Natural England Research Update

This is part of a recent round up by Natural England of recent and relevant evidence and reports, policy agenda developments, large scale delivery sector initiatives, resources and news items from the UK and abroad, with a focus on education and learning. This supports the Strategic Research Network for People and Nature to develop better…

Boundaries and the struggle to think both globally and locally

Today’s blog is the latest in a series from Richard Jurin who, before his retirement, ran the Environmental Studies programme at the University of Northern Colorado, launching a degree in Sustainability Studies.  His academic interests are environmental worldviews and understanding barriers to sustainability.  As ever, with our blogs, Richard’s views are not necessarily shared by…

We want to make a difference for nature

Today’s post is by Dr Karen Kerr, a previous science teacher and now lecturer in education at Queen’s University Belfast.  Karen teaches future science teachers and is involved in research in outdoor learning and environmental education, with a specific focus on researching with children and young people.  Karen is also a member of the Education for Sustainable Development Forum…

Our carbon choices

We noted a new book recently. Carbon Choices: “an easy to read summary of complex issues.” The publishers say: “Coming from Scotland, host of the global 2021 climate conference, Carbon Choices tells the most remarkable story on planet Earth. How one group of sociable animals came to emit 40 billion tonnes (40,000,000,000) of an invisible…

NAEE’s Curriculum Guides

NAEE was pleased to receive an honourable mention for its two national curriculum guides at the launch of the consultation for the OCR Natural History GCSE.  The guides’ careful analysis of the way that the national curriculum provides opportunities for the study of environmental and ecological issues was described as “brilliant work”.  Our original two guides are:…

Shifting Baseline Syndrome

It is argued that our relative lack of experience of environmental change leaves us vulnerable to something called shifting baseline syndrome. This describes an inability to perceive change over time; this could be personal or more social. For example, what we consider to be quite normal ecological conditions are shifting (for the worse) as time passes.…

Our Environmental Education

Today’s post is by Mick Waters, one of NAEE’s Vice-Presidents. Mick was the Director of Curriculum at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) from 2005-09 and now works with the Alliance of Leading Learning. What follows are Mick’s own views and are not necessarily shared by the Association, though we do like the nice things he says…

Climate Education for a Change

There is now considerable (though by no means universal) agreement with the idea that young people in schools should have an entitlement to learn in some detail about the climate problems we face, and what they individually and collectively might do in terms of adaptation and mitigation. In what follows, our Chair of Trustees, Bill…

Saving Humanity – The 240 mile-high view

Today’s blog is the first in a series from Richard Jurin who, before his retirement, ran the Environmental Studies programme at the University of Northern Colorado, launching a degree in Sustainability Studies.  His academic interests are environmental worldviews and understanding barriers to sustainability.  As ever, with our blogs, Richard’s views are not necessarily shared by…