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Social Ecology as Education

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The Socioecological Educator

Abstract

This chapter presents the historical and foundational elements of social ecology as it relates to physical and health education, outdoor and environmental education. Four foundational concepts central to the socio-ecological educator are introduced, namely: (a) lived experience, (b) place, (c) experiential pedagogies and (d) agency and participation. While socio-ecological models exist in diverse disciplines, our purpose is to introduce readers to an interdisciplinary philosophy and pedagogical approach that specifically considers the potential of social ecology to education. In doing so we acknowledge that a social ecology for education exists across multiple levels, embracing a broad array of social, cultural, environmental and geographical influences that shape individuals, identities, family, policies and the environment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, McMahon’s Road, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia

    Trent Brown & Ruth Jeanes

  2. School of Education, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Amy Cutter-Mackenzie

Authors
  1. Trent Brown
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  2. Ruth Jeanes
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  3. Amy Cutter-Mackenzie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Trent Brown .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

    Brian Wattchow

  2. Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

    Ruth Jeanes

  3. Monash University, Frankston, Australia

    Laura Alfrey

  4. Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

    Trent Brown

  5. Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Amy Cutter-Mackenzie

  6. Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

    Justen O'Connor

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Brown, T., Jeanes, R., Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2014). Social Ecology as Education. In: Wattchow, B., Jeanes, R., Alfrey, L., Brown, T., Cutter-Mackenzie, A., O'Connor, J. (eds) The Socioecological Educator. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7167-3_2

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