Fifth Graders' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Toward Habitat Loss and Landscape Fragmentation

Abstract

Education and outreach programs are important strategies for natural resource managers working to maintain and restore ecological processes and improve wildlife habitat. Program effectiveness can be improved by better understanding young people's relationships to wildlife-habitat issues. A Student Opinion Survey was designed to measure student knowledge, attitudes, and environmentally responsible behaviors (ERB) toward habitat loss and landscape fragmentation. The Survey was tested with fifth-grade students (n = 464) in nine Minnesota schools. Student attitude scores demonstrated pro-environmental attitudes (4.05/5.00 scaled score). Self-reported frequency of practice of ERB was significantly lower than all other categories (2.40/5.00 scaled score). Practicing ERB is less familiar to fifth-grade students than are caring for and being willing to take action on wildlife-habitat issues. This article demonstrates the opportunity to reconnect students with local wildlife using curricula that utilize the schoolyard as a resource for outdoor, extended study of the local environment.

Innovations in Camera Trapping Technology and Approaches: The Integration of Citizen Science and Artificial Intelligence

“…This disconnect is most pronounced in groups of young people [35]. Children often have knowledge of non-native, charismatic species regularly seen in the media, such as lions, tigers or pandas, but have poor understanding of local species [36,37]. Introducing nature-based citizen science into schools could help to engage young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, reversing the 'extinction of experience' trend and increasing connection to nature [23,38], while helping them to engage with their studies and contributing to their learning [38,39].…”

Defining and characterizing ecosystem services for education: A Delphi study

“…Environmental Science educators commonly articulate a goal of helping learners develop an understanding that humans are part of their environment, both impacting and benefiting from it (e.g., Anderson, ; Berkowitz et al, ). This goal is underscored by findings that between 55% and 65% of learners have viewed the environment as a place where wildlife and habitat exist separate from humans (Shepardson, Wee, Priddy, & Harbor, ) or as a place that exists for the benefit of or enjoyment by humans (Tanner, ). In contrast, it is uncommon for learners to have an integrated view that humans are in a coupled relationship with their environment: as little as 12% (Loughland, Reid, & Petocz, ; Loughland, Reid, Walker, Petocz, ; Shepardson et al, ).…”

La Biodiversidad en el contexto Educativo. Múltiples miradas en el escenario mundial

“…La pérdida de la biodiversidad se constituye en el eje de investigación de varios autores, quienes se interesan por indagar: a) Los conocimientos acerca de las causas y las consecuencias; b) Las actitudes y formas de valorar; c) Su relación en las escalas local-global, y d) Medios de comunicación y fuentes de información (Ballouard, 2007;Ballouard, et al, 2011;Dalelo, 2012;Dikmenli, 2010;Fiebelkorn, et al, 2012;Hunter, et al, 2003;Hyseni, 2008;Jimmy, 2006;Lindemann, et al, 2009;Menzel, et al, 2009;Sadik, et al, 2007;Tanner, 2010;The Gallup Organization Hungary, 2007).…”

“…La preocupación de diversos autores por los resultados de las investigaciones en este campo, específicamente los relacionados con el bajo conocimiento de la biodiversidad, el poco interés por los temas ambientales y la escasa interacción con la naturaleza, les ha llevado a plantear en el corpus de sus propuestas de investigación, conclusiones y recomendaciones, la necesidad de desarrollar una reconexión entre los seres humanos y la naturaleza, esto gracias al manejo que se ha dado de los estilos de vida, el espacio urbano, el incremento del uso de medios virtuales y el modelo de desarrollo occidental, poderosas razones de tal desconexión (De la Fuente, et al, 2004;Lindemann y Bose, 2008;Miller, 2005;Schwarz, et al, 2007;Scott, et al, 2011;Schwarz, et al, 2012;Tanner, 2010).…”