Bringing Environmental Identity Research into the Classroom Context

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dc.contributor.advisorShanahan, Marie-Claire
dc.contributor.authorSimms, Wendy
dc.contributor.committeememberAlonso-Yanez, Gabriela
dc.contributor.committeememberShapiro, Bonnie
dc.contributor.committeememberLock, Jennifer
dc.contributor.committeememberVarelas, Maria
dc.date.accessioned2017-09-29T18:52:03Z
dc.date.available2017-09-29T18:52:03Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.date.submitted2017en
dc.description.abstractThe problem guiding this doctoral research is that present-day science education does not always promote the action or ‘citizenry’ required to address local and global environmental problems. The question guiding this research, presented across three manuscripts, is how can environmental identity development be fostered in students learning within the classroom context? A theoretical review of the environmental identity literature revealed that multiple interpretations of environmental identity exist, which varied in the significance given to the social context within which identities develop. Social network analysis revealed that Clayton's (2003) interpretation of environmental identity, emphasizing emotional connections to nature and the physical context, has greatly influenced the research. However, this interpretation of environmental identity may be inappropriate for the highly social classroom context. A case study of an in-school sustainability program called Trash to Treasure (T2T) was used to qualitatively explore environmental identity development in students. Participant observations, group interviews, reflective journals, and student artifacts from 35 focus participants were collected. Eight dimensions of student environmental identity development were identified during the T2T program: the opportunity to be an environmental actor with peers, awareness of environmental threat, emotion, personal meaning, social and self-recognition for environmental action, perceived individual agency, and changed behaviour across social contexts. A framework is offered to represent how these dimensions might interact if the desired outcome is fostering a student’s capacity to take environmental action learned at school into other social contexts. The key element appears to be designing activities that provide time and space for reflection on environmental identity actions. A second case study focused more closely on how three students reflected on the T2T experiences. Inquiry reflection, emotional reflection and critical reflection all contributed to environmental identity, however critical self-reflection was notably absent. Five design strategies are offered to support educators: (1) class participation in citizen science to extend the reach of environmental action beyond school, (2) extending inquiry reflection to include problem solving, (3) creating ‘safe learning spaces’ for emotional reflection and identity navigation, (4) extending critical reflection/thinking to include critical self-reflection, and (5) supporting the ‘thickening’ of student environmental identities beyond the classroom.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSimms, W. (2017). Bringing Environmental Identity Research into the Classroom Context (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25167en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25167
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/4182
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEducation--Elementary
dc.subjectEducation--Sciences
dc.subjectEnvironmental Sciences
dc.subject.otherEnvironmental
dc.subject.otherIdentity
dc.subject.othereducation
dc.subject.othersustainability
dc.subject.othersocial
dc.subject.othernetwork
dc.subject.otheranalysis
dc.subject.otherqualitative
dc.subject.otherreflection
dc.titleBringing Environmental Identity Research into the Classroom Context
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducational Research
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education (EdD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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