Skills/competencies

Biodiversity education can be challenging for educators as biodiversity is complex and evolving with multiple definitions. Previous research indicates that personal experiences with nature can help students learn and retain environmental lessons in a more meaningful way than other teaching methods. Previous research defined the process model of meaningful understanding with five steps (building on personal experience, meaningfulness, comprehensibility, sense of learning, understanding) for students to develop science subject matter affinity through subjective and objective means.

When teaching complex issues, environmental educators must consider using a framework that addresses the environmental, social, and economic aspects of problems to raise awareness and improve pro-environmental decision-making, two key goals of environmental education. In particular, cost information - the perceived trade-offs of environmental issues and solutions - is important for students to consider for sustainability. However, the way environmental education topics have been framed or messaged has not been widely studied.

Natural hazard mitigation is a rapidly evolving field that requires a range of educational backgrounds and levels of creativity. Geography education is well-positioned to prepare future leaders in natural hazard resilience because of its foundations in empowering students to embrace transdisciplinarity, the integration of various disciplines for problem-solving, and self-discovery while learning and making decisions.

Environmental education (EE) has been practiced in the United States since the early twentieth century and helps students develop environmental literacy and the tools to address global climate issues. As scientists have predicted worsening climate conditions that will negatively impact human health and ecosystems, EE is well-positioned to positively influence students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes, leading to more pro-environmental behaviors over time to collectively reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

Institutions of higher education are positioned to influence students in becoming informed and action-minded citizens for sustainable change. There are studies that inform best pedagogical practice for undergraduates and studies that validate different objectives that college-aged students retain over time. However, there is a lack of inquiry linking curriculum design and learning outcomes.

Environmental educators can make significant changes regarding sustainability education and meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Teachers in the United States are subject to a system that has not yet prioritized education for sustainable development (ESD), which ultimately hinders students from learning valuable information that helps build sustainable futures. The researchers in this study looked at four school-wide sustainability programs.

One goal of environmental education is to expose students to career opportunities in the environmental sector. Environmental education programs can attempt to increase student interest in environmental jobs, but the focus typically leans toward science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) careers even though the environmental field includes various other career types such as law, business, and social advocacy. A student's vision of environmental jobs may therefore be limited, and research suggests this is true especially among students of color.

Due to the political polarization of climate change, training teachers on climate change principles and solutions can be difficult. Environmental education may see greater outcomes from educating children in K-12 settings; however, many K-12 teachers feel ill-prepared to teach about climate change and sustainability. Professional development may help teachers feel more confident, but systematic barriers exist the can prevent teachers seeking professional development. No research has studied how these barriers apply to climate change professional development (CCPD).

A proven method to increase student engagement and promote learning objectives is to take students out of the traditional classroom setting, and on field trips. Field trips are well suited for environmental education (EE) because educators can bring students into natural settings where there are many direct links between the theory and content taught in EE classrooms and hands-on learning can occur. However, studies have shown educators lack confidence to organize or lead field trips.

Due to the increasing severity and urgency of environmental issues, environmental education (EE) is not only focused on providing environmental literacy, but also tangible skills that can be applied to environmental challenges. The ability for students to use Geospatial Information System (GIS) technology is a valuable skill that can be applied in an environmental context along with other subjects.