{"id":731,"date":"2013-09-01T14:01:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-01T18:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=731"},"modified":"2024-09-26T12:17:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T16:17:53","slug":"people-places-taking-kids-outside-matters-promoting-environmental-literacy-in-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/people-places-taking-kids-outside-matters-promoting-environmental-literacy-in-north-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"PEOPLE & PLACES: Taking Kids Outside Matters: Promoting Environmental Literacy in North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

“Did you see that fish?!!” the 15-year-old girl exclaims. Her eyes are as big as saucers through her face mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her nervousness of being in the ocean forgotten, the Chapel Hill native from Woods Charter School splashes her face back in the water, still squealing with glee through her snorkel. Back on shore, she excitedly compares her list of fish, snails and algae with those of her classmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all outdoor education experiences involve getting wet. But students learn while having fun \u2014 snorkeling, hiking, canoeing, walking in the woods, beachcombing, you name it. More than the simple enjoyment that these activities provide, outdoor education is an important component in learning about the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An environmentally literate citizen is better equipped to address complex environmental issues. Photo by Kathryn Stevenson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Research led by scientists from North Carolina State University, and funded by North Carolina Sea Grant, surveyed middle-school teachers and students, and their respective schools. The team found that teacher training and experience is the most important factor in building environmental knowledge among students. Learning in an outdoor environment and from established environmental education curricula also improves environmental literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the researchers gained some insight into how students of different ages and genders learn \u2014 and how outdoor education may be particularly effective with minority students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of taking kids outdoors \u2014 improving learning, connecting them with nature \u2014 have been getting a lot of attention lately at local and national levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And teachers are pleased that others are taking notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Exposing students to the outdoors as a regular part of the curriculum improves metacognitive skills and engages students in the meaning of what they are learning,” says Stuart Miles, lead seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher at Evergreen Community Charter School in Asheville. Metacognitive skills refers to students’ awareness of what they know and ways they can learn best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Moreover, it impresses a respect for and engagement with the natural world, which leads to behaviors as children and adults which help conserve and protect the environment,” he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Achieving environmental literacy is a critical step in addressing emerging environmental problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at NC State, North Carolina Central University and Middle Tennessee State University are identifying factors that build environmental literacy in North Carolina students.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Researchers discovered complementary strengths between boys and girls. Photo by Kathryn Stevenson.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The team initially conducted a statewide survey of middle-school students and teachers to determine the current level of environmental literacy among students and what factors help develop that knowlege. The researchers developed the study with input from colleagues at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is one of the first studies on a broad scale to focus on environmental literacy which is more than mastering facts,” says Nils Peterson, an NC State College of Natural Resources faculty member, who led the Sea Grant-supported work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Being environmentally literate means that students learn cognitive skills so that they can analyze and solve problems, and it involves environmental attitudes and behaviors as well,” he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Studies such as this one are needed to provide data to support other research and what we’ve observed anecdotally for a long time \u2014 when teachers use environmental education methods, resources and curricula, students score higher on measures of environmental literacy and perform better academically,” says Lisa Tolley, environmental education program manager for the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, noting another valuable contribution from this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This study supports recommendations in the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan for integrating environmental concepts in multiple disciplines, creating outdoor learning environments on school grounds, taking students on field trips and supporting teacher professional development,” she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the environmental education field, environmental literacy is commonly defined to include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n