2. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 2007, 2 (1), 32 – 37
environmental issues ( McKeown-Ice, 2000). experiences are infused with and supplemented by
Inadequate inservice opportunities are also a hurdle for instructional pedagogy appropriate for middle and high
infusing environmental education into classroom school students. Instruction frequently models inquiry-
curriculum (Adams, Biddle & Thomas, 1988; Childress, based practices and teacher participants are given
1978; Pettus & Teates, 1983). Not surprisingly then, opportunities to develop lessons and labs that
many teachers express concerns about their competence incorporate the topics covered in the program for use in
to conduct EE programs (Buethe & Smallwood, 1986; their own classrooms.
NEEAC, 1996; Wade, 1996). In fact, insufficient Participants
teacher training has been cited to be the predominant Each summer, approximately 18 science education
reason K-12 teachers are not teaching EE (Gabriel, graduate students and teachers are admitted into R2R.
1996). Selection of the R2R participants is conducted by the
Purpose and Research Questions two Project Directors, including a university-based
The purpose of this study was to investigate the science educator and professor and a site-based science
effects of the Rivers to Reefs/Coastlines (R2R) teacher educator and naturalist. Consideration is given in the
workshop on teachers’ infusion of environmental topics selection process to allot 50% of the available slots to
into their curriculum. The University of Georgia has graduate students and the remaining portion to
offered the R2R program each summer since 1999. practicing teachers, with some participants fitting both
However, evidence of the effects of the program on categories. In addition, efforts are made to create a
teacher instruction has been almost exclusively diverse pool of participants representing various levels
anecdotal, and very positive. This research aims to and disciplines of secondary science and elementary
formalize the investigation in an effort to identify ways instruction, years teaching experience, and school type
in which to maximize the impact of the program. The (e.g., urban, rural, and suburban).
research questions guiding this study were: This study draws upon the interviews of eight past
In what ways are past participants of R2R integrating participants of R2R. Demographic information
the environmental topics covered in the program into regarding the experience, discipline and grade level of
their instruction? each teacher participant is presented in Table 1.
What limitations or barriers are perceived to hinder Data Collection and Analysis
the integration of environmental topics in their This research focused on qualitative interviews
curriculum? of eight past participants of R2R who are currently
Research Context and Methods teaching. Interviews were conducted using a semi-
structured interview format, and the interviews were
Description of the Workshop
conducted at the schools of the participating teachers.
The R2R program is a 15-day residential professional Serving as an exploratory pilot study informing a larger
development program conducted by the University of research effort to investigate a wide range of effects of
Georgia at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium the program on participants, teachers were asked to
on Skidaway Island off the Georgia coast. R2R offers reflect on their experiences in the R2R program as well
intensive lab and field experiences focusing on as detail and provide examples of how it impacted their
environmental issues of coastal marine ecology. These class instruction. Data were transcribed and analyzed
from an interpretivist perspective (Crotty, 1998). Using
Table 1 Participant demographics
Participant Gender Years Teaching Grades Disciplines
1. F 14 Pre K – 5 Science enrichment
course
th
2. M 1 9 Biology
th
3. F 5 6 Physical Science
th th
4. F 3 11 and 12 Geology
Environmental
Science and Biology
th th
5. F 7 6 -8 Project based elective
course
th
6. F 4 7 Life Science
th
7. F 1 9 Geology
th
8. F 2 8 Earth Science
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3. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 2007, 2 (1), 32 – 37
open coding (Krathwohl, 1998), themes were identified Part of the Rivers to Reefs program requires
and organized into categories. For the specific focus of participants to generate activities for use in their
this study, particular attention was given to activities the classroom based on experiences and information from
teachers reported to have utilized directly from the the program. This requirement provides participants
program, modified from ones offered or developed with an opportunity to make connections with their
during the program, or lessons they constructed after classroom practice. In addition, teachers have the
participation that reflect environmental topics. In opportunity to collaborate with and garner ideas from
addition, participants were asked to discuss any other teachers in the program, providing a rich resource
obstacles they encountered when attempting to for future lesson development particular to their class
implement such activities. content. Despite this focused effort to tie the
Findings experience to classroom instruction, teachers reported
Three main themes emerged from the interviews, only using their generated activities if it directly reflected
each illustrating perceived limitations of the program’s one of the science standards for their content. The
usefulness, as well as barriers to implementing teachers seemed unaware of ways in which the
environmental topics covered in R2R could be used to
environmental topics in the classroom. The first theme
supplement instruction for other, perhaps seemingly
reflected the teachers’ concern with strictly following unrelated, content standards. Materials from the
content standards. The second theme encompassed the program, such as posters or shells that were collected,
difficulty of translating the coastal experience into were displayed in several of the classrooms. However, it
content that was meaningful to students. Finally, the was admitted that they were used mainly for decorative
last theme highlights the barriers the teachers perceived purposes.
