Abstract
For over forty years, Lee County Environmental Education (EE) program has been teaching children and teachers-sharing nature with students of all ages through classroom programs, field trips, teacher trainings and special programs. At the same time in our culture we are seeing increases in childhood obesity, attention deficit disorders and depression. Children spend less time outside, watch more television, play digital games and are developing a great fear of nature and the outdoor world, what Richard Louv (2005) refers to as "Nature-Deficit Disorder". Lee County was one of the first school districts in the nation to develop an integrated environmental education framed K-12 curriculum continuum and instructional program for illustrating the main concepts, ideas and values that children should have a grasp on for each grade level and subject area. This study examines the degree of participation in the Lee County Environmental Education Program and its impact on developing environmental literacy of exiting fifth-grade students from six different schools; the study was only able to assess knowledge and field trip experiences. The schools represented high and low participation in the EE program and were from different socio-economic levels. Students took home a survey asking them questions about their environmental knowledge and their experiences on field trips. Out of the 744 surveys distributed, 305 were returned (41% return rate). The knowledge portion of the survey was adapted from the Children's Environmental and Knowledge Scale (CHEAKS) developed by Leeming Dwyer and Bracken (1995). Contrary to what was expected, there was no significant difference among high and low EE participation groups. Lower participation groups scored higher on the knowledge, but had reported attending additional environmental trips outside of the EE program. While children may develop some basic understanding of nature through schooling, experiences in nature assist them in developing their attitudes and personality in relation to nature and this has a much greater influence on them than just basic knowledge. Consistent with current research, significant differences were found among socioeconomic levels (p=0.022), higher socio-economic schools scored higher on the environmental knowledge instrument. Overwhelmingly positive attitudes and behaviors were reflected in the responses to field trip experience questions. Adding to the body of environmental education research, this study reveals evidence of the benefits of environmental education and demonstrates that environmental education is a vital core of K-12 education.
