Environmental health assessment of primary schools in southeastern Nigeria: implication for a healthy school environment in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezeonu, C T; Anyansi, M N

2010-01-01

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we used a validated school health program evaluation scale (SHPE) to assess the environmental health status of primary schools in Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria. Parameters assessed included water supply, sewage and refuse disposal, school building ventilation, lighting and seating, as well as the availability of toilet tissue, basins for washing hands, regular cleaning of toilets, and so forth. Of all the schools assessed, only two schools, both private, attained the minimum acceptable SHPE score of 57. The mean SHPE score of the private schools (50.40) was significantly higher than that of the public schools (28.69) (t-test, p=.00). Policy reforms are needed that would ensure a healthy primary school environment in Nigeria and in other developing countries with similar settings.

Article Including Environmental Barrier Coating System

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kang N. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

An enhanced environmental barrier coating for a silicon containing substrate. The enhanced barrier coating may include a bond coat doped with at least one of an alkali metal oxide and an alkali earth metal oxide. The enhanced barrier coating may include a composite mullite bond coat including BSAS and another distinct second phase oxide applied over said surface.

A model for evaluating the environmental benefits of elementary school facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Changyoon; Hong, Taehoon; Jeong, Kwangbok; Leigh, Seung-Bok

2014-01-01

In this study, a model that is capable of evaluating the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility was developed. The model is composed of three steps: (i) retrieval of elementary school facilities having similar characteristics as the new elementary school facility using case-based reasoning; (ii) creation of energy consumption and material data for the benchmark elementary school facility using the retrieved similar elementary school facilities; and (iii) evaluation of the environmental benefits of the new elementary school facility by assessing and comparing the environmental impact of the new and created benchmark elementary school facility using life cycle assessment. The developed model can present the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility in terms of monetary values using Environmental Priority Strategy 2000, a damage-oriented life cycle impact assessment method. The developed model can be used for the following: (i) as criteria for a green-building rating system; (ii) as criteria for setting the support plan and size, such as the government's incentives for promoting green-building projects; and (iii) as criteria for determining the feasibility of green building projects in key business sectors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of a Non-Formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students; Environmental Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Daphne; Assaraf, Orit Ben Zvi; Shaharabani, Dina

2013-01-01

One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme--the Green Council Programme (GCP)--developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for…

Influence of a Non-formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students' Environmental Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Daphne; Ben Zvi Assaraf, Orit; Shaharabani, Dina

2013-02-01

One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme-the Green Council Programme (GCP)-developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for Protection of Nature. A pre-test/post-test design was used to investigate the influence of participation in the GCP on components of junior high-school students' environmental literacy. Conceptualizations of 'environment', environmental attitudes and sense of ability to act on environmental issues were studied employing quantitative and qualitative tools. Contribution of the programme to the cognitive domain, in developing a systemic understanding of the environment, was limited. On the other hand, participating in this programme heightened students' sensitivity to human-environment interrelationships and developed a more ecological worldview. After the programme, students demonstrated greater perception of humans as part of the environment, an increased sensitivity to human impact on the environment and their value for non-human nature moved from an anthropocentric to a more ecocentric orientation. While students' internal locus-of-control increased, when environmental protection entailed personal economic trade-offs, their support was limited and remained unchanged. The article concludes with recommendations, based on the findings, regarding supplementing the school (science) curriculum with external EE enrichment programmes.

Performance of newly implemented Environmental Management Systems in primary schools in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Hens, Luc; Wiedemann, Torsten; Raath, Schalk; Stone, Riana; Renders, Paul; Craenhals, Eric

2010-01-01

Quantitative results from Environmental Management Systems (EMS) at primary schools have rarely been examined in literature. This paper presents the monitoring results of environmental care in 39 primary schools in Northern South Africa. During 2 years, after the EMS was implemented in the curriculum and in the school's management, the progress of environmental performances of the participating schools has been measured, by means of detailed questionnaires, related to four environmental aspects: water, waste, energy and greening. At the beginning of the project, 50% of the schools performed well on water-related environmental actions. Two years later it was 76%. For waste-related activities the improvement was even stronger: from 50% to 100%. The environmental performances of the schools improved also for greening-related actions, from 50% at the start of the project to 64% two years later. Only energy-related activities did not improve significantly with only 24% of all schools performing well at the end of the survey period. In general, the introduction of an EMS succeeded in an improvement of the overall environmental performances of the schools, but cost-intensive activities were less successful than others. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

School environmental conditions and links to academic performance and absenteeism in urban, mid-Atlantic public schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, J D; McCormack, M C; Koehler, K A; Connolly, F; Clemons-Erby, D; Davis, M F; Gummerson, C; Leaf, P J; Jones, T D; Curriero, F C

2018-05-02

School facility conditions, environment, and perceptions of safety and learning have been investigated for their impact on child development. However, it is important to consider how the environment separately influences academic performance and attendance after controlling for school and community factors. Using results from the Maryland School Assessment, we considered outcomes of school-level proficiency in reading and math plus attendance and chronic absences, defined as missing 20 or more days, for grades 3-5 and 6-8 at 158 urban schools. Characteristics of the environment included school facility conditions, density of nearby roads, and an index industrial air pollution. Perceptions of school safety, learning, and institutional environment were acquired from a School Climate Survey. Also considered were neighborhood factors at the community statistical area, including demographics, crime, and poverty based on school location. Poisson regression adjusted for over-dispersion was used to model academic achievement and multiple linear models were used for attendance. Each 10-unit change in facility condition index, denoting worse quality buildings, was associated with a decrease in reading (1.0% (95% CI: 0.1-1.9%) and math scores (0.21% (95% CI: 0.20-0.40), while chronic absences increased by 0.75% (95% CI: 0.30-1.39). Each log increase the EPA's Risk Screening Environmental Indicator (RSEI) value for industrial hazards, resulted in a marginally significant trend of increasing absenteeism (p < 0.06), but no association was observed with academic achievement. All results were robust to school-level measures of racial composition, free and reduced meals eligibility, and community poverty and crime. These findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of the community and school environment, including building conditions and neighborhood toxic substance risk, on academic achievement and attendance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Environmental literacy of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Meuth, Amber M.

With the global crises facing the planet that bring major implications, (Hart & Nolan, 1999; Hungerford & Simmons, 2003) it is imperative that there be an environmentally literate citizenry who can identify, solve, and prevent environmental issues. Since middle school students are evolving into participating citizens and are developing the ability to think in abstract terms, they are a critical group to study regarding levels of environmental literacy. Additionally, with the increased resource needs and decreased air and water quality in highly populated urban areas, focusing on the environmental literacy of students living and attending school in urban areas is essential. The purpose of this study was to describe the levels of environmental literacy of a group of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who attend a charter school in Houston, Texas were given, the Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey (MSELS). This survey has been developed to measure components of environmental literacy as related to domains identified critical to environmental literacy (McBeth et al., 2008). The four domains include ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior. Data collected from the survey was used to determine levels of environmental literacy in the following variables: ecological knowledge, verbal commitment, actual commitment, environmental sensitivity, general environmental feelings, and environmental issue and action skills. Descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed for each grade level and as an entire sample for each variable in order to generate a profile of the group. Composite scores were calculated in the four domains (ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior) and were compared to high, moderate, and low levels of environmental literacy set forth by top environmental education researchers (McBeth et al., 2008). Additionally, two

Environmental Considerations toward the Provision of Conducive Learning Environments in Nigerian Schools

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A. J. Adeyemi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Learning, which is the expected outcome of any educational institution, can be influenced by many factors that include environmental factors. This study is aimed at comparing the learning environment of junior secondary schools, in a North-western state of Nigeria, with established standards in some other countries. Four government-owned and four private owned schools participated in the study. Environmental variables such as classroom temperature, noise level, lighting and classroom size were all evaluated using standard equipment. Using statistical analytical tools, such as descriptive and comparison of means, the result shows that classroom lighting, noise and temperature do not meet the established standards. The noise level in all the schools was above the recommended maximum comfort noise level of 40 dB(A but still below noise harmfulness level of 85dB. The lighting in the classes was also not sufficient based on international recommendations of 300 Lux. The temperature in the classrooms is significantly higher than the acceptable level of 18-28°C. Although public schools have significantly larger classrooms than private schools, they have a smaller space/pupil ratio because of larger population. There is need to improve the building design of schools so that they might aid learning among the children.

Analysis of high school students’ environmental literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Wardani, R. A. K.; Karyanto, P.; Ramli, M.

2018-05-01

The student’s environmental literacy (EL) is a vital component to improve the awareness of student on environmental issues. This research aims to measure and analyse the EL of high school students, and how the topic of environment has been taught in high school. The research was conducted in February to April 2017. The EL was measured on three aspects, i.e. knowledge, attitude and concern. The participants were sixty-five (21 boys, 44 girls) purposively selected from students of grade X, XI and XII of one Senior High School in Karanganyar Regency, Indonesia. The knowledge of students on concepts of environmental issues was tested by fourteen main questions followed by supported questions. The result showed that 80% of students were classified as inadequate category. The attitude of students was measured by New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) consisted of fifteen items, and students’ average score was 46.42 (medium). The concern was measured by fifteen statements about environment, and it was ranged from 2.58 to 4.18. EL of students may low due to students’ lack understanding of the environment concepts, the limited theories and concepts transferred to students, inappropriate lesson plan to meet the EL components.