in teaching environmental education in a traditional In addition, several teachers felt that although the
program was informative both in content and pedagogy,
school setting.
the information was limited in value because they did
not teach on the coast. According to one teacher:
Following the Standards
Over the past two decades, educational reform has I really got a lot out of [the program] at the
focused on the use of standards-based teaching. In time. How much of it I use in my classroom is
1996, the National Research Council established the not much because, you know, we aren’t on the
National Science Education Standards to guide school coast. We can’t really do a plankton lab or
science curriculum. Although not mandatory, the anything…[..] But as for the information, it
Standards serve as a blueprint for state and county isn’t really applicable to what I do.
This disconnect from the coast was salient in many
standards. In 2001, President George W. Bush signed
of the interviews. Many of the teachers reported only
into law the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). One of drawing on their R2R experiences when teaching topics
the pillars of NCLB is teacher accountability, which that were specifically covered in the program. Although
measures student achievement against local standards a component of R2R provides direct connections of
through high-stakes standardized testing. coastal issues to upstream activities, the teachers were
These interviews revealed that the teachers feel unable to make the conceptual transfer of R2R topics to
reflect their local environmental issues and ecology.
compelled to closely follow their schools’ established
This theme was more prominent with teachers who did
standards in an effort to adequately prepare their not teach science disciplines that overtly align with
students for various tests each school administers in environmental subjects. For example, the participant
accordance with NCLB. In some of the situations, as teaching physical science expressed that her use of R2R
many as three high stakes tests are administered each materials has been minimal because the “links to
year, including the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the physical science are a little harder to come by”.
Criterion Reference Competency Test, as well as a
Environmental Education in the Traditional
county exam that determines promotion to the next
Classroom
grade level. The teachers reported that preparation for The Rivers to Reefs program is based almost
these tests resulted in demands on time that did not entirely on outdoor experiences . Participants conduct
allow for instruction of extra material. One teacher water quality experiments from the back of boats and
stated, “I am restricted and deluged with the curriculum coastlines are charted on foot using GPS equipment.
I have, which does not allow a lot of time for integrating Plankton tows conducted in the morning provide
new materials or topics.” The perceived time invertebrate samples for a lab investigation in the
afternoon, and lessons about sea turtles are conducted at
constraints and limitations on freedom of curriculum
midnight on the beach while locating nests and tracks.
were identified by almost all of the interviewed teachers The structure of the program seems to have influenced
as affecting their integration of R2R topics and materials how these teachers think environmental education
in their classrooms. should be taught. Each of the teachers discussed
Making the Connection her/his desire to incorporate activities that immersed
her/his students in learning within the environment
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4. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 2007, 2 (1), 32 – 37
around them. However, this desire to provide similar inquiry activities of various degrees and opportunities
experiences for their students was undermined by the are provided to connect the materials with their
perceived difficulty and obstacles to leaving the classroom instruction.
traditional classroom. One teacher remarked: In Supovitz and Turner’s outline of characteristics of
effective professional development, as well as those
I’ve tried a few things, but it’s hard. You know provided by others such as Loucks-Horsley et al.,
we’re worried about security and the only door (2003), each of the characteristics receives equal
that is unlocked is the front office. You know, attention. This study, however, might suggest that
I have students that are allergic to bees. I have greater emphasis should be given to those characteristics
a student in the 6th grade that has a prosthetic that provide clear and tangible links to classroom
leg. So there are things like that you have to practice.
take into consideration to do those things… The need to provide effective environmental
I had this fantasy that I would be able to bring education professional development has been provided
my students to the coast and do those sorts of in the literature (Adams, Biddle, & Thomas, 1988;
things that we put together. In reality, you Bottinelli, 1976; Childress, 1978; Pettus & Teates, 1983).
can’t do that. We have lots of restrictions on This study serves to contribute to our understanding of
field trips and a summer event like that is a what characteristics and emphases maximize the impact
headache in a lot of ways. of professional development on teacher instruction and
In fact, several of the teachers noted difficulties in ultimately student learning and achievement. Future
trying to teach outside the classroom. Most frequently research regarding R2R will provide a more in-depth
cited was the lack of funding and time available for field investigation into the obstacles of teacher integration of
trips. environmental topics after participation in R2R, as well
as identifying other impacts of the program on
DISCUSSION classroom practices.
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