

Moulding urban children towards environmental stewardship: the Table Mountain National Park experience

Participation in short-term nature-based learning activities promotes positive environmental attitudes for urban children

Ferreira, S., (2012). Moulding urban children towards environmental stewardship: the Table Mountain National Park experience. Environmental Education Research, 18(2), 251 - 270.

Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education

Age and academic level may predict children's connectedness to nature and the success of environmental education in enhancing connectedness

Lieflander, A., Frohlich, G., Bogner, F. X., Schultz, P. W., (2013). Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 19(3), 370 - 384.

Use of the outdoor classroom and nature-study to support science and literacy learning: A narrative case study of a third-grade classroom

Nature provides a meaningful context for integrated science and literacy learning and contributes to student achievement on standardized tests

Eick, C. J., (2012). Use of the outdoor classroom and nature-study to support science and literacy learning: A narrative case study of a third-grade classroom. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23(7), 789 - 803.

Urban environmental education: Leveraging technology and ecology to engage students in studying the environment

Science self-efficacy and environmental stewardship of high school students improved through participation in an intensive summer urban ecology program

Barnett, M., Vaughn, M., Strauss, E., Cotter, L., (2011). Urban environmental education: Leveraging technology and ecology to engage students in studying the environment. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 20(3), 199 - 214.

The REAL team: A cooperative student training program in rapid ecological assessment

Ecological internship program is model for valuable educational and work experience

Farnsworth, E. J., Holsinger, K. E., Mehrhoff, L. J., Murray, N., Preston, J., Silander, J. A., (2001). The REAL team: A cooperative student training program in rapid ecological assessment. BioScience, 51(10), 874-879.