Environmental education as part of compulsory education at school

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrova, Boyanka

2013-04-01

Environmental education in schools is an element of civic education and skills, the students should learn in school. This is part of the state and public order in the school and as such lies in the mandatory training documentation for various objects from the natural and social sciences. With the idea to help teachers in this activity in recent years with teachers, students, and government and municipal authorities had organized a number of activities aimed at: 1. Targeted analysis of curricula for middle school and increase their knowledge and professional competence of teachers towards the standards set forth by the state educational requirements, analysis shows that knowledge is competencies aimed at environmental education of young people are out (to varying degrees) in significant part of the subjects taught in secondary schools - man and society, and man and nature (in early stages) Geography (including the risks associated with natural - causes and effects), Biology and Health Education, Chemistry and protection of the environment, physics and astronomy, history and civilization and interdisciplinary civic education field. 2. Seminar courses to acquire skills to conduct interactive activities with students and in conjunction with textbooks (Green Package, Natura 2000, WSP, Flupi for a better environment). 3. Visits interesting and protected areas and objects by exploring opportunities for outings with students. 4. Conducting workshops and classes using the provided tools, techniques and interesting games aimed at awareness of the need for care and attention to our surroundings. 5. Organizing and conducting competitions between students from schools in our city, usually associated with the most popular day - Earth Day, World Day for Environmental Protection, Day of Danube). 6. Participation in outdoor activities - studying the structure and features of parks hometown, Work shop for making objects from natural materials and waste materials; race making ikebana

Strategies for School Environmental Management in Nigerian Secondary Schools: A Case of Calabar, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Obong, Linus Beba; Okey, Stella-Maris; Aniah, E. J.; Okaba, Lydia A.

2010-01-01

This paper on strategies for school environmental management in Nigerian secondary schools was carried out in Calabar, Nigeria. To guide the study three research questions were formulated. This was achieved through administration of structured questionnaires in three randomly sampled schools. Findings show regular grass clearing, sweeping of the…

Comparing Efficacy of Instructional Approaches to Develop Environmental Awareness Among School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doris D’Souza

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims to compare efficacy of self-learning, audiovisual, and fun activity instructional approaches among school students of Patna, the capital city of Bihar state of India, to develop environmental awareness. The study participants include 144 randomly selected students (72 girls and 72 boys from eight different schools of Patna. During a weeklong environmental awareness program, students were instructed using above three approaches of instruction. Data have been analyzed by using linear regression. Regression was carried out to eliminate the effect of general mental ability (GMA scores. The results suggest about overall superiority of fun activity approach over other approaches tested in the present study. However, awareness gain has been significant among the students with high GMA when instructed through audiovisual approach.

Environmental Assessment and FONSI for the Bison School District Heating Plant Project (Institutional Conservation Program [ICP]).

Science.gov (United States)

Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

This paper examines the environmental impacts of replacing the Bison, South Dakota School District's elementary and high school heating system consisting of oil-fired boilers, and supporting electrical components with a new coal-fired boiler and supporting control system piping. Various alternative systems are also examined, including purchasing a…

The School Assessment for Environmental Typology (SAfETy): An Observational Measure of the School Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Catherine P; Milam, Adam J; Furr-Holden, C Debra M; Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom

2015-12-01

School safety is of great concern for prevention researchers, school officials, parents, and students, yet there are a dearth of assessments that have operationalized school safety from an organizational framework using objective tools and measures. Such a tool would be important for deriving unbiased assessments of the school environment, which in turn could be used as an evaluative tool for school violence prevention efforts. The current paper presents a framework for conceptualizing school safety consistent with Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) model and social disorganization theory, both of which highlight the importance of context as a driver for adolescents' risk for involvement in substance use and violence. This paper describes the development of a novel observational measure, called the School Assessment for Environmental Typology (SAfETy), which applies CPTED and social disorganizational frameworks to schools to measure eight indicators of school physical and social environment (i.e., disorder, trash, graffiti/vandalism, appearance, illumination, surveillance, ownership, and positive behavioral expectations). Drawing upon data from 58 high schools, we provide preliminary data regarding the validity and reliability of the SAfETy and describe patterns of the school safety indicators. Findings demonstrate the reliability and validity of the SAfETy and are discussed with regard to the prevention of violence in schools.

The Effect of Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) on Elementary School Students' Environmental Literacy

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Erdogan, Mehmet

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) on elementary school students' environmental knowledge, affect, skills and behavior which are the main components of environmental literacy. The sample consisted of 45 students (25 males, 20 females) studying in 4th through 8th grades and living in…

Status and Evolution of Environmental Education at School Level in Delhi, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudarshana Kalita

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The need for imparting environmental education in school students has been well understood in Delhi, India and efforts have been made to incorporate environmental education (EE in the curriculum. At the same time, increasing interest in the protection and conservation of environment, nature and natural resources has led to the initiation and adoption of several campaigns, programmes and projects by various schools. Consequently, the integration of EE in the curriculum as well as through extra-curricular activities is exposing the school students to contemporary environmental challenges and their solutions. This research work is an attempt at exploring the various measures being taken to promote environmental awareness and create better attitude towards the environment in the schools in Delhi, India.

Environmental Comfort Indicators for School Buildings in Sustainability Assessment Tools

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Tatiana Santos Saraiva

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Decades ago, the only requirement to construct a building was to give men the right conditions for the execution of their work or leisure activities. With the development of knowledge about the internal and external environments of buildings, other requirements have been added such as the issue of user comfort. New construction techniques have been incorporated and new products have been created to improve internal environment comfort. This research addressed the importance of using indicators related to environmental comfort in sustainability assessment tools applied to school buildings. It also considered the importance of environmental issues for the good performance of human beings, and the harmonious coexistence of the comfort indicators indoor air quality, thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustic comfort and ergonomic comfort based on data gathered in research carried out with users of high schools (only students. This research was carried out in two different cities of different countries, Guimarães (Portugal and Juiz de Fora (Brazil, that have similar characteristics of teaching standards and climate conditions (temperature and air humidity. In this study, interviews were made through questionnaires and, later, the information collected was analyzed. This study demonstrates the need to include an ergonomic indicator for school buildings in sustainability assessment tools.

Students Environmental Awareness of Ar Ridho Nature School Semarang

Science.gov (United States)

Prihatiningsih, Agustina

2018-02-01

In order to meet the goal of environmental education, creating generation who are environmentally concerned and responsible, Ar Ridho Nature School Semarang (SAA), put the message of such education on their gardening subject. The subject has designed for grade 1 to 6 as the school commitment to build a civilization who are able to live in harmony with nature. The purpose of gardening is not only giving students environmental knowledge but also building environmental awareness and skill to preserve nature. Thus, this study aims at presenting environmental awareness among students of SAA and finding out whether there is a relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental awareness. The third grade of students were selected as participants since they were in the middle level of elementary education which has not applied 2013 Curricula (K13). A questionnaire survey was applied to 62 students face to face with considering the level of students for understanding the given questions. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson coefficient of correlation are the techniques used to analyze the data.

Students Environmental Awareness of Ar Ridho Nature School Semarang

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prihatiningsih Agustina

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to meet the goal of environmental education, creating generation who are environmentally concerned and responsible, Ar Ridho Nature School Semarang (SAA, put the message of such education on their gardening subject. The subject has designed for grade 1 to 6 as the school commitment to build a civilization who are able to live in harmony with nature. The purpose of gardening is not only giving students environmental knowledge but also building environmental awareness and skill to preserve nature. Thus, this study aims at presenting environmental awareness among students of SAA and finding out whether there is a relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental awareness. The third grade of students were selected as participants since they were in the middle level of elementary education which has not applied 2013 Curricula (K13. A questionnaire survey was applied to 62 students face to face with considering the level of students for understanding the given questions. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson coefficient of correlation are the techniques used to analyze the data.

A Case for Enhancing Environmental Education Programs in Schools: Reflecting on Primary School Students' Knowledge and Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Treagust, David F.; Amarant, Arlene; Chandrasegaran, A. L.; Won, Mihye

2016-01-01

Environmental education in schools is of increasing importance as the world population increases with the subsequent demand on resources and the potential for increased pollution. In an effort to enhance the standing of environmental education in the school curriculum, this study was designed to determine primary students' knowledge about the…

Making the Case for Sustainable K-12 School Environmental Health Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Belle, Kara; Utebay, Kudret; McArthur, Ashley

2012-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers resources to help a school or school district improve the environmental health and energy performance of its facilities, and in many cases, apply the savings generated through improved energy efficiency toward facility improvements, for the betterment of students, faculty, and staff. As an…

The Role of Environmental Education in Increasing the Awareness of Primary School Students and Reducing Environmental Risks

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Mohsen Hesami Arani

2016-06-01

Conclusion: Schools environmental management plays an important role in preparing students for environmental education that the results of this study showed a significant relationship between education and promotion of students' environmental awareness.

THE EVALUATION OF DIVERSITY OF EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MODELS OF LATVIAN RURAL SCHOOLS

OpenAIRE

Katane, Irēna; Laizāne, Anna

2015-01-01

Under conditions of changes and instability in any state rural schools are faced to look for different directions of development in order to manage in the rural areas. Thus the inner structure of rural schools becomes complex and causes formation of new educational environmental models of Latvian rural schools. The aims of the article: 1) to give substantiation of the concept model; 2) to give classification of educational environmental models of rural schools; 3) to emphasize the advantages ...

