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The full details of these projects can be accessed here
(pdf download)
Research and Development Projects
BUILDING THE STRENGTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN
ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT
A set of proposed capacity building, training
and learning strategies to assist small, medium and large
conservation and environment groups.
Prepared for the Mittagong Forum of Environment
and Conservation Groups By Linda Parlane and Rick Flowers,
March 2000.
The
final report is attached. (Word download)
CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING FOR THE ADVOCACY-ORIENTED
AUSTRALIAN ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT
A set of proposed capacity building, training and learning strategies
to assist small, medium and large conservation and environment groups.
Prepared for the Mittagong Forum of Environment and Conservation Groups,
by Linda Parlane and Rick Flowers, March 2000
More about this... (pdf download)
EDUCATION AND ACTION FOR AIR
The aim of the proposed research is to develop more knowledge and understanding
of how to build the capacity of community groups, industry and government
agencies to engage in environmental community education and advocacy
about air quality. Eight specific education strategies to help achieve
the NSW Government's 25-year Air Quality Management Plan are described
on page 22 of the NSW Government's Green Paper 'A New Approach to Environmental
Education in NSW' (1996).
More about this... (pdf download)
EDUCATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
Educating for Environmental Action is an adult environmental education
package aimed at meeting the needs of community workers who are involved
in environmental actions in local communities. The package will consist
of two flexible delivery short courses, a supporting monograph of current
working papers from Australia and overseas, a series of case studies
of non formal environmental education in practice and a review of current
policy documents in adult education and environmental education that
support adult non formal environmental education. The short courses
will also be developed as subjects in degree courses at the University
of Technology, Sydney. Educating for Environmental Action will be targeted
at educators in government and non-government organisations, youth and
community workers and coordinators and participants of local environment
groups. The Educating for Environmental Action short courses will be
developed so they can be delivered via distance education. The project
and the courses will be based on a problem solving participatory research
approach with participants engaged in planning and participating in
actions on environmental issues in their local community. The assessment
task of the course will involve participants constructing a case study
of a community involved in a local environmental issue. These case studies
will then be distributed to all participants and become the basis for
reflective comment.
More about this... (pdf download)
SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATON RESEARCH DIALOGUE
In early 2004 the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency (NSW EPA) invited the Centre for Popular Education to identify sustainability education research priorities (themes and forms) through dialogue with practitioners and researchers for the NSW Council of Environmental Education and Environment Trust.
Project Team
Dr Rick Flowers, Director, Centre for Popular Education, UTS
Dr José Roberto Guevara, Lecturer in Eco-Cultural Globalization RMIT University & VAEE
Dr James Whelan, Lecturer Environmental Science and Theme Leader for Citizen Science in CRC for Coastal Zone, Estuary and Waterway Management, Griffith University
Dr John Buchanan, Lecturer in Sociology and Environmental Education, UTS
Background
Funded research for the environment has tended to emphasise biophysical topics and fields defined by content such as biodiversity and urban toxic pollution. By contrast, there has been relatively less research support to examine social and institutional dimensions of environmental problems and solutions. This imbalance is highlighted in the NSW Environmental Education Plan 2002-2005 which advocates increased funding for research to enhance environmental (or ‘sustainability’) education. The NSW EPA Conference Effective Sustainability Education: What works? Where next? Linking research with practice presents an excellent opportunity to identify gaps and priorities for further research. The conference will attract prominent environmental education researchers and practitioners from NSW and other states and has dedicated times during the program for facilitated dialogue on this topic.
Data sources
The following data sources will inform the project team’s analysis of research priorities:
NSW Environmental Education Plan 2002-2005
- Conference abstracts, papers, workshops and posters
- Interviews with prominent sustainability education practitioners and researchers during the conference
- Conference delegate ‘research dialogue’ group discussions as outlined in this proposal
- Delegates’ written responses to a set of strategic questions
Strategic questions
The following four sets of questions will stimulate reflection and discussion to identify research priorities. The questions are intended as dialogue prompts and need not be answered separately.
A. Focus (describe the current context and status of research)
- What research has been undertaken?
- How would you characterise this research?
- Who is conducting sustainability education research?
- How is research being accessed and used?
- How and to what extent is this research influencing practice?
