Development and Pilot-Testing of a Model Residential Environmental Education Curriculum Infusing Cross-cultural Perspectives

Abstract

This study concerns the development and pilot-testing of a model curriculum for residential environmental education that infuses cross-cultural perspectives. Diverse cultural ideas and activities regarding human relationships with the natural environment were presented to a group of middle school students using a curriculum developed by the researcher. The curriculum was pilot-tested in a one-week long residential environmental education program using five experimental instructor/student groups and four control groups. Students were pre and posttested on their familiarity with diverse cultural ideas about the environment and on their degree of concurrence with 17 value statements about cultures, learning, and the environment. Observations of instructors and students participating in the pilot-testing of the model curriculum were made. Interviews with instructors took place during and following the administration of the experimental curriculum. Results showed statistically significant changes on five items of the pre and posttest for the Treatment Group, while no changes were seen in the Control Group. Changes included: 1) An increase in student abilities to identify diverse cultural beliefs about the environment;2) An increase in student self-assessment about their knowledge of diverse cultural beliefs about the environment; 3) An increase in student self-assessment about their knowledge of diverse cultures; and 4) An increase in the degree to which student's felt they had learned valuable information about understanding the environment from diverse cultures. In accordance with expectations from previous research, no changes were seen in student attitudes. Data from observations and interviews with instructors were analyzed and improvements to the model curriculum were suggested. Recommendations for the future use and evaluation of the model curriculum were also made.