Homework and fieldwork: investigations into the rhetoric–reality gap in environmental education research and pedagogy
For years, environmental educators have been arguing that the culture of schooling (mostly focused on cultural reproduction) is antithetical to environmental education. Within this context, it is often suggested that environmental education occurs when there is a particularly passionate and motivated teacher who, despite frequent barriers, maintains environmental education as a priority. Yet the author’s doctoral research suggests that even strong beliefs, significant skills, and an ideal program structure do not lead to the implementation of effective environmental education. Drawing on narrative inquiry, arts‐based research and poststructural analysis, this study examines ways in which the privileging of the intellect in research and pedagogy may be making effective environmental education almost impossible.
Purpose – This article aims to outline the scope of this Special Issue and of the six papers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines the concepts and approaches within the knowledge domain which are the focus of the present issue and themes of the papers.Findings – The paper outlines the scope of the Special Issue and of the papers.Originality/value – The value of this paper is to introduce the concepts and approaches which are the focus of the present issue and themes of the papers.