Looking Long-Term: Do Environmental Education Programs Have Lasting Impacts on Perceptions of Nature?
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Date
2013-08
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Environmental education seeks to develop a population that is concerned about the environment and its associated problems, and which is dedicated to solving these issues. Much of prior research has focused on the short-term success of environmental education programs for youth, and there has been little attention paid to whether these experiences have lasting effects into adulthood. This study focuses on youth involvement in organized environmental education opportunities through non-school and school-based programs and environmental perceptions as young adults. The data used in this study were collected through an online survey of university students (N=927). This preliminary analysis indicates there are slight positive impacts of youth participation in environmental education efforts on individuals' environmental perceptions of nature. These findings suggest that further evaluation of the long-term impacts of environmental education is crucial so that formal and informal programs and efforts can be more intentionally developed to engage young people in the environment in life-long, meaningful ways.
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Keywords
environmental education, nature experience, perceptions, youth