Skip to main content

Environmental Learning and Categories of Interest: Exploring Modes of Participation and Learning in a Conservation NGO

  • Chapter
Participation and Learning
  • 8129 Accesses

This chapter explores ideas of participation by considering some of the issues surrounding frameworks for environmental learning. We begin by reviewing a recent analysis of a range of categories of interest in environmental learning. This indicates that the people and groups who promote or encourage environmental learning can have widely differing assumptions about both its purposes and processes, and about participation by learners in both their learning and thence in any social action they might take. We develop this analysis by examining how that which might be expected of the learner and the teacher/instructor in such environmental learning processes, and in ensuant participatory social and/or environmental change, can vary markedly across categories.

Keywords environmental learning, categories of interest, participation, conservation NGOs

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Braybrooke, D. (1987) Philosophy of Social Science. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • CEE (1997) The Aims of Biodiversity Education. Reading, MA: Council for Environmental Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Devall, B. and Sessions, G. (1985) Deep Ecology: Living As If Nature Mattered. Salt Lake City, UT: Peregrine Smith.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fien, J. (1993) Education for the Environment: Critical Curriculum Theorising and Environmental Education. Geelong: Deakin University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fien, J., Scott, W.A.H., and Tilbury, D. (2001) Education and conservation: lessons from an evaluation. Environmental Education Research, 7, 4: 379–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, J., Grove-White, R., Scott, W.A.H., and Gough, S.R. (2004) Aiming for Sustainability–Can We Keep on Track? A Note on Indicators, Uncertainty and the ‘capital’ Model in Sustainable Development. Lancaster University: Institute for Environment, Philosophy and Public Policy [produced as part of the ESRC Environment and Human Behaviour Programme, www.psi.org.uk/ehb].

  • Foster, J. (2005) Options, sustainability policy and the spontaneous order. Environmental Education Research, 11, 1: 135–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough, S.R. and Scott, W.A.H. (2005) Promoting environmental citizenship through learning: towards a theory of change. In: Dobson, A. and Bell, D. (eds), Environmental Citizenship: Getting from Here to There. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 263–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, P. (2002) Country focus: outdoor education in Scotland. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2, 2: 149–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huckle, J. (1993) Environmental education and sustainability: a view from critical theory. In: Fien, J. (ed), Environmental Education: A Pathway to Sustainability, Geelong, Australia: Deakin University Press, pp. 43–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungerford, H. and Volk, T. (1990) Changing learner behaviour through environmental education. Journal of Environmental Education, 21, 3: 8–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kollmus, A. and Agyeman, J. (2002) Mind the gap: why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behaviour? Environmental Education Research, 8, 3: 239–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J. (1979) Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundholm, C. (2004) Case studies–exploring students’ meanings and elaborating learning theories. Environmental Education Research, 10, 1: 115–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie-Mohr, D. and Smith, W. (1999) Fostering Sustainable Behaviour: An Introduction to Community-based Social Marketing. Gabrioloa Island, BC: New Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikel, J. (2005) Ascribing Responsibility: A Three-country Study of Student–Teachers’ Understanding(s) of Education, Sustainable Development, and ESD. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Bath.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norgaard, R.B. (1984) Coevolutionary agricultural development. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 32, 2: 525–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norgaard, R.B. (1994) Development Betrayed: The End of Progress and a Coevolutionary Revisioning of the Future. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen, A. (1999) Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen, A. (2002) Rationality and Freedom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W.A.H. and Reid, A.D. (2001) Exploring our responsibilities: a critical commentary on education, sustainability and learning. Environmental Education, 66: 23–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W.A.H. and Gough, S.R. (2003a) Sustainable Development and Learning: Framing the Issues. London/New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W.A.H. and Gough, S.R. (2003b) Categorizing environmental learning. NAAEE Communicator, 33, 1: 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterling, S. (2001) Sustainable Education: Re-visioning Learning and Change. Totness: Green Books (on behalf of the Schumacher Society).

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Matre, S. and Weiler, B. (1983) The Earth Speaks a Powerful Tribute to Our Home in Space. Greenville, West Virginia: The Institute for Earth Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wildlife Organisations UK Office (2001) Wildlife Organisations’ People and Wildlife Policy Statement. Newark: UK Wildlife Organisations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E.O. (1975) Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Scott, W., Gough, S. (2008). Environmental Learning and Categories of Interest: Exploring Modes of Participation and Learning in a Conservation NGO. In: Reid, A., Jensen, B.B., Nikel, J., Simovska, V. (eds) Participation and Learning. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6416-6_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics