K–12

Children examine pond life through magnifying glass

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Topic

EE for Everyone

Recent research on K–12 environmental education reveals that while environmental programs consistently produce positive outcomes across academic, social, and environmental domains, their effectiveness varies significantly based on implementation quality, equity considerations, and the extent to which they engage students in collaborative action rather than passive participation.

For more, read the eePRO blog post: Beyond Good Intentions: What Recent Research Tells Environmental Educators About Creating Effective Programs

Isobel Talks

Environmental education initiatives risk perpetuating educational inequity unless they provide targeted support and resources to schools serving high-poverty populations who currently see little to no benefit from green school programs.

K–12 science achievement: time-varying influence of Green School initiatives. Environmental Education Research

This article discusses how researchers analyzed data from 1,453 Maryland public schools over two decades (2002-2022) to examine whether Green School designation relates to student science achievement. The Maryland Green Schools Program, launched in 1999, requires schools to demonstrate a "green culture" through sustainable practices like energy reduction, habitat restoration, and environmental curriculum integration.

Posted: 05/29/25

Isobel Talks

Environmental education consistently works across multiple domains, but the field must shift focus from measuring easily quantifiable outcomes like knowledge to assessing the harder-to-measure behaviors and competencies that are central to environmental education's ultimate goals.

Environmental education and K–12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research

For this study, researchers systematically reviewed 20 years of peer-reviewed literature to understand what outcomes environmental education programs actually measure and achieve with K–12 students. Starting with over 2,000 articles, they narrowed their analysis to 119 high-quality empirical studies that included measurable student outcomes from environmental education interventions across 33 countries.

Key Findings

Posted: 05/29/25

Isobel Talks

Art teachers need targeted professional development and resources to move beyond superficial material conservation toward deeper environmental integration that enhances rather than competes with core artistic learning.

A portrait of environmental integration in United States K–12 art education

Researchers surveyed 742 K–12 art teachers across the United States to examine how environmental education manifests in art classrooms. Drawing from National Art Education Association membership, the study investigated the extent, forms, importance, and preparedness levels for environmental integration in art education—filling a crucial gap in understanding how non-science disciplines engage with environmental themes.

Key Findings

Posted: 05/29/25

Isobel Talks

K–12 environmental citizen science programs must evolve from contributory data collection models to collaborative approaches that engage students in collective environmental action and civic participation to develop true environmental citizenship.

A systematic literature review of K–12 environmental Citizen Science (CS) initiatives: Unveiling the CS pedagogical and participatory aspects contributing to students' environmental citizenship

Most school-based environmental Citizen Science projects ask students to collect data—counting birds, monitoring water quality, or tracking weather patterns. While valuable for scientific research, this approach may miss a crucial opportunity to develop students as active environmental citizens capable of addressing the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

Current State of School Citizen Science

Posted: 05/29/25

Isobel Talks

Schools can successfully integrate natural elements through both architectural design and programming to achieve multiple co-benefits, including cost savings, enhanced learning, and stronger community connections, regardless of their geographic or economic context.

Nature as Partner: How School Communities Benefit from Ecological Connections

This chapter explores how schools can partner with nature both architecturally and pedagogically to enhance educational experiences and community well-being. The research is grounded in John Dewey's century-old vision that schools should serve as social centers helping young people understand their world while preparing them for active citizenship and community engagement.

Posted: 05/29/25

Isobel Talks

The environmental education field now has a validated common measurement tool that enables systematic comparison of program effectiveness and evidence-based improvement, moving the field beyond anecdotal evidence toward rigorous evaluation of what makes programs successful.

Identifying and developing crosscutting environmental education outcomes for adolescents in the twenty-first century (EE21)

This study tackled a fundamental challenge in environmental education research: the lack of common outcome measures that can apply across diverse programs while remaining sensitive enough to detect meaningful differences in program quality. The researchers asked whether there exists a consistent set of outcomes that all quality environmental education programs for youth could reasonably aspire to achieve, and if so, how to measure them effectively.

Posted: 05/29/25