Exploring the Effect of Environmental Programs on Primary School Pupils’ Knowledge and Connectedness Toward Nature

Abstract

In recent years, environmental education has focused on developing pupils’ knowledge of the natural environment rather than enhancing their connectedness with nature, which could have a greater contribution to addressing the environmental problems caused by human activity. This study explores the impact of an environmental education program on participants’ nature connectedness using Schultz’s Inclusion of Nature in Self emotional scale (INS). The analysis of data collected from 283 primary school students indicated the positive effect of outdoor activities on pupils’ knowledge and awareness. In addition, it was found that students with previous experience of environmental education programs tend to feel more connected with nature but also retain the knowledge obtained compared to other students.

Raising effective awareness for circular economy and sustainability concepts through students' involvement in a virtual enterprise

“…Moreover, these interventions impact students' orientation toward sustainability (Kiely et al, 2021) and their water-saving practices independent of external factors at the secondary-education level (Keramitsoglou and Tsagarakis, 2011). Systematic and repetitive theoretical and practical interventions and the creation of an appropriate social context in school could allow the building of behaviors toward a circular and sustainable future (Carbonell-Alcocer et al, 2022;Kosta et al, 2022). Concentrating on the teachers' observations of students' actions and how they solve problems by thinking creatively, the documents, the final products of students' work in the context of the virtual circular enterprise, and what they expressed orally in the interviews, the acquisition of soft skills and particularly the development of collaboration, cultivation of creativity, and the interdisciplinary approach were considered core gains.…”

Environmental education using SARITHA-Apps to enhance environmentally friendly supply chain efficiency and foster environmental knowledge towards sustainability

“…Informed individuals are more likely to advocate for sustainable policies, practices, and technologies at personal, community, and societal levels, contributing to the broader sustainability agenda (Law et al, 2017). Both Environmental Education and Sustainability emphasize the interconnectedness of human activities with the natural world (Kosta et al, 2022). Environmental Education teaches individuals about the intricate relationships between ecosystems, human society, and the economy, reinforcing the importance of considering these connections in sustainability efforts (Jordan & Kristjánsson, 2017).…”