Environmental Assessment for the Bison School District Heating Plant Project, Institutional Conservation Program (ICP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This environmental assessment analyzes the environmental impacts of replacing the Bison, South Dakota School District's elementary school and high school heating system consisting of oil-fired boilers and supporting control system and piping

Climate Change and Schools: Environmental Hazards and Resiliency.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheffield, Perry E; Uijttewaal, Simone A M; Stewart, James; Galvez, Maida P

2017-11-16

The changing climate is creating additional challenges in maintaining a healthy school environment in the United States (U.S.) where over 50 million people, mostly children, spend approximately a third of their waking hours. Chronic low prioritization of funds and resources to support environmental health in schools and lack of clear regulatory oversight in the U.S. undergird the new risks from climate change. We illustrate the extent of risk and the variation in vulnerability by geographic region, in the context of sparse systematically collected and comparable data particularly about school infrastructure. Additionally, we frame different resilience building initiatives, focusing on interventions that target root causes, or social determinants of health. Disaster response and recovery are also framed as resilience building efforts. Examples from U.S. Federal Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nationally are used to illustrate these concepts. We conclude that better surveillance, more research, and increased federal and state oversight of environmental factors in schools (specific to climate risks) is necessary, as exposures result in short- and long term negative health effects and climate change risks will increase over time.

GIS measured environmental correlates of active school transport: A systematic review of 14 studies

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Faulkner Guy

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Emerging frameworks to examine active school transportation (AST commonly emphasize the built environment (BE as having an influence on travel mode decisions. Objective measures of BE attributes have been recommended for advancing knowledge about the influence of the BE on school travel mode choice. An updated systematic review on the relationships between GIS-measured BE attributes and AST is required to inform future research in this area. The objectives of this review are: i to examine and summarize the relationships between objectively measured BE features and AST in children and adolescents and ii to critically discuss GIS methodologies used in this context. Methods Six electronic databases, and websites were systematically searched, and reference lists were searched and screened to identify studies examining AST in students aged five to 18 and reporting GIS as an environmental measurement tool. Fourteen cross-sectional studies were identified. The analyses were classified in terms of density, diversity, and design and further differentiated by the measures used or environmental condition examined. Results Only distance was consistently found to be negatively associated with AST. Consistent findings of positive or negative associations were not found for land use mix, residential density, and intersection density. Potential modifiers of any relationship between these attributes and AST included age, school travel mode, route direction (e.g., to/from school, and trip-end (home or school. Methodological limitations included inconsistencies in geocoding, selection of study sites, buffer methods and the shape of zones (Modifiable Areal Unit Problem [MAUP], the quality of road and pedestrian infrastructure data, and school route estimation. Conclusions The inconsistent use of spatial concepts limits the ability to draw conclusions about the relationship between objectively measured environmental attributes and AST. Future

Environmental Issues in the Didactic Materials in Schools in Republic of Serbia

Science.gov (United States)

Maravic, Milutin; Ivkovic, Sonja; Segedinac, Mirjana; Adamov, Jasna

2014-01-01

The main task of the examination is to establish environmental issues in the didactic materials for primary and secondary school in Republic of Serbia. Environmental issues in the secondary school curriculum in Serbia, according to the current educational curricula and educational programs, is limited to general subjects (chemistry and biology…

Junior High School Students’ Perception about Simple Environmental Problem as an Impact of Problem based Learning

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Tapilouw, M. C.; Firman, H.; Redjeki, S.; Chandra, D. T.

2017-09-01

Environmental problem is a real problem that occur in student’s daily life. Junior high school students’ perception about environmental problem is interesting to be investigated. The major aim of this study is to explore junior high school students’ perception about environmental problems around them and ways to solve the problem. The subject of this study is 69 Junior High School Students from two Junior High School in Bandung. This study use two open ended question. The core of first question is environmental problem around them (near school or house). The core of second question is the way to prevent or to solve the problem. These two question are as an impact of problem based learning in science learning. There are two major findings in this study. The first finding, based on most students’ perception, plastic waste cause an environmental problem. The second finding, environmental awareness can be a solution to prevent environmental pollution. The third finding, most student can classify environmental pollution into land, water and air pollution. We can conclude that Junior High School Students see the environmental problem as a phenomenon and teacher can explore environmental problem to guide the way of preventing and resolving environmental problem.

Introducing an environmental assessment and intervention program in inner-city schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Huffaker, Michelle; Phipatanakul, Wanda

2014-12-01

Home-based environmental interventions have demonstrated clinical benefit for children with asthma. Although much is known about school-based exposures, few studies have comprehensively examined the role the school environment plays in asthma and how effectively changing the environment might reduce morbidity when adjusting for exposures in the home. This review summarizes the importance and common challenges of school-based environmental assessment and intervention studies linked to health effects. We focus on the key components of study development and the challenges and benefits to implementation. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

environmental education for port elizabeth schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

performed to gain a real is tic understanding of the successes and failings of the environmental study. Ve~~.vo.lg vatt bt. 13. VAN ZYL A. E. 1985: Language and Experience: Educa- tional barriers in teaching. SAM!:.B. Vol. 16 no. 5 pp.244-247 March. VAN ZYL S. 1gs1: The Albany Museum School Service. - 44 years. SAJ.

Environmental site assessments should include radon gas testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nardi, M.A.

1991-01-01

There are two emerging influences that will require radon gas testing as part of many property transfers and most site assessments. These requirements come from lending regulators and state legislatures. Fannie Mae and others have developed environmental investigation guidelines for the purchase of environmentally contaminated real estate. These guidelines include radon gas testing for many properties. Several states have enacted laws that require environmental disclosure forms be prepared to ensure that the parties involved in certain real estate transactions are aware of the environmental liabilities that may come with the transfer of property. Indiana has recently enacted legislation that would require the disclosure of the presence of radon gas on many commercial real estate transactions. With more lenders and state governments likely to follow this trend, radon gas testing should be performed during all property transfers and site assessment to protect the parties involved from any legal liabilities

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISK AND PROTECTION: A TYPOLOGY WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Natasha K; Lee, Jung-Sook; Weller, Bridget E

2007-01-01

Social environmental assessments can play a critical role in prevention planning in schools. The purpose of this study was to describe the importance of conducting social environmental assessments, demonstrate that complex social environmental data can be simplified into a useful and valid typology, and illustrate how the typology can guide prevention planning in schools. Data collected from 532 3(rd) through 5(th) graders using the Elementary School Success Profile were analyzed in the study. A latent profile analysis based on eight child-report social environmental dimensions identified five patterns of social environmental risk and protection. The classes were labeled High Protection, Moderate Protection, Moderate Protection/Peer Risk, Little Protection/Family Risk, and No Protection//School Risk. Class membership was significantly associated with measures of well-being, social behavior and academic performance. The article illustrates how the typology can be used to guide decisions about who to target in school-based preventions, which features of the social environment to target, and how much change to seek. Information is provided about online resources for selecting prevention strategies once these decisions are made.

The role of School of Mines in regional and national environmental protection endeavours. An outline of past and on-going project activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinkala, T; Simukanga, S.

2002-01-01

This paper outlines the contribution of the School of Mines in national and regional environmental protection activities. Projects include those undertaken under the Southern African Network for Training on the environment (SANTREN), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Issues include mining and the environment, small scale mining, environmental impact assessments, river systems, water quality, air quality and environmental technologies. The paper is concluded by pointing out the efforts by the School to introduce a Mining and Environment Program in the wake of the need to promote public awareness at tertiary level. (authors)

Schools That Sustain: Lessening the Environmental Impact of New Construction.

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Peele, Katherine N.; Malone, Sara

2002-01-01

Discusses sustainable school design and its benefits to the environment, offering examples of illustrative schools. Provides suggestions on site selection (such as using smaller sites and recycling existing buildings), sharing facilities with the community, and construction elements that improve environmental impact (such as flexibility,…

An Investigation of Secondary School Students' Environmental Attitudes and Opinions about Environmental Education (EE)

Science.gov (United States)

Yalçinkaya, Elvan; Çetin, Oguz

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the environmental attitudes of secondary school students and their opinions about environmental education (EE). It also aims to make recommendations in order to give more importance to studies on this subject in Turkey based on the findings obtained. The research problem is 'What are the opinions and…

Assessing High School Students’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayah, N.; Agustin, R. R.

2017-09-01

This paper aims to reveal students’ pro-environmental behavior in a High School. Self-reported behavior assessment was administered in this study involving students with age range 15 to 18 years. Pro-environmental behavior in this study comprises six domains. Those are recycling, waste avoidance, consumerism, energy conservation, mobility and transportation, and vicarious conservation behavior. Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of science class students was compared to behavior of non-science class students. Effect of students’ grade level and extracurricular activity on the behavior was evaluated. Study revealed that science could improve students’ PEB. It is because environmental topics are covered in science class. Student’s involvement in extracurricular activity may enhance PEB as well. In conclusion, students’ PEB is influenced by class program (science or non-science) but it is not influenced by time length in learning science. This finding could be consider by science educator in choosing strategy to enhance student’s pro-environmental behaviour.

A Survey on Turkish Elementary School Students' Environmental Friendly Behaviours and Associated Variables

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Alp, Elvan; Ertepinar, Hamide; Tekkaya, Ceren; Yilmaz, Ayhan

2008-01-01

This study investigated elementary school students' environmental knowledge and attitudes, the effects of sociodemographic variables on environmental knowledge and attitudes, and how self-reported environmentally friendly behaviour is related to environmental knowledge, behavioural intentions, environmental affects, and the students' locus of…

An assessment of the effect of an experimental environmental education programme (Man and Nutrition) on Kuwaiti primary school pupils (Grade Four)

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeel, Yaqoub Y. R.

