Table Of ContentEnvironmental Discourses in Science Education
Giuliano Reis
Jeff Scott Editors
International
Perspectives on the
Theory and Practice
of Environmental
Education: A Reader
123
Environmental Discourses in Science Education
Volume 3
Series Editors
Michael P. Mueller, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Deborah J. Tippins, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
Editorial Board
Caren Cooper, NC State University, USA
Mariona Espinet Blanch, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
David A. Greenwood, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
Maria Rivera Maulucci, Barnard College, New York, NY, USA
Elizabeth McKinley, University of Melbourne, Australia
Clayton Pierce, Western Washington University, USA
Giuliano Reis, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Arthur J. Stewart, ORAU, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Michiel van Eijck, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands (1968–2014)
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/11800
Giuliano Reis • Jeff Scott
Editors
International Perspectives
on the Theory and Practice
of Environmental Education:
A Reader
Editors
Giuliano Reis Jeff Scott
Faculty of Education School of Education
University of Ottawa Nipissing University
Ottawa, ON, Canada North Bay, ON, Canada
ISSN 2352-7307 ISSN 2352-7315 (electronic)
Environmental Discourses in Science Education
ISBN 978-3-319-67731-6 ISBN 978-3-319-67732-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67732-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017958138
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
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Book Abstract
Overall, environmental education (EE) has been aimed at giving people a wider
appreciation of the diversity of cultural and environmental systems around them as
well as the urge to overcome existing problems. Indeed, universities, schools and
community-based organizations struggle to promote sustainable environmental
education practices geared towards the development of ecologically literate citizens
in light of surmountable challenges of hyperconsumerism, environmental depletion
and socioeconomic inequality. The extent that individuals within educational sys-
tems are expected to effectively respond to—as well as benefit from—the collective
demand for a “greener” and more just world becomes paramount with the vision
and analysis of different successes and challenges embodied by EE efforts world-
wide. These insights and theoretical perspectives expand the creative commons (i.e.
shared social imagination) available for educators worldwide when designing and
implementing contextually situated (yet globally relevant and innovative) EE initia-
tives. In sum, this book shares conceptually and empirically grounded critical per-
spectives on the conceptualization, implementation, discourses, policies and
alternative practices of environmental education for diverse and unique groups of
learners in a variety of international educational settings. Each contribution is orga-
nized by the various regions of the planet (i.e. continents) and offers insights on the
authors’ own processes of reimagining an education in/about/for the environment
that are realized through their teaching, research and other ways of “doing” EE. In
addition, every section provides theoretical and practical scholarship detailing spe-
cific frameworks that support and orient research and practices from a multiplicity
of angles. This book is intended to foster conversations amongst researchers, teacher
educators, schoolteachers and community leaders in order to promote new interna-
tional collaborations around current and potential forms of environmental educa-
tion. It is also a means to envision new teaching and research agendas for an
education for sustainable development and sustainability.
v
Endorsements
This book reflects many successful international projects and perspectives on the theory
and praxis of environmental education. An eclectic mix of international scholars challenge
environmental educators to engage issues of reconciliation of correspondences and differ-
ence across regions. In their own ways, authors stimulate critical conversations that seem
pivotal for necessary reimaginings of research and pedagogy across the grain of cultural
and ecological realities, systematic barriers and reconceptualizations of environmental
education. The book is most encouraging in that it works to expand the creative commons
for progress in teaching, researching and doing environmental education in desperate
times. – Paul Hart, Professor of Science and Environmental Education at the University of
Regina (Canada), Melanson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental and
Outdoor Education (Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association) and
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)’s Jeske Award for
Leadership and Service to the Field of EE and Outstanding Contributions to Research in
EE.
In an attempt to overcome simplistic and fragmented views of doing environmental educa-
tion in both formal and informal settings, the collected authors from several countries/
continents present a wealth of cultural, social, political, artistic, pedagogical and ethical
perspectives that enrich our vision on the theoretical and practical foundations of the field.
A remarkable book that I suggest all environmental educators, teacher educators and policy
and curricular writers read and present to their students in order to foster dialogue around
innovative ways of experiencing an education about/in/for the environment. – Rute
Monteiro, Professor of Science Education, University of Algarve (Portugal).
vii
© 2017 Giuliano Reis (personal archive)
Art by: Maria-Luiza Reis
ix
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the office of the vice-dean of research (Faculty of Education,
University of Ottawa) for the invaluable financial support offered to this editorial
project during the mandates of Dr. Raymond Leblanc and Dr. Stéphane Lévesque.
We extend our thanks to Diandra Singh for her excellent assistance in copy-editing
the chapters and Eugenia Vasilopoulos for her work on the original book proposal
submitted to the publisher.
We also would like to thank our families for the encouragement provided along
the way and for always reminding us that there is more to life than work. Finally, a
heartfelt thanks is given to Mike Muller for the vital mentorship dispensed through-
out the many steps of the project.
xi
Contents
1 Environmental Education: Nurturing a Relationship with
Everything, Everywhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Giuliano Reis, Jeff Scott, and Mira Freiman
Part I Environmental Education and Teacher Education
2 Understanding Ecojustice Education as a Praxis of Environmental
Reconciliation: Teacher Education, Indigenous Knowledges,
and Relationality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Jesse K. Butler, Nicholas Ng-A-Fook, Rita Forte, Ferne McFadden,
and Giuliano Reis
3 Reimagining Environmental Education as Artistic Practice . . . . . . . 33
Hilary Inwood and Elizabeth Ashworth
4 Integration, Inquiry and Interpretation: A Learning Garden
Alternative Placement and Eco-mentorship Program for
Pre-service Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Kelly Young and Darren Stanley
5 Embedding Environmental Sustainability in a Predominantly
Online Teacher Education Programme: Ways to Contextualise
Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Deborah Prescott
Part II Environmental Education Outside Walls
6 Educating for Student Agency: Perspectives from Young
Eco-civic Leaders in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Lisa Glithero
xiii
