ENS 301.02:
How Environmental Education Programs have changed Students' Perceptions toward Sustainable Living
Brooklyn Chambers
Brooklyn Chambers
Introduction
Environmental education plays a significant role in fostering sustainable behaviors amongst students by increasing their awareness and understanding of environmental issues. Through the use of experiential, or hands-on learning initiatives, students can apply the knowledge and behaviors learned from environmental education courses to everyday practices, such as sustainable farming, community orientations and involvement, or environmental advocacy. These practices teach and motivate students to utilize sustainable skills, which overall contributes to the mitigation of ecological challenges, such as climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss.
Background Information
Environmental education programs amongst college institutions alter students’ perceptions toward sustainability, ultimately promoting environmental awareness that apply to their everyday life. Research concludes that students personal values and cognitive behaviors had dramatically increased toward pro-environmental aspects after taking a course on environmental conservation (Li, 2024). Research also states that support for environmentally friendly actions like recycling, composting, and public transportation had been promoted with greater engagement after students learned of the sustainability concepts (Whitley, 2018).
Environmental education programs that incorporate experiential learning and hands-on teaching methods are the most effective at adhering to students perceptions and values towards sustainable living. When students are able to apply the knowledge they've learned from inside the classroom to reality, and reflect on the activity in way to further understand the concept, it helps create more thoughtful and responsible citizens, improves academic performance and critical thinking, and inspires commitment to future activism (Payne, 2022).
Overall, engagement with environmental or sustainable organizations can influence students to participate in further environmental advocacy, altering their beliefs and values to be more environmentally conscious. Studies claim that students will develop attitudes and behaviors that will make them more concerned about the world around them if they participate in environmental education (Cui, 2023).
Theoretical Framework
The Value-Norm Belief Theory is a progression in which an individual develops a value, has their beliefs affirmed from an external experience, and then actively demonstrates behaviors or actions based on those values and beliefs (Stern, 1999).
Values
Egotistical Values
Values that reflect an individual's concern for the environment, both for its intrinsic worth and for personal benefit.
Biospheric Values
A sense of concern for the biosphere and other non-human species; a deep care for nature and the environment.
Altruistic Values
Values that reflect concern for the welfare and well-being of others.
Beliefs
New Ecological Paradigm
Worldview emphasizing the interconnectedness of humans and nature, recognizing the finite nature of resources, the vulnerability of ecosystems, and the need for sustainable practices to protect the environment and ensure the well-being of future generations.
Awareness of Consequence Adverse consequences for valued objects or the belief that environmental conditions will either improve to benefit everyone or worsen, causing harm to all, including other living species.
Ascription of Responsibility Perceived ability to reduce a threat; the conviction that an individual’s actions can either mitigate or prevent potential negative impacts on the environment (Canlas et al., 2022).
Personal Norms
The feeling of moral obligation to protect and preserve the environment.
Based on an individual's conscious reasoning and contemplation
Are often shaped from social norms, which are based on how other people think and act.
Behaviors
Environmental Activism and Support
Participating and engaging in environmental activism, policy support, community organizations, and other sustainable organizations.
Personal Pro Environmental and Sustainable Behaviors
Environmentally and sustainably friendly practices or products an individual uses in their everyday life, to support the mitigation of environmental concerns.
Public Pro Environmental and Sustainable Behaviors
Environmentally and sustainably friendly practices or organizations an individual publicly advocates for or supports
Research Question: How does environmental education influence later sustainable behavior amongst students?
When students understand the impact of human activity on our planet, like climate change, natural resource depletion and pollution, they are more likely to be motivated to mitigate these impacts (Mamun A, 2023). Through environmental education programs, students learn the importance of a sustainable environment, and they are motivated to work and inspire others towards a sustainable future.
References
Canlas, I. P., Karpudewan, M., & Mohamed Ali Khan, N. S. (2022). More than twenty years of value-belief-norm theory of environmentalism: What has been and yet to be done? Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education Vol. 18 Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.21601/ijese/11801
Cui, D. (2022). The Impact of College Students Environmental Education on Green Infrastructure . Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Yönetimi Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. Vol 29, Issue 3, pp. 196-215. 10.52152/kuey.v29i3.654
Li, Y., Yang, D., & Liu, S. (2024). The Impact of Environmental Education at Chinese Universities on College Students’ Environmental Attitudes. Sichuan Agricultural University. https://research.ebsco.com/c/6l5vh5/viewer/pdf/zhnsylk4nn
Mamun, A. A. (2023). Significance of the environmental value-belief-norm model and its relationship to green consumption among Chinese youth. Asia Pacific Management Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2023.10.002
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T. D., Guagnano, G., & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review Vol. 6 Issue 2 https://cedar.wwu.edu/hcop_facpubs/1/
Whitley, C. T., Takahashi, B., Zwickle, A., Besley, J. C., & Lertpratchya, A. P. (2018). Sustainability Behaviors among College Students: An Application of the VBN Theory. Environmental Education Research https://research.ebsco.com/c/6l5vh5/viewer/html/drybjez2k5