The educational system in Kuwait is undergoing some fundamental changes, and the need for reform of environmental education has become urgent as a result of the concerns of both the government and the public over environmental issues. It is in such a context that this research was conducted. The research was intended to develop, implement, and evaluate an experimental programme Man and Nutrition for Kuwaiti primary school pupils, aimed at developing a positive environmental achievement, Information about the present status of environmental concepts and environmental education in Kuwait was obtained from preliminary study such as interviews and curriculum analysis. Interviews were conducted in ten different primary schools in four districts in Kuwait, which involved 31 pupils in total, hi addition, information was obtained by analysis of the science curriculum for fourth grade primary schools. The preliminary study was carried out during the period April to October 1998. The results of the preliminary study served to aid the development of an experimental teaching programme. The experimental programme Man and Nutrition consisted of eight lessons printed in two booklets, a teacher's guide and pupil's textbook. The research included a review of the relevant literature examining the development of environmental programmes and activities in a number of countries, which were selected because of their environmental education approaches, and the variety of their environmental conditions. Pilot testing of the teaching programmes was carried out to ascertain the appropriateness of the materials and the data collecting instruments used for the evaluation of the main experimental study. The main study group included 115 pupils in four primary schools and four teachers selected in Kuwait. Data collecting included pre and post-tests and the course evaluation by teachers using semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis of data obtained was carried out using the SPSS

The Integration of Pedagogical Aspects in Environmental Management Systems in Selected South African Primary Schools

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Kanyimba, Alex; Richter, Barry; Raath, Schalk

2015-01-01

Environmental management systems implemented in schools are regarded by many as a mechanism for the integration of environmental matters in all the operational functions of the school. The links, however, between environmental management and curriculum practice have not been adequately addressed in the literature. This article reports on the…

Occupational and Environmental Health Programs in a Medical School: Should They Be a Department?

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Rom, William N.

1981-01-01

Occupational and environmental health programs are beginning to be developed in many medical schools. The attitudes of medical school deans on their past experiences, current plans, and thoughts for the future for occupational and environmental health were surveyed and are described. (MLW)

Student's Environmental Literacy Profile of Adiwiyata Green School in Surakarta, Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Meilinda, Hephi; Prayitno, Baskoro Adi; Karyanto, Puguh

2017-01-01

Environmental literacy refers to the knowledge of the mechanism of how the nature works and the roles of human to preserve the nature sustainably. The dynamic relation between human and environment can be seen from the life interaction along with all the components. One characteristic of society that has environmental literacy is highly concerned with environmental. This research aims to analyze students’ environmental literacy in Adiwiyata Green School in Surakarta. Environmental literacy co...

Conservation and Environmental Education in Southern Appalachian Schools. A Report of a Needs Assessment.

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Bousquet, Woodward S.; Jarvis, Ralph W.

An assessment of conservation and environmental education needs in southern Appalachian schools is provided in this survey. Superintendents of school districts and teachers within the southern Appalachian region responded to a questionnaire which was designed to determine: (1) the current status of conservation and environmental education; (2)…

Environmental Health and Safety Status of Schools: Case Study in Paveh City of Kermanshah Province

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Seyyed Alireza Mousavi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: A most part of children time is spent in a school environment. Important part of the basic mission of schools is promoting the health and safety. So assessing the existing conditions is an important factor in promotion and this study conducted to investigate the environmental health and safety status of Paveh city schools in Kermanshah province. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive-cross sectional study and has performed in Paveh city of Kermanshah province. The study population consisted of primary, secondary and high schools of Paveh city. Data has been collated by referring to schools, direct observation and completion of environmental health and safety checklist. Schools conditions were determined according to the environmental health and safety checklist in desirable, semi-desirable and undesirable. The collected data were analyzed using Excel software, and data means and frequencies sign in tables and were drawn by charts. Results: From the 28 schools have visited 35.6% of school building is old and 63.7% of school building is new built. In the study of all schools in 8% of schools environmental health status were undesirable and in 21% semi-desirable and in 71% were desirable, also safety status in 4% of all schools were undesirable  and in 21% semi-desirable and in 75% were desirable. Undesirable safety conditions related to adjacent to waste accumulation areas, brick buildings without footing beam, inappropriate distance of  first row bench from the boards, lack of green spaces Conclusion: Given the importance of safety in schools, more attention should be paid to this issue. It is essential to compliance with the principles of health and safety in schools, also any consideration and action in this field can be effective in reducing the risk of many related health problems.

The Empowerment Of Role Of The Family In Developing Character Of Environmental Awareness In Elementary School-Age Children

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Kadek Aria Prima Dewi PF

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This research aims to see the empowerment process of role of the family through Waste Bank media to develop character of environmental awareness in elementary school-age children. The qualitative descriptive research methodology is used. The result of this research shows that the empowerment of role of the family in developing character of environmental awareness in elementary school-age children in State Elementary School 1 Padangsambian is determined by the role of waste bank media through intervention of school to students' parents. The initial stage of intervention activity is performed with parenting activity in school with the theme of environmental awareness. Furthermore, all forms of activities or moral actions of environmental awareness are guided by Waste Bank community. The family becomes active in the environmental awareness activity and the control process is implemented together by school and Waste Bank community.

Assessing Earth and Environmental Science Enrollment Trends in Texas Public High Schools

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Sanders, Joan G.

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: This study assesses the status of Earth and environmental sciences education in Texas Public High Schools by analyzing enrollment proportions of 11th and 12th grade students in 607 Independent School Districts (ISD) for the 2010-2011 academic school year using a quantitative, non-experimental alpha research design. This…

Environmental pollution studies

CERN Document Server

Best, Gerry

1999-01-01

This book examines a number of important contemporary environmental issues in an informative and easy-to-read style. The topics covered include sewage treatment, eutrophication, air pollution, acid rain, global warming and pollution from farming. A particularly valuable section of the book describes a range of tests that can be carried out on various environmental parameters. The procedures require relatively simple equipment and they have been pre-tested in a school laboratory. "Environmental Pollution Studies" will be of value to senior school pupils and students at college or university embarking on courses in environmental science.

Environmental school aids to the energetic education; La escuela ambiental contribuye a la educacion energetica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benavides, B. A. C.; Coto, C. J. M.

2004-07-01

Elementary school is a propitious space to contribute to knowledge and adoption of habits related to the use of environmentally friendly energies. This article refers to a methodological strategy used in education for renewable energies, specifically solar energy, within the framework of the environmental school. Its objective is to share a successful strategy to diffuse the thermal applications of solar energy for home and school. (Author)

CPTED 101: Crime Prevention through Environmental Design--The Fundamentals for Schools

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Schneider, Tod

2010-01-01

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) 101 applies to both new and existing schools and is built on three simple concepts: natural surveillance, natural access control, and territoriality. If a school's layout seems unsafe, adopting a few CPTED fundamentals may help make it significantly safer. This paper offers some tips for making…

Breathless: Schools, Air Toxics, and Environmental Justice in California

OpenAIRE

2005-01-01

Recent legislation on both federal and state levels has placed the intersection between children’s health and environmental justice on the forefront of public policy debate. This study looks at the intersection of air quality, children’s health, and school performance in the context of environmental equity in California. Information from the U.S. EPA’s National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) is used to calculate a respiratory hazard ratio for each of California’s census tracts. These ratios ar...

Nutritional, Economic, and Environmental Costs of Milk Waste in a Classroom School Breakfast Program.

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Blondin, Stacy A; Cash, Sean B; Goldberg, Jeanne P; Griffin, Timothy S; Economos, Christina D

2017-04-01

To measure fluid milk waste in a US School Breakfast in the Classroom Program and estimate its nutritional, economic, and environmental effects. Fluid milk waste was directly measured on 60 elementary school classroom days in a medium-sized, urban district. The US Department of Agriculture nutrition database, district cost data, and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions and water footprint estimates for fluid milk were used to calculate the associated nutritional, economic, and environmental costs. Of the total milk offered to School Breakfast Program participants, 45% was wasted. A considerably smaller portion of served milk was wasted (26%). The amount of milk wasted translated into 27% of vitamin D and 41% of calcium required of School Breakfast Program meals. The economic and environmental costs amounted to an estimated $274 782 (16% of the district's total annual School Breakfast Program food expenditures), 644 893 kilograms of CO 2 e, and 192 260 155 liters of water over the school year in the district. These substantial effects of milk waste undermine the School Breakfast Program's capacity to ensure short- and long-term food security and federal food waste reduction targets. Interventions that reduce waste are urgently needed.

Relationship between demographic and environmental factors and knowledge of secondary school students on natural disasters

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Cvetković Vladimir M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of quantitative research is to examine the connection between demographic (gender, age and environmental factors (family, school and media and knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters. Bearing in mind the orientation of the research design on determination of character and strength of relationships of demographic and environmental factors with the knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters, research has explicative goal. The authors use the method of interviewing high school students to identify demographic and environmental factors associated with the knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters. The study included 3,063 students of secondary schools in the city of Belgrade. Results suggest the existence of links between gender, success achieved in school and education of parents and the knowledge of students about natural disasters. The results also indicate that the education of students at school and within family does not affect the knowledge, but affects their perception on natural disasters. Bearing in mind the geographical space of Serbia, the study is based only on the Belgrade region, so the findings can be generalized only to the population of students in this area. Research findings indicate potential ways to influence students to raise level of knowledge about natural disasters to a higher level. Given the evident lack of education about natural disasters in Serbia, the study results can be used for policies of educational programs, which would contribute to improving the safety of youth culture. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179045: Development of institutional capacities, standards and procedures for countering organized crime and terrorism in terms of international integration, br. 179034: From encouraging initiative, cooperation and creativity in education to new roles and identities in the society i br. 47008: Improving quality and

Environmental lead exposure among primary school children in Shebin El-Kom District, Menoufiya Governorate, Egypt.

