Decentering in Research and Practice in Environmental Education
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| Title: | Decentering in Research and Practice in Environmental Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Genevieve Blades (ORCID |
| Source: | Qualitative Research Journal. 2026 26(3):308-324. |
| Availability: | Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Evaluative |
| Descriptors: | Environmental Education, Educational Research, Educational Practices, Research Methodology, Qualitative Research |
| DOI: | 10.1108/QRJ-03-2025-0124 |
| ISSN: | 1443-9883 1448-0980 |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Environmental education (EE) and EE research (EER) is grappling with the precarious nature of human's relationship with Nature that raise significant ethical and political challenges. Acknowledging and (re)acting to these challenges, which includes decentering, draws on decades of theory concerning the possibilities of "ecological awareness" through environmental (outdoor) activities and practices. Design/methodology/approach: We propose to critically review these assumptions using three recently published conceptual-methodological-(eco)pedagogical frameworks for EE and EER: (1) A "new theories" mindmap presented as one of the generative responses/reactions of the special issue "Global politics of knowledge production in EER: 'New' theory and North-South representations", published in 2020 in "The Journal of Environmental Education." (2) First author's autophenomenography on walking with/in nature as ecopedagogy. (3) Second author's research on movementScapes as ecomotricity. More specifically, we will address the question: how can these three frameworks help to overcome some of the problems/gaps with decentering in research and practice in EE? Findings In doing so, we will canvas some of the questions posed in the "Decentring the Human in Qualitative Research Methodologies" seminar series, hosted by the Australian Association for Research in Education in 2024: (Q1) What is decentering the human to you? (Q2) What does decentering the human look like in our research (and practice)? (Q3) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities that decentering the human in educational research creates? Originality/value We anticipate the reflexivity of the field will be critically advanced. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508350 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Environmental education (EE) and EE research (EER) is grappling with the precarious nature of human's relationship with Nature that raise significant ethical and political challenges. Acknowledging and (re)acting to these challenges, which includes decentering, draws on decades of theory concerning the possibilities of "ecological awareness" through environmental (outdoor) activities and practices. Design/methodology/approach: We propose to critically review these assumptions using three recently published conceptual-methodological-(eco)pedagogical frameworks for EE and EER: (1) A "new theories" mindmap presented as one of the generative responses/reactions of the special issue "Global politics of knowledge production in EER: 'New' theory and North-South representations", published in 2020 in "The Journal of Environmental Education." (2) First author's autophenomenography on walking with/in nature as ecopedagogy. (3) Second author's research on movementScapes as ecomotricity. More specifically, we will address the question: how can these three frameworks help to overcome some of the problems/gaps with decentering in research and practice in EE? Findings In doing so, we will canvas some of the questions posed in the "Decentring the Human in Qualitative Research Methodologies" seminar series, hosted by the Australian Association for Research in Education in 2024: (Q1) What is decentering the human to you? (Q2) What does decentering the human look like in our research (and practice)? (Q3) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities that decentering the human in educational research creates? Originality/value We anticipate the reflexivity of the field will be critically advanced. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1443-9883 1448-0980 |
| DOI: | 10.1108/QRJ-03-2025-0124 |
