Frames in Outdoor Environmental Education Programs: What We Communicate and Why We Think It Matters

Jan Činčera, Bruce Johnson, Roman Kroufek, Miloslav Kolenatý and Petra Šimonová
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Jan Činčera: Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic
Bruce Johnson: College of Education, University of Arizona, 1430 E. Second Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Roman Kroufek: Department of Preschool and Primary Education, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, 40096 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Miloslav Kolenatý: Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environment, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, 40096 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Petra Šimonová: Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: This paper discusses the application of frame analysis as a method of designing and evaluating outdoor environmental education programs. In particular, it investigates what frames are communicated in these programs, why and how program leaders focus on communicating particular frames, and how students interact with these frames. Five outdoor environmental education programs for elementary school students were analyzed. We used a qualitative approach that combined field observation, interviews with program leaders ( N = 15), qualitative findings based on questionnaires collected from the participants after completing the programs ( N = 365), and interviews with some of the students ( N = 10). According to the results, while the leaders intensively applied various surface frames to attract student interest and organize the program activities, the deep frames aimed for in the main program messages connected with the program goals often remained implicit and were not recognized by the students.

Keywords: outdoor environmental education; frames; program evaluation; qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4451-:d:365172

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