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Abdel Rasoul, G M; Al-Batanony, M A; Mahrous, O A; Abo-Salem, M E; Gabr, H M

2012-10-01

Lead still remains an important problem for poor, inner-city, ethnic minority children, with a particular emphasis on lead paint and dust. In Egypt, there is no national survey about the prevalence of elevated blood lead level among children. To assess the environmental lead level as well as to determine blood lead level among primary school children and find out its relationship with their intelligent quotient (IQ), hemoglobin level, hearing impairment and school performance. 190 primary school children from rural and urban areas were selected and their blood lead levels (BLL), hemoglobin concentrations, IQ, hearing threshold and school performance were measured. Also, environmental lead level was measured in the school and home. The mean value of environmental lead (μg/m3) in urban schools air was significantly higher than that in rural areas. BLL had a significant negative correlation with hemoglobin level and IQ; it was positively correlated with the hearing threshold. With increasing BLL, the school performance of children decreased significantly. Exposure to lead would deteriorate IQ, school performance and hearing level of school children. Even in the absence of overt clinical manifestations of lead toxicity, lead intoxication should be among differential diagnosis in children presenting anemia, intellectual impairment, poor academic performance and hearing impairment.

The environmental literacy of urban middle school teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Marcia Allen

This dissertation study assessed the environmental literacy of 292 urban, middle school teachers using the Wisconsin Environmental Literacy Survey (WELS). Environmental literacy may be defined in terms of observable behaviors. Specifically, the study examined four dimensions of participants' environmental literacy: (a) attitudes toward the environment, (b) beliefs about their own power and responsibility to affect environmental change, (c) personal behaviors and actions toward the environment, and (d) knowledge regarding ecology and environmental issues. The WELS measures these components of environmental literacy through a Likert-type attitude survey, a self-reporting behavior instrument, and a multiple choice measure of cognitive learning outcomes or environmental knowledge. These scores were combined to derive a total environmental literacy score. In addition, the study explored differences between African American and European American female teachers' environmental literacy; interactions between demographic variables; and patterns of frequently missed questions, environmental attitudes, or environmental behaviors. Differences in teachers' environmental literacy were examined relative to gender, racial/ethnic background, number of preservice environmental courses taken, number of inservice environmental courses taken, years of teaching experience, and subject area taught. Overall, teachers in the present study demonstrated nominal environmental literacy. Significant differences in scores on various subscales were found among teachers according to racial/ethnic background, subject area taught, and years of teaching experience. Taking preservice and inservice environmental courses appears to have a positive impact on environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity, awareness and values, but not appear to impact environmental knowledge. This study underscores the need for further descriptive environmental literacy research on urban, minority, and poor students

Towards environment and health promoting South African schools.

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Mathee, A; Byrne, J

1996-03-01

This article describes the activities of the Greater Johannesburg Healthy Schools Program of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Healthy Cities Project in South Africa. Healthy Cities projects emphasize community participation, intersectoral action, supportive environments for health, and a settings approach. Children in South Africa, are exposed to environmental and health hazards in the school setting including poor building design, poor equipment, and understaffing. The Healthy Schools initiative in Greater Johannesburg, is a pilot for enhancing environmental quality, health, and well-being among students. Schools include those in an informal settlement in an industrial area, an inner city district, and in a suburban area. The initiative includes research, establishment of environmental and health committees, development of an action plan, and evaluation and feedback. The plan aims to promote environmental and health sustainability, to empower children to become full participants in the community, and to support teachers and parents in the promotion of health-enhancing school environments. The program builds upon the lessons learned from several local school initiatives. Initiatives include an anti-smoking poster competition involving over 10,000 students, special environmental and health awareness days, consciousness raising among high school students about air pollution, and local efforts to engage students in environmental clean-up days.

Environmental Education meanings mobilized in discourses of school teachers who are involved in biology teacher training

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Elizabeth Bozoti Pasin

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Despite current Brazilian educational legislation highlights Environmental Education (EE, schools usually address this issue in a fragmented manner, poorly consolidated. The initial and continuing training of teachers have much to do with this situation. Our aim was to reveal the meanings about Environmental Education, about teacher training for EE and about the actions in EE in schools in the discourses of teachers who acted on basic education institutions where Science and Biology pre-service teachers made internship. We applied semi-structured questionnaires and we adopted the theoretical and methodological framework of the French Discourse Analysis. As a result, we found little diversity of meanings in relation to EE, with a pronounced hegemony of those related to change habits to conserve resources, EE for conservation and EE restricted to biological aspects. Some participants also showed a hybridization between EE and teaching Ecology. In their discourses, actions and discussions related to the subject in schools are punctual and unsystematic, lacking interdisciplinary approaches, as occurred in the initial and continuing education of the majority. We propose the establishment of an organic relationship between schools and universities with more interactions, including collective reflections and research to foster the comprehension of elaboration and mobilization of meanings about EE and its influences on teacher actions.

Global Environmental Leadership and Sustainability: High School Students Teaching Environmental Science to Policymakers

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Wilson, S.; Tamsitt, V. M.

2016-02-01

A two week high school course for high-achieving 10th-12th graders was developed through the combined efforts of Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) Graduate Students and UC San Diego Academic Connections. For the high school students involved, one week was spent at SIO learning basic climate science and researching climate-related topics, and one week was spent in Washington D.C. lobbying Congress for an environmental issue of their choosing. The specific learning goals of the course were for students to (1) collect, analyze and interpret scientific data, (2) synthesize scientific research for policy recommendations, (3) craft and deliver a compelling policy message, and (4) understand and experience change. In this first year, 10 students conducted research on two scientific topics; sea level rise using pier temperature data and California rainfall statistics using weather stations. Simultaneous lessons on policy messaging helped students learn how to focus scientific information for non-scientists. In combining the importance of statistics from their Science lessons with effective communication from their Policy lessons, the students developed issue papers which highlighted an environmental problem, the solution, and the reason their solution is most effective. The course culminated in two days of meetings on Capitol Hill, where they presented their solutions to their Congressional and Senate Members, conversed with policymakers, and received constructive feedback. Throughout the process, the students effectively defined arguments for an environmental topic in a program developed by SIO Graduate Students.

School Board as a Pedagogical Strategy for Sustainability in Environmental Education. (Project execution

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Nayr Del Valle Rivas Silva

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This research was designed as a purpose to establish the school garden as a pedagogical strategy of sustainability in environmental education with the students of the National Basic School "Sebastián Araujo Briceño" of the Pedraza Municipality Barinas State; The nature of research is qualitative, the method is Research Action. For the purposes of the present study, three (03 teachers and three (03 students who belong to the institution will participate as informers and enjoy recognized responsibility and commitment at the "Sebastián Araujo Briceño" National Basic School. The technique used is the semistructured interview, And the instrument the interview guide. The analysis of the information will be done through the codification, categorization, triangulation and structuring of theories. After implementing the activities with the school garden, it is hoped to conclude that children contribute to the care of the environment and maintain in harmony the ecological balance that should reign in any space where human beings live and coexist. In this way the educational institution will present an environmental aspect in accordance with the ecological principles of environmental education immersed in the National Basic Curriculum.

Contribution of formative research to design an environmental program for obesity prevention in schools in Mexico City.

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Bonvecchio, Anabelle; Théodore, Florence L; Safdie, Margarita; Duque, Tiffany; Villanueva, María Ángeles; Torres, Catalina; Rivera, Juan

2014-01-01

This paper describes the methods and key findings of formative research conducted to design a school-based program for obesity prevention. Formative research was based on the ecological model and the principles of social marketing. A mixed method approach was used. Qualitative (direct observation, indepth interviews, focus group discussions and photo-voice) and quantitative (closed ended surveys, checklists, anthropometry) methods were employed. Formative research key findings, including barriers by levels of the ecological model, were used for designing a program including environmental strategies to discourage the consumption of energy dense foods and sugar beverages. Formative research was fundamental to developing a context specific obesity prevention program in schools that seeks environment modification and behavior change.

Secondary school studentsʹ environmental concerns : a case study from Slovenia

OpenAIRE

Torkar, Gregor

2017-01-01

Students ’ environmental concern s w ere investigated using a questionnaire with 1 2 items. The study sample comprised 410 first and second year students of general upper secondary school from NW Slovenia . Results provide evidence that students’ concerns for the consequences of environmental damage formed three correlated factors organized around self and family, all peop le, and the biosphere. The highest ...

Environmental Education in Ecuador: Conceptions and Currents in Quito's Private Elementary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Viteri, Fátima; Clarebout, Geraldine; Crauwels, Marion

2013-01-01

While key conceptions and the status of environmental education (EE) have been reported at various international, regional, national and local levels, those in play in the schools of Quito (Ecuador) are still relatively unknown. Of particular interest to this study are private schools: they are considerable in number in Ecuador and elsewhere, yet…

Outcomes of a National Environmental Edutainment Program in High Schools

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Lappe, M. D.

