A training model for environmental educators and interpreters employed in Greek protected areas and ecotourism settings

Skanavis, Constantina; Giannoulis, Christos

doi:10.1080/13504500902919664

Cited by 26 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…A main goal of these programmes is to prepare students to be the future 'problem solvers' or 'change agents' (Leal Filho & Wright 2002;Blewitt & Cullingford 2004;Skanavis & Sarri 2004) by teaching them the right skills, knowledge and attitudes (also referred to as competencies). Many publications (Blewitt & Cullingford 2004;Skanavis & Giannoulis 2009;Jones et al 2010;Jerneck et al 2011;Spangenberg 2011;Wiek et al 2011; among others) stress that higher education in SD is vital in the transition towards sustainability. Moreover, they claim that the field is not using its full potential.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development: analysis of views on prerequisites and practices based on a worldwide survey

Vermeulen

Bootsma

Tijm

2014

International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ec

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The concept of sustainable development (SD) has highly been debated since it was presented 25 years ago, with 'hard science' approaches on one side and more process-oriented approaches on the other side. Academic teaching in SD has emerged in response to this in very different contexts, partly mirroring this academic debate. Some master's programmes in SD take a strong science approach, while other programmes focus on the process of implementing sustainability projects, sometimes connected with forms of action research and teaching. In this article, we identify diverse views on the concept of SD as well as views on most relevant modes of teaching. We discuss core competencies required for sustainability professionals in their working practices and we organise them in three main clusters: Know, Interact and Be (KIB). The article presents the results of a worldwide survey, which addresses these visions on the concept of SD, the capabilities needed for 'sustainable development professionals' and the teaching approach needed. The analysis is based on the responses of 54 lecturers and 287 students active in 34 SD master's programmes on all continents. The results of this worldwide survey are discussed. We observe in practice some gaps between preferences and practice. Looking at what both lecturers and students see as essential topics to address, some topics get relatively less attention (like the population issue). The identified core competencies (KIB) are supported and all addressed in practice, while the 'Be' competencies receive relatively less attention. Suggested consequences for academic teaching include a further matching of programmes with perceived needs and bridging the gap between the experienced teaching approaches in practice with such identified needs.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development: analysis of views on prerequisites and practices based on a worldwide survey

Vermeulen

Bootsma

Tijm

2014

International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ec

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, while specific guide training programs often conduct evaluations, as a field, interpretive guide training programs do not have standardized evaluation and assessment methods (Black & Ham, 2005;Skanavis & Giannoulis, 2009;Weiler & Ham, 2002). This lack of evaluation and resulting research constrains the improvement of current certification programs and hampers the development of new programs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the West Virginia Interpretive Guide Heritage Steward Program

Arbogast

Smaldone

Balcarczyk

2015

Journal of Interpretation Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

West Virginia University's Extension Service partnered with the Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources Program to offer an entry level certification opportunity to interpretive guides in West Virginia. The result of this partnership is the West Virginia Interpretive Guide Heritage Steward Program aimed at providing low-cost, widely available training course to guides throughout the state. The course is divided into two components—a set of online modules and an in-person skill assessment workshop. This exploratory study used a retrospective post-then-pre survey design to assess the course impact on participants’ beliefs related to the effectiveness of the course, as well as self-reported changes in interpretive competency. Results indicated the course was successful in increasing participant competence related to developing and delivering interpretive talks. This effective regionally based certification course is potentially a model that could be used to expand personal interpretive certification opportunities for guides.

show abstract

“…For a school gardening program to be truly effective, it must be tied to a comprehensive and cohesive educational plan or garden curriculum that is implemented across grade levels and ideally, tied to local, state or national education standards or needs (Desmond, 2004). Various aspects of the garden must connect to subjects that are already a part of the school's core subjects (Skanavis, 2009). Research has shown that school garden programs can be utilized as a vehicle for improving the health and well-being of youth and have the potential to go beyond strengthening the health behaviors of youth but to strengthen the entire school environment (Armstrong, 2000;Klemmer, Waliczek & Zajicek, 2005;Ozer, 2007;Peterson & Fox, 2007;.…”

Section: Implications For Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Gaining Consensus on Implementation, Sustainability, and Benefits of School Garden Programming in Washington, D.C.

Kipfer¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background/Purpose: Transforming school grounds into learning landscapes has gained unprecedented interest over the last 20 years and is primarily driven by the potential impact on the individual student, the family and school environments, and their surrounding communities. After passing landmark legislation and other health-focused initiatives (Healthy Schools Act, 2010), Washington, DC schools have experienced growing success with garden programming. DC's adoption of this act established a formal school garden program where currently 130 out of 233 (56%) schools have implemented a variety of programming. As the interest in school gardening grows, it is necessary to evaluate programs such as those in Washington, DC and examine the perceived critical factors and compare the results to the current literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the components of successful school garden start-up, key recommendations for program sustainability, and perceived benefits and impact of garden programming in Washington, DC. Methods: A total of 30 participants comprised of classroom teachers and school administrators, community partners, non-profit organization directors and staff, and garden coordinators participated in a 3-round Delphi Method followed by three minifocus groups and one interview were employed to explore school garden expert opinions regarding successful start-up, sustainability, and perceived benefits of school garden programming. Results: The results of this study indicate that there are particular factors that increase the chances of successful start-up and sustainability of school garden programs. The Delphi results supported by the focus groups indicated four inherent and interconnected themes for the success and sustainability of a school garden program including (a) resources, including funding, materials, and curriculum; (b) buy-in from all stakeholders; (c) education, including tying the garden to the school goals as well as providing training for teachers; and (d) support, specifically from a garden coordinator. The results indicated in both the Delphi and focus groups that there are three inherent interconnected themes regarding the potential benefits of a school garden program including (a) education/cooperative learning, (b) student self-worth, motivation, and community engagement, and (c) health and wellness. Conclusions: There is no universal model of school garden programming that can be applied to every community, but each community must design a plan that addresses the needs of their learners and educators. Although this study will not produce a recipe or blueprint for creating a certain type of school garden program, the hope is that the results of this study will energize and motivate practitioners and policymakers to make these programs a priority. The practices, ideas, and strategies being used in Washington, DC can also make a significant contribution to school garden programming, especially in low socioeconomic communities. Future research should include further investigation...

show abstract

A training model for environmental educators and interpreters employed in Greek protected areas and ecotourism settings

Cited by 26 publications

References 38 publications

Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development: analysis of views on prerequisites and practices based on a worldwide survey

Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development: analysis of views on prerequisites and practices based on a worldwide survey

Evaluating the West Virginia Interpretive Guide Heritage Steward Program

Gaining Consensus on Implementation, Sustainability, and Benefits of School Garden Programming in Washington, D.C.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About