This study aims to identify the impact of the Gangneung Namdaecheon Environmental Geography Education Program on the environmental sensitivity of high school students. This program was developed and applied considering the characteristics of Gangneung...
This study aims to identify the impact of the Gangneung Namdaecheon Environmental Geography Education Program on the environmental sensitivity of high school students. This program was developed and applied considering the characteristics of Gangneung’s environment, where the participating high school students live, along with the analysis of the school students’ environmental education awareness and needs in the geography subject.
In this study, a mixed methods research design was used to analyze the environmental sensitivity of high school students. The researcher conducted surveys on environmental awareness and needs in geography subjects, environmental sensitivity, and program satisfaction and produced Jamboard worksheets using graphic organizers. In addition, interviews were conducted with high school students, instructors, and college student mentors who participated in the program. The collected quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test using SPSS 28.0. Also, environmental sensitivity shown in the results of qualitative data such as interviews, Jamboard worksheets, and story maps were categorized using Atlas.ti 22.0 and visualized with network views.
The results of this study are as follows. First, participating high school students recognized that environmental education was important in school curriculum and that it played an important role in social studies and volunteer activities. In particular, when asked about their previous experiences with environmental activities, students reported that their environmental awareness had changed positively after participating in the environmental activities. However, this did not translate into the practice of conservation behaviors. Most students recognized the need for environmental education in geography, and the teaching and learning method of environmental geography education students wanted was outdoor survey activities. Second, the average scores of post-test improved compared to pre-test in all seven subdomains of environmental sensitivity. In particular, there were statistically significant differences in areas such as sense of places, environmental skills, interest in ecosystems, awareness of water quality, and awareness of environmental conservation. Although there was no statistical difference between pre-test and post-test in the sensitivity to the natural environment, the findings from the qualitative data such as student’s Jamboard worksheets and story maps revealed that themes which were relavant to students’s affective domains emerged. Third, it was confirmed through interviews that environmental geography education centered on urban rivers had a positive effect on high school students’ environmental sensitivity. The long-term project-based learning experience of Namdaecheon River in Gangneung cultivated students’ competenies and career exploration. Instructors witnessed changes in the students’ environmental awareness. Also, college student mentors who guided high school students showed positive changes in environmental awareness and improved their capabilities as pre-service teachers. Fourth, the Gangneung Namdaecheon River Care Program showed high satisfaction in all areas of Namdaecheon understanding, various activity, interest, and futhrer study. The participating high school students showed improved understanding and interest in the Namdaecheon River. They were satisfied with the experience of observing the ecosystem in the Namdaecheon River and mapping using geographic information technologies.
This study is meaningful in that it identified high school students’ perceptions and demands for environmental education in geography subjects, conducted long-term environmental geography education programs centered on urban rivers, and presented educational materials to set the direction of environmental education in geography subjects. However, there is a limitation that it is difficult to generalize due to the small number of participants. Accordingly, this study adopted a mixed methods research approach to gain a rich, detailed, and better understanding of a specific context and phenomenon as the students dived into the urban river-based environmental geography education program.
Future research could investigate the effect of the urban river-based environmental education program in a large group of students. Furthermore, expanding empirical research across diverse educational backgrounds can enhance our understanding of environmental sensitivity and its significance in the realm of environmental geography education. To meet 2022 Revised National Curriculum and Geographic Competencies requirements, it's crucial to incorporate activities that foster geographic information literacy, enhance spatial problem-solving and decision-making abilities, and promote global citizenship. Such research could contribute to providing evidence of the effectiveness and feasibility of environmental sensitivity in geography education.