2012-12-01

We present results of the first longitudinal evaluation of a nation-wide environmental edutainment program. There has recently been rapid growth in curricula on the environment and climate change, yet few reach large and diverse audiences, and fewer still are evaluated. These results are from high schools participating in the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) program. ACE is a 3 year-old program that has reached 1.2 million students with an edutainment presentation incorporating music, multi-media, animation, and documentary footage (www.acespace.org). A projected 850 schools across 23 states will see the presentation this year; 6% of schools (3 classes each) are randomly selected to be evaluated. The data described here were collected in Fall 2011 from 1,270 students in 21 schools; the full evaluation will be complete in May 2012. The sample is ethnically and socio-economically diverse — 29% are white, and 46% receive free/reduced lunches (a proxy for socio-economic status). Outcome measures included a test of climate knowledge and intentions to take (and to ask others to take) climate-related actions. The analyses examined direct effects of the ACE program on climate knowledge and intentions, as well as the moderating effects of student gender and age on learning. Before the ACE presentation, boys had significantly higher knowledge scores than girls (54% vs. 48% correct, respectively, p < .001). Afterward, boys and girls both had significantly higher knowledge scores (64% and 63% correct, respectively) and no longer differed from each other in this respect. Before the presentation, girls expressed significantly greater intentions to take climate-related actions than did boys. Afterward, intentions increased significantly in both groups, but the gap between girls and boys remained. The gap-closing pattern was somewhat different for the moderating variable of age. Before the presentation, knowledge and intentions were significantly higher among older students

Theoretical perspectives for the Environmental Education in high school. Theory and practice

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Liliana Haydé Gutiérrez Sabogal

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This article exposes the background and conclusions of an Environmental Education purpose —EE— supported by theoretical models able to frame processes of teaching and learning applied to EE in the high school. All of this come from strict revision and analysis of complemented educational didactics, through the professional teaching experience. To reveal this conceptual framework, the activities are posed and developed within the Environmental School Project —ESP— of the District Education Institute —DEI— Ignacio Pescador as a mode to put into practice the analyzed theory. Thus, the results obtained validate the referential framework proposed to produce knowledge about the instructive theory — which is aimed to professional teachers who will be added to the teaching process of EE into the high school institutes— and the process of knowledge creation in the student body.

The Teaching Green School Building: A Framework for Linking Architecture and Environmental Education

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Cole, Laura B.

2014-01-01

The "Teaching Green School Building" is an emergent type of school building that attempts to engage building users with environmental issues in buildings. Architectural interventions in these buildings range from signage to interactive touch screens to gardens and demonstration kitchens that foster educational programmes about…

The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and

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Erna van Zyl

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and performance in Home Language and Numeracy in Grade 1, and performance in the same learning areas in Grade 4 were investigated by means of a longitudinal quantitative study. One school in the Free State province was purposefully selected. The Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB was implemented to capture school readiness, including school maturity and levels of development in physical, cognitive, emotional, social and normative domains. Results confirm that school readiness significantly correlated with academic performance of the respondents in Grade 1 as well as with their school performance in Grade 4.

A Comprehensive Course Introducing Environmental Science : Case Study of “Introduction to Environmental Science” as a Common Course in the Graduate School of Environmental Science

OpenAIRE

山中, 康裕; 三井, 翔太

2017-01-01

The course “Introduction to Environmental Science” was designed and held during the academic year 2015-2016 for new masterʼs course students at the Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University. The course was designed in accord with societal needs such as consensus building for environmental conservation and associated scientific evidence, bringing together a large number of students from various disciplines. The course was composed of six modules in which multipl...

The effects of environmental and classroom noise on the academic attainments of primary school children.

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Shield, Bridget M; Dockrell, Julie E

2008-01-01

While at school children are exposed to various types of noise including external, environmental noise and noise generated within the classroom. Previous research has shown that noise has detrimental effects upon children's performance at school, including reduced memory, motivation, and reading ability. In England and Wales, children's academic performance is assessed using standardized tests of literacy, mathematics, and science. A study has been conducted to examine the impact, if any, of chronic exposure to external and internal noise on the test results of children aged 7 and 11 in London (UK) primary schools. External noise was found to have a significant negative impact upon performance, the effect being greater for the older children. The analysis suggested that children are particularly affected by the noise of individual external events. Test scores were also affected by internal classroom noise, background levels being significantly related to test results. Negative relationships between performance and noise levels were maintained when the data were corrected for socio-economic factors relating to social deprivation, language, and special educational needs. Linear regression analysis has been used to estimate the maximum levels of external and internal noise which allow the schools surveyed to achieve required standards of literacy and numeracy.

Including plasma and fusion topics in the science education in school

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kado, Shinichiro

2015-01-01

Yutori education (more relaxed education policy) started with the revision of the Courses of Study to introduce 'five-day week system' in 1989, continued with the reduction of the content of school lessons by 30% in 1998, and ended with the introduction of the New Courses of Study in 2011. Focusing on science education, especially in the topics of plasma and nuclear fusion, the modality of the education system in Japan is discussed considering the transition of academic performance based on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in comparison with the examples in other countries. Particularly, the issues with high school textbooks are pointed out from the assessment of current textbooks, and the significance and the need for including the topic of 'plasma' in them are stated. Lastly, in order to make the general public acknowledged with plasma and nuclear fusion, it is suggested to include them also in junior high school textbooks, by briefly mentioning the terms related to plasma, solar wind, aurora phenomenon, and nuclear fusion energy. (S.K.)

Radiation and nuclear safety included in the environmental health programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomaa, S.

1996-01-01

Finland is currently preparing a national environmental health programme, the objective of which is to chart the main environmental health problems in Finland, to identify means for securing a healthy environment, and to draw up a practical action programme for preventing and rectifying problems pertaining to environmental health. Radiation and nuclear safety form an essential part of preventive health care. The action programme is based on decisions and programmes approved at the WHO Conference on the Environment and Health, held in Helsinki in June 1994. In addition to the state of the Finnish environment and the health of the Finnish population, the programme addresses the relevant international issues, in particular in areas adjacent to Finland. The Committee on Environmental Health is expected to complete its work by the end of the year. A wide range of representatives from various branches of administration have contributed to the preparation of the programme. Besides physical, biological and chemical factors, the environmental factors affecting health also include the physical environment and the psychological, social and aesthetic features of the environment. Similarly, environmental factors that have an impact on the health of present or future generations, on the essential preconditions of life and on the quality of life are investigated. The serious risk to nature caused by human actions is also considered as a potential risk to human health. (orig.)

Promoting Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Collection of Used Batteries by Secondary School Pupils

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Rioux, Liliane

2011-01-01

This research is based on Kollmuss and Agyeman's mode, and aims to determine if the prerequisites for pro-environmental behaviour, such as the collection of used batteries at school, are ethical, cognitive and environmental. A questionnaire/opinionnaire was given to 102, 14-17-year-olds to gather data on: (1) their current recycling habits, (2)…

Integrating indicators in a national accounting matrix including environmental accounts (NAMEA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Haan, M.; Keuning, S.J.; Bosch, P.R.

1993-01-01

Five environmental indicators are conceptually and numerically integrated into a National Accounting Matrix including Environmental Accounts (NAMEA) for 1989. As a consequence, these estimates are directly comparable with outcomes of major macro-economic aggregates in the conventional accounts. In the NAMEA, emissions of all kinds of polluting agents are recorded by industry and by consumption purpose. Subsequently, these agents are grouped into five environmental themes: greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, acidification, eutrophication and waste accumulation. The contributions of agents to certain themes are expressed in theme-related environmental stress equivalents. Per theme, these stress equivalents are confronted with policy norms set by the Netherlands government for the year 2000. This results in a statistical framework at a meso-level from which integrated economic and environmental indicators are derived. The NAMEA may also serve as a data base and analytical device for modelling interactions between the national economy and changes in the environment. 13 tabs., 2 app., 32 refs

ROLE OF GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY: The case of water security at Bwaila Secondary School in Malawi

Science.gov (United States)

Chasukwa Mwalwenje, Yvonne; Chasukwa, Steria

2015-04-01

water. The main challenge is the degradation of water resources which result into siltation that blocks the water sources due to rain while in the dry season the water level in reservoirs goes down. Other challenges include inadequate service coverage, insufficient literacy on climate change, inadequate mitigation measures for water related disasters and inadequate promotion of hygiene and sanitation. Bwaila Secondary School in Malawi is no exception in experiencing inadequate water service coverage amidst opportunities such as availability of relatively abundant water resources, political will, active women and youth. The formal education curriculum in secondary schools has enriched students' knowledge of environmental management in subjects such as Geography, Agriculture and Biology to improve their understanding of natural resource management. However, the primary gap is that students do not use the skills in environmental management acquired from the formal school setting in their day to day life henceforth rendering it to be a mere academic exercise confined within classroom walls. It is against such background that Grassroots Environmental Literacy (GEL), an environmental management social marketing franchise in non-formal education was established to fill in the gap. GEL's mission is to inspire students to become change agents in environmental management in their own lives in both formal and non-formal settings in Malawi. GEL believes that the cultivation of broad-based private and public support is the key to bringing about positive and lasting environmental change hence contributing to water security. The education sector in general and school attendance in particular is largely affected by water security. Furthermore, technological limitations have also affected the accessibility of water resources. UNICEF (2008) asserts that water resources may be scarce as it is capital intensive to sink a bore hole in Malawi. Bwaila secondary school is one of the examples

Evaluation Tool for the Application of Discovery Teaching Method in the Greek Environmental School Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Kalathaki, Maria

2015-01-01

Greek school community emphasizes on the discovery direction of teaching methodology in the school Environmental Education (EE) in order to promote Education for the Sustainable Development (ESD). In ESD school projects the used methodology is experiential teamwork for inquiry based learning. The proposed tool checks whether and how a school…

Investigation of High School Students' Environmental Attitudes in Terms of Some Demographic Variables

Science.gov (United States)

Koruoglu, Nergiz; Ugulu, Ilker; Yorek, Nurettin

2015-01-01

Studying individuals and students' attitudes towards environment and factors affecting students to be responsible individuals towards their environment may provide help towards the solution of environmental problems. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate environmental attitudes of high school students in terms of some variables. The sample of the…

Including Fathers in School Psychology Literature: A Review of Four School Psychology Journals

Science.gov (United States)

Greif, Jennifer L.; Greif, Geoffrey L.

