The Foundations and Applications of Teaching Environmental Problems: Paradigms, Learning Domains, Worldviews, and How They Interact
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| Title: | The Foundations and Applications of Teaching Environmental Problems: Paradigms, Learning Domains, Worldviews, and How They Interact |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Thijs Loonstra, Valentina C. Tassone (ORCID |
| Source: | Environmental Education Research. 2025 31(4):701-717. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Environmental Education, Models, Social Problems, Outcomes of Education, Foreign Countries, Theory Practice Relationship, College Science, Cognitive Processes, Student Behavior, Affective Behavior, Metacognition, Interpersonal Competence, Psychomotor Skills |
| Geographic Terms: | Netherlands |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13504622.2024.2405887 |
| ISSN: | 1350-4622 1469-5871 |
| Abstract: | While environmental problems are urgent in modern society, they are especially difficult to tackle because of their normative and politically controversial nature. Universities may choose different theoretical paradigms for the teaching of environmental problems. However, limited theoretical and/or practical analysis has been undertaken of the theoretical and normative paradigms underlying education on environmental problems. How do we know if educational approaches sufficiently equip students to deal with environmental issues? This article provides a taxonomy for mapping both environmental paradigms and learning outcomes, allowing for a thematic content analysis of the programs of a Dutch university that focuses on environmental problems. The main findings are that, while the course guides are overall highly internally coherent, there are disciplinary silos where the different disciplines teach from different paradigmatic presuppositions. Furthermore, the programs are very cognitive-centered, leaving little room for affective, social, and behavioral learning outcomes, despite the importance of these in higher education. This cognitive bias is relevant for all paradigmatic outlooks, but especially for the more mechanistically oriented paradigms. While understandable from the substance of these paradigms, multimodality in pedagogy and learning outcomes is needed for a comprehensive education. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1465017 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | While environmental problems are urgent in modern society, they are especially difficult to tackle because of their normative and politically controversial nature. Universities may choose different theoretical paradigms for the teaching of environmental problems. However, limited theoretical and/or practical analysis has been undertaken of the theoretical and normative paradigms underlying education on environmental problems. How do we know if educational approaches sufficiently equip students to deal with environmental issues? This article provides a taxonomy for mapping both environmental paradigms and learning outcomes, allowing for a thematic content analysis of the programs of a Dutch university that focuses on environmental problems. The main findings are that, while the course guides are overall highly internally coherent, there are disciplinary silos where the different disciplines teach from different paradigmatic presuppositions. Furthermore, the programs are very cognitive-centered, leaving little room for affective, social, and behavioral learning outcomes, despite the importance of these in higher education. This cognitive bias is relevant for all paradigmatic outlooks, but especially for the more mechanistically oriented paradigms. While understandable from the substance of these paradigms, multimodality in pedagogy and learning outcomes is needed for a comprehensive education. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1350-4622 1469-5871 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13504622.2024.2405887 |
