Field Ecology : Learning the Nature of Science in Outdoor Environmental Education
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| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
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| Description | The pandemic situation and the climate crisis highlighted the need for trust in science in contemporary society. The emergence of conspiratorial theories that spread on social networks may be considered among the causes of climate skepticism and the anti-vax movement. In this light, promoting understanding of the nature of science seems to be one of the most salient goals of education in the twenty-first century. Due to its roots in science education, outdoor environmental education may contribute to meeting this goal. The Field Ecology Program, which is offered by the Kaprálův Mlýn Scout Environmental Education Centre located in the Moravian Karst area of the Czech Republic, combines development of basic natural history concepts with inquiry-based education. The Program activities gradually build up students’ knowledge and skills, culminating in a research project on a real-world local environmental problem. The specifics of the karst landscape and the impact of global warming set the scene for the development of students’ skills. This chapter places the Program in the context of the development of outdoor environmental education programs in the Czech Republic. Experience gained from about 100 courses is discussed, along with a rigorous evaluation of the Program. The evaluation confirmed a positive effect of the Program on students’ understanding of the nature of science. The case study provides an example of how an outdoor environmental education program can effectively merge traditional and new approaches to meet some of the challenges of contemporary society. |
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