2004-01-01

It is well documented that fathers have a significant influence on their children's success in school. To examine the ways in which fathers have been represented in school psychology literature, the authors searched over 1,000 recent articles published in four leading U.S. school psychology journals ("Psychology in the Schools," "School Psychology…

Investigating Elementary School Students' Technology Acceptance by Applying Digital Game-Based Learning to Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yuh-Ming; Lou, Shi-Jer; Kuo, Sheng-Huang; Shih, Ru-Chu

2013-01-01

In order to improve and promote students' environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour, integrating environmental education into the primary education curriculum has become a key issue for environmental education. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate elementary school students' acceptance of technology applying digital game-based…

School environment and school injuries

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Simo eSalminen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Although injuries at school are an important issue in public health, environmental factors in schools and school yards have seldom been the focus of school injury research. The goal of our investigation was to examine the effect of environmental factors on school injuries. Methods: Nine comprehensive Finnish schools registered school injuries over a period of two school years. Injuries were classified as being associated with environmental factors, suspected environmental factors, and others. The consensus between two independent classifiers was 81%. Results: A total of 722 injuries were classified. In 11.6% of these injuries, the physical environment factor was evident, and in 28.1% of the injuries, physical environment was suspected of being a contributory risk factor. Thus the physical environment of the school was a contributing factor in over a third (39.7% of injuries occurring in the school, on the school yard or during the journey to or from school. In this study, conducted in Finland, ice on the ground was mentioned most frequently as an environmental risk factor. Conclusions: In Finland, the Nordic weather conditions are not taken into account in the school yard and playground plans as they ought to from the safety point of view. An initiative has been launched on a mandatory wintertime master plan for every school yard.

Joint en Environmental Promotion from the Triad: School, Family, Community

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Adriana Del Rosario Mejías Vetancourt

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The present research has as main objective to generate a theoretical approach of the Joint Environmental Promotion from the Triad: School, Family, Community Primary School "Cinqueña III" town Barinas state of Barinas. The nature of this research is supported by the phenomenological qualitative approach critical partner paradigm. Key informants were considered five (05, which were chosen at the discretion of the investigator, according to the actors who are considered binding: a manager, a teacher, a representative, a member of the school board, a member of the community council. Among the techniques of information collection are: participant observation and qualitative depth interview. As techniques for analyzing information categorization, coding and triangulation, accompanied by descriptive and interpretative phase it is contemplated. Then, a comparative matrix is made to analyze the information collected and shall determine the findings as a result of addressing the issue of research in the Basic School Cinqueña III, municipality of Barinas Barinas state.

Bringing Street Art to School: Open to Include

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Graça Duarte; Varandas, Elisabete

2016-01-01

Inclusive Education values differences by reducing barriers to learning and promoting active participation and positive interactions between all members of school community. Nowadays, school faces numerous children/adolescents who for several reasons have developed challenging behaviours and high risk of dropping out school. They come often from…

TOOLS TO INCLUDE BLIND STUDENTS IN SCHOOL BUILDING PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS

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Tania Pietzschke Abate

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the design of data collection instruments that include the opinions of blind students, in accordance with the principles of Universal Design (UD. The aim of this study is to understand the importance of adapting data collection instruments for the inclusion of disabled persons in field research in Architecture and Design, among other fields. The data collection instruments developed were a play interview with a tactile map and a 3D survey with the use of tactile models. These instruments sought to assess the school environment experienced by blind students. The study involved students from the early years of a school for the blind who had not yet mastered the Braille system. The participation of these students was evaluated. A multidisciplinary team consisting of architects, designers, educators, and psychologists lent support to the study. The results showed that the data collection instruments adapted to blind students were successful in making the group of authors examine questions regarding UD. An analysis of the participatory phase showed that the limitations resulting from blindness determine the specificities in the adaptation and implementation process of the instruments in schools. Practical recommendations for future studies related to instruments in the UD thematic are presented. This approach is in line with the global trend of including disabled persons in society based on these users’ opinions concerning what was designed by architects and designers.

The Contribution of Home, Neighbourhood and School Environmental Factors in Explaining Physical Activity among Adolescents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haerens, L.; Deforche, B.; Cardon, G.; Bourdeaudhuij, I.D.; Craeynest, M.; Maes, L.

2010-01-01

The present study aimed at investigating the influence of home, neighbourhood and school environmental factors on adolescents' engagement in self-reported extracurricular physical activity and leisure time sports and on MVPA objectively measured by accelerometers. Environmental factors were assessed using questionnaires. Gender specific hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, with demographic variables entered in the first block, and environmental, psychosocial factors and interactions terms entered in the second block. Participation in extracurricular activities at school was positively related to the number of organized activities and the provision of supervision. Perceived accessibility of neighborhood facilities was not related to engagement in leisure time sports, whereas the availability of sedentary and physical activity equipment was. Findings were generally supportive of ecological theories stating that behaviors are influenced by personal and environmental factors that are constantly interacting.

Greenhouse Affect: The Relationship between the Sustainable Design of Schools and Children's Environmental Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Izadpanahi, Parisa; Elkadi, Hisham; Tucker, Richard

2017-01-01

This study aims to determine if primary school children's environmental attitudes can be predicted by whether their school had been designed or adapted for sustainability. A New Ecological Paradigm ("NEP") scale for children was adopted to measure attitudes, with supplementary questions added to align this scale to the Australian context…

Characteristics of teaching environmental education in primary schools

OpenAIRE

Stanišić, Jelena M.

2016-01-01

The results of the recent research in the field of environmental education point to the fact that it is not enough to incorporate environmental content in the curricula and expect the students to behave environmentally responsibly. This is only a small step on the long and complex path of developing environmental awareness. Apart from the fact that environmental issues are included in the curricula, it is very important how these environmental issues are conveyed to students. The aim of this ...

Indoor environmental health in schools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Small, B.M. [Envirodesic Certification Program, Stouffville, ON (Canada)

1999-07-01

Indoor health is a concern today because unhealthy environments can cause adverse health effects, poor learning and teaching and increased costs. The holistic view of the environment and human health links sick kids, absenteeism, teacher illness, education costs and mouldy schools. An historical perspective is provided on the problem and its treatment referring to: 1962 and chemical susceptibility, 1975 and open systems theory, 1978 and high risk groups, 1985 and pollution and education in Toronto, 1987 and health environments for Canadians, 1995 and the National Education Association in the U.S., 1997 and a U.S. Executive Order, 1998 and the Texas Dept. of Health, 1998 and the U.S. EPS website 'IAQ Tools for Schools', and 1998 and 'The air children breathe.' It is known that pollutants adversely affect health, that children are highly susceptible, that the role in schools has being known for decades, and that information is now available worldwide through the Internet. The reasons why mould is a problem are listed, and the effects of an unhealthy indoor environment are referred to. The benefits of a healthy indoor environment are listed, and the various means of creating a healthy indoor environment are outlined. New developments are referred to including: fresh air, building envelope, building leakage, airtightness of buildings, tight envelope and air supply, low-emission materials, maintenance and cleaning, strategy and financing, collaboration, and the possibility of healthy schools.

Swedish Upper Secondary School Students’ Conceptions of Negative Environmental Impact and Pricing

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Cecilia Lundholm

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This study explores relationships between upper secondary school students’ understanding of prices and environmental impacts. The study uses responses from 110 students to problems in which they were asked to explain differences in prices and also to express and justify opinions on what should be the difference in prices. Very few students expressed an environmental dimension in their understanding of price. A few students suggested that environmental impact influenced price by raising demand for “Environmentally friendly products”. A few students suggested that ‘environmentally friendly products’ had higher prices because they were more costly to produce. We found no examples of students combining both lines of explanation. However, nearly half of the students believed that prices should reflect environmental effects, and this reasoning was divided between cases where the point was justified by a broad environmental motivation and cases where the point was justified in relation to incentives–to get consumers to act in a more environmentally friendly way.

Environmental Camp as a Comprehensive Communication Tool to Promote the RRR Concept to Elementary Education Students at Koh Si Chang School

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Supakata, Nuta; Puangthongthub, Sitthichok; Srithongouthai, Sarawut; Kanokkantapong, Vorapot; Chaikaew, Pasicha

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop and implement a Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (RRR) communication strategy through environmental camp as a comprehensive communication tool to promote the RRR concept to elementary school students. Various activities from five learning bases including the folding milk carton game, waste separation relay, recycling…

Elementary Environmental Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, Robert J.

