Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC), Praha, Çek Cumhuriyeti, 14 - 18 Mart 2022, ss.1
Introduction: Since
the alteration in nature experiences of children might influence their future
and ultimately the planet, investigating the visions of young people towards
nature become more of an issue. Based upon the ‘Visions of Nature’ framework,
this study aims to examine middle school students’ images of nature, values on
nature, images of human-nature relationship.
Research Questions: In accordance with the purpose three main questions
guided the study: How do middle school students view nature?, How do middle
school students value on nature?, What are the views of students related to
images of relationship?
Methodology: Using qualitative case study design, data were collected from
Turkish middle school students through semi-structured interviews along with
the techniques such as guided-imagery and photo-elicitation.
Findings: Interviews revealed that students perceive nature as distanced
from city-life, away from crowd and technology. Highlighting the values towards
nature, majority of students found nature indispensable more of an
anthropocentric (instrumental) perspective. Regarding images of human-nature
relationship, students dispositioned themselves in different typologies by
emphasizing mostly the stewards of nature typology.
Conclusion & Recommendations: Students’ images of nature, values on
nature and images of human-nature relationship have been detected as
interrelated with each other. Implications of need of revising school curricula
from multi-perspective is highlighted in this study. Alternative implications
such as outdoor education programs are also emphasized to help students for
being in touch with nature, value nature and increase their experiences with
it.
Keywords: Visions of
nature, human-nature relationship, worldviews, values, qualitative