- What functions is sustainability education research fulfilling?
B. Observation (identify research gaps in terms of what is done, disseminated and/or utilised)
- How are research funds currently prioritised?
- What sorts of research are currently missing? (themes, methods, sites, forms…)
- What capacity exists to support and facilitate sustainability education research? (eg. professional development opportunities, funding, networks)
C. Visioning (ideals)
- If you were a panellist asked to fund sustainability education research proposals, what criteria would you use?
- What audiences, research methods and educational settings should be the focus of future sustainability education research? (eg. Should future research prioritise institutional or community settings, accredited or informal programs, pure or applied studies, practitioner reflection or ‘expert’ research, action research or quantitative empirical studies?)
- How can the benefits of sustainability education be enhanced?
D. Change (agencies, institutions and individuals)
- How can the NSW EPA and environmental education community support research consistent with priorities identified during this conference?
- What are you doing (or planning to do) to facilitate research in priority areas?
Methodology
- Ground the exercise of facilitating research dialogue in conference and NSW Environment Education Council papers
- Study conference papers, poster and workshop abstracts and NSW Environment Education Council documents and prepare a brief paper that identifies and discusses research priorities.
Pre-conference advice
Inform conference delegates via e-mail that this exercise will be conducted during the conference and circulate the strategic questions that will guide the process.
Day 1 Plenary session
Introduce the research-mapping exercise; explain how the process is woven through the conference program. We will ask participants to join ‘research dialogue’ groups and converse with the members of the same group on multiple occasions. The strategic questions provide a framework than can guide their discussions. We propose this because the dialogue is likely to be more sustained and of more depth if people can continue their discussion over several meetings as opposed to a singe meeting. Stickers on nametags assign delegates randomly to research dialogue groups. Encourage groups to meet informally during the conference (eg meals) in addition to structured sessions.
We propose to also ask delegates to respond in writing to the strategic questions by the end of the first day. Inform delegates that their conference materials include a feedback form that includes the strategic questions relating to research priorities. Collect these written forms on Day 1 (eg. sealed envelopes placed in box at reception).
During the conference
An interactive and evolving mural will be created in the Pavilion to capture and communicate research priorities in a visual form. This mural will capture delegates’ responses to the strategic questions that are utilised in the research dialogue sessions and provide an alternative format for delegates whose input may not otherwise be incorporated (eg those who do not participate in the research dialogue sessions). Research dialogue groups will be encouraged to add text and images to the mural during the conference, particularly after each of their sessions. Once the mural has evolved sufficiently to identify potential research priorities, delegates will be invited to express priorities through a straw poll by placing a limited number of stickers (provided in their delegates’ packs) on the mural.
Day 2 Research Dialogue session (50 mins)
Delegates divided into ‘research dialogue’ groups (7-10 members in each). Groups meet in designated space in Pavilion. Each group to self-select a facilitator and reporter. Conference organisers to provide a scribe for each group – to capture key ideas on coloured paper to add to the mural. Groups to discuss and record responses to first three sets of questions. Start discussion with introductions.
Day 3 Open Space session (50 mins)
Delegates meet again in their designated ‘research dialogue’ groups. Continue discussion to consider remaining strategic questions. Consider how best to report a summary of discussions to the plenary session.
Day 3 Plenary session
Introduce session by reminding delegates of the objective of this exercise. Explain that the inputs to inform priorities include the Pavilion mural, written feedback forms and ‘research dialogue’ groups’ reports. Invite each group to present a 2-minute summary of their discussions. Discourage repetition. Alternatively, organise for scribes to meet with the project team and conference organisers over lunch immediately before the facilitated plenary session in order to synthesise emerging priorities. During the plenary, capture proposed priorities on a PC hooked to a data projector. A member of the project team could speak briefly to embellish this summary by referring to the written feedback collected on day 1 and those conveyed through the mural. EPA/conference organiser to close by advising how the synthesis of these various inputs will be communicated to the Environment Trust.
Post conference
Project team to provide draft report within one week and redraft following Environment Education Council comments. Option to circulate draft to delegates for comments also.
The report is attached.
For further information please contact cpe@uts.edu.au
The full details of these projects can be accessed here
(pdf download)
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