The challenges of evaluating conservation education across cultures

Abstract

The present and future of biodiversity conservation embraces an interdisciplinary approach. In particular, the acceptance that social factors are a key component to understanding the challenges species and habitats face. Indeed, it is this growing understanding that may lead us to effective solutions to these challenges. Education is the most‐used method employed to try and influence people and their communities. As such, it is widely utilized within conservation programmes around the world. However, the evaluation of educational outcomes is newish to the field of conservation, where so‐called hard science has often dominated. This is, in part, the result of a lack of expertise with such evaluation methods in the conservation field but may also be because differences in culture require more flexibility in an evaluation approach. Here, a flexible approach to evaluation is presented; that is, the use of drawings in the style of Personal Meaning Mapping. In particular, the authors suggest this is one way of transcending the boundaries of culture, language and literacy.

Exploring the implications of cultural diversity for environmental learning at an African aquarium

“…In conservation in general, as well as most studies of this nature, the language of the survey instruments and the researcher are embedded in a Western cultural milieu (Esson & Moss, 2016;Gosler, Bhagwat, Harrop, Bonta, & Tidemann, 2013). Many psychographic studies of this nature use English as the language of choice, even if it is not the first language of all respondents (de Klerk et al, 2009;Ogunbode, 2013;Wilhelm-Rechmann et al, 2014).…”

<b>A dimensão participativa na conservação da fauna silvestre amazônica em risco de extinção

“…Esse pluralismo de pessoas envolvidas é uma característica das ações de manejo e conservação (Plummer & Fitzgibbon, 2004). A estratégia de utilizar a escola como palco de divulgação e integração com a comunidade foi verificada em diversos estudos (Curti & Valdez, 2009;Sekerciog˘lu, 2012;Adom, 2016;Esson & Moss, 2016).…”

“…No entanto, para envolver a escola, Curti e Valdez (2009) ressaltam que estratégias educacionais a serem propostas devem ser aquelas que motivem as pessoas a valorizar espécies e habitats. Deve-se ter em mente também que os processos educativos são sensíveis à cultura local e não se pode supor que as técnicas testadas e confiáveis possam ser universalmente aplicadas com igual sucesso; logo, essas práticas precisam ser criativas, flexíveis e reflexivas (Esson & Moss, 2016). Portanto, os educadores/pesquisadores precisam inicialmente entender quais são as condutas humanas em relação à natureza e identificar suas necessidades, assim como perceber suas pré-disposições para participar da ação.…”

Developing an environmental‐education programme using Black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis in Zambia as a case study

“…When it was applied as an evaluation tool for Rafiki wa Faru, it was found that the children were prepared to write but not to draw because they were unfamiliar with drawing, having never had the opportunity or the materials to do so (Esson & Moss, 2016). Questionnaires can be a useful tool but where rates of illiteracy are high, face-to-face interviews can offer an alternative.…”

“…Chester Zoo adapted and applied this approach using slightly different methods in several countries with differing degrees of success. When it was applied as an evaluation tool for Rafiki wa Faru, it was found that the children were prepared to write but not to draw because they were unfamiliar with drawing, having never had the opportunity or the materials to do so (Esson & Moss, 2016). Therefore, the evaluation tool had to be amended to suit the capabilities of this target audience.…”