This guide presents suggestions for field trips, out-of-doors activities, material for centers, and individualized activities in the teaching of elementary school science and particularly environmental education at the elementary level. The guide includes a section on preparation and procedures for conducting field trips, including sample…

Assessment of environmental projects in official schools in the locality 18 in Bogota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera R, Juan Francisco; Reyes S, Lucia; Amaya, Hector Oswaldo T .Gerena Oscar Arturo

2006-01-01

It was investigated the current state of de School Environment Projects in the public educational institutions of de Town 18 Rafael Uribe Uribe in Bogota (Colombia). The participation grade was measured in the design o execution and evaluation of the environmental projects, the registration and systematising of experiences, the generation of reflection spaces and the structuring to the Institutional Educational Project. By means of the test pilot the variables were determined for the sample design and the validation of the mensuration instrument. Three populations study object were determined and for each was designed a for through which the information of the variable was gathered by means of the method of direct interview. The results show that the overwhelming majority of the considered population didn't participated in the design in the execution of the environmental projects. The registration and systematizing of experiences are minimum, as well as the reflection spaces and conceptualization. There is not articulation from the environmental project to the Institutional Educational Project. The little participation, systematizing of experiences and lack of reflection spaces and conceptualization limit the impact of the School Environmental Projects in the formation of favorable attitudes to the environment

Environmental education and its effect on the knowledge and attitudes of preparatory school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Abd El-Salam, Magda M; El-Naggar, Hesham M; Hussein, Rim A

2009-01-01

Considering the serious environmental threats facing Egypt, environmental education (EE) that provides the knowledge, skills, and motivation to take individual or collective action is needed to create a sustainable quality of life. This study was carried out aiming at measuring the level of environmental knowledge among preparatory school students in Alexandria, determining their attitudes towards some environmental concepts, and assessing the effect of EE on these knowledge and attitudes. The study sample was selected by stratified random method, and the assessment was conducted using a questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that 77% of the students had poor level of environmental knowledge and that 23% had fair level. In addition, 80% of the students were found to have negative attitude toward the environment and the remainder 20% were indifferent. Such knowledge and attitudes were positively correlated to their socio-economic levels. Following six EE sessions, an improvement in their knowledge and attitudes was observed where 69% of the students had a satisfactory level of knowledge and 88% had positive attitude toward the environment. Attitude was found to be positively correlated to their level of knowledge prior to and following the EE sessions. These results support the need for development and implementation of environmental education programs as part of the regular school curriculum.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Characteristics Associated with Violence and Safety in Middle Schools

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Vagi, Kevin J.; Stevens, Mark R.; Simon, Thomas R.; Basile, Kathleen C.; Carter, Sherry P.; Carter, Stanley L.

2018-01-01

Background: This study used a new Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment tool to test the associations between physical attributes of schools and violence-related behaviors and perceptions of students. Methods: Data were collected from 4717 students from 50 middle schools. Student perceptions of risk and safety, and…

Permaculture: an alternative approach for environmental education in rural schools

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Caio César Rangel

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The term sustainability is important for the comprehension of how Environmental Education and practices of Permaculture can be used as tools of education. Permaculture is characterized as a system for planning and creation, in a harmonic manner, of productive, sustainable and ecologic environments. The goal of this paper is to evaluate permaculture’s practices efficiency as a tool of environmental education and mechanism of integration between the human being and the environment. The project was developed in a school of municipal education system located in the rural part of Ituiutaba, State of Minas Gerais, involving 40 people directly. Students and staff participated taking to school plants that are part of their everyday life, in other words, that have cultural value for their community. The integration between students, staff and the remaining residents was noticed mainly when everyone got involved in developing the vegetable garden, showing the aggregating potential through joint actions that such activities allow. The unity and estimation of one’s own living place bring the feeling of belonging and the improvement of ambiance, important aspects for the improvement of people’s, that live far from urban centers, life quality.

School Locations and Traffic Emissions — Environmental (InJustice Findings Using a New Screening Method

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Philine Gaffron

2015-02-01

Full Text Available It has been shown that the location of schools near heavily trafficked roads can have detrimental effects on the health of children attending those schools. It is therefore desirable to screen both existing school locations and potential new school sites to assess either the need for remedial measures or suitability for the intended use. Current screening tools and public guidance on school siting are either too coarse in their spatial resolution for assessing individual sites or are highly resource intensive in their execution (e.g., through dispersion modeling. We propose a new method to help bridge the gap between these two approaches. Using this method, we also examine the public K-12 schools in the Sacramento Area Council of Governments Region, California (USA from an environmental justice perspective. We find that PM2.5 emissions from road traffic affecting a school site are significantly positively correlated with the following metrics: percent share of Black, Hispanic and multi-ethnic students, percent share of students eligible for subsidized meals. The emissions metric correlates negatively with the schools’ Academic Performance Index, the share of White students and average parental education levels. Our PM2.5 metric also correlates with the traffic related, census tract level screening indicators from the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool and the tool’s tract level rate of asthma related emergency department visits.

Public Schools, California, 2009, California Department of Education

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This set of data represents the most current public schools in the State of California as of June, 2009. Information about each public school includes: school name,...

Knowledge and Morality of School-Age Children and Adolescents Regarding Environmental Issues and Moral Dilemmas

Science.gov (United States)

Vestena, Carla Luciane Blum; Piske, Fernanda Hellen Ribeiro

2017-01-01

A research gap exists with regard to the analysis of school children and adolescents' awareness on environmental issues. Current investigation analyzes data of 240 children and adolescents, aged between 8 and 14 years, within different school contexts in the mid-southern region of Brazil, on their knowledge level and moral judgment on solid…

Combining Technical Competence and Stakeholder Impact in Environmental Education: The Gambia All Schools Nursery Competition

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Paulete, Francisca E.; Orr, Blair

2010-01-01

Under the guidance of the Department of Forestry, the Regional Education Directorate, and Peace Corps/The Gambia, the Gambia All Schools Tree Nursery Competition, an environmental education program, was developed to introduce practical environmental education in The Gambia. Data for this report were collected using a rapid appraisal approach.…

Melding Environmental Education and Creative Learning in Elementary and Middle-school Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, S.; Baker, T.; Crofton-Macdonald, J.; Scott, M.

2017-12-01

Teaching environmental topics, such as sustainability and ecosystem management, to students through the lens of computational thinking provides unique educational opportunities. Environmental topics are an excellent source for multidisciplinary learning, as questions concerning human well-being, environmental policy, science, and mathematics can naturally be incorporated into educational discussions and activities. The use of computational modeling allows students to critically reason about and explore environmental concepts by envisioning complexity, and asking and investigating a series of "what if" questions. Students can furthermore reflect on their own relationship with their local ecology. For the past five years, we have tested and developed activities for middle school students. Through in-class activities, workshop, and summer clubs, we have explored these ideas. We plan to present examples from our work and a tentative framework for a new approach to environmental education, one reinforced by computational thinking and creative learning.

Environmental Determinants of Bronchial Asthma among Saudi School Children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

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Jobran M. Alqahtani

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim here was to study the possible environmental and dietary determinants of asthma among school-aged children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. In a cross-sectional study on a representative sample in Najran in Southwestern Saudi Arabia using an Arabic version of the modified ISAAC Phase III, parent-administered questionnaire data were collected. Skin prick tests (SPTs were performed. The study included 1700 school children, out of them 468 (27.5% were diagnosed with, cases of bronchial asthma and 20.8% (353 reported a 12-month nocturnal cough (as a proxy of severe asthma. In multivariable analysis, the study identified the following risk factors for having asthma or severe asthma: having dogs in the house, being male, being exposed to dense truck traffic on the street, using wood as a cooking fuel, conducting vigorous exercise, consuming eggs, consuming vegetables, having an allergic sensitization to dog hair, and being exposed to Cladosporium, pigweed, and Bermuda grass. On the other hand, the following food stuffs were found to be protective: seafood, fruit, and dairy products. Comprehensive school educational programs for both children and their parents should be adopted to prevent the use of wood in cooking and heating, to ensure that house pets are properly cared for, and to encourage proper dietary habits. Physicians should be informed of the patterns of allergens in order to improve asthma diagnosis and management.

Activity and Action: Bridging Environmental Sciences and Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Tal, Tali; Abramovitch, Anat

2013-01-01

The main goal of this study was to examine the Environmental Workshop unit taught to Environmental Sciences majors in the high schools in Israel and learn if, and in what ways, this unit could become a model for environmental education throughout the high school curriculum. We studied the special characteristics of the Environmental Workshop (EW)…

The socio-economic and environmental impact of school commuting : a case study of the Johannesburg Inner City

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) This study explores the school-commuting phenomenon that occurs across the city of Johannesburg, with specific reference to inner city private schools. It was hypothesized that the school commute, much of which has its origins in spatial apartheid, is financially and socially unsustainable. As spatial apartheid continues to dominate the urban landscape in Johannesburg, it is posited that overall, the school commute hinders the City of Johannesburg’s progres...

Body Mass Index and Sociodemographic Predictors of School Lunch Purchase Behavior during a Year-Long Environmental Intervention in Middle School

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Jacey A. Greece

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Modifying the school food environment is on the national agenda as one strategy to improve the nutritional quality of children’s diets. Because few environmental-level interventions have been rigorously evaluated, the evidence base to inform programs and policies is limited. Of concern is the impact that changes to cafeteria offerings will have on participation in school meal programs. This study evaluates school lunch participation in the setting of a year-long middle school cafeteria intervention by examining the association between body mass index (BMI, sociodemographics, and the purchases of school lunch meals. IMOVE meals were healthier choices that met stringent nutritional criteria and were offered alongside standard lunch meals. Students who were overweight had a significantly higher purchase rate for both types of meals compared to those with a healthy BMI. Non-white race, younger age, being male, and low-income status were also significantly associated with participation in school lunch. Results indicate that nutritionally vulnerable students participate in school lunch and are equally likely to buy healthy alternatives or standard meals. This behavioral observation has important implications for school foodservice programs and policies. These results are timely given recent federal legislation to improve the school food environment to influence students’ food choice behaviors.

Body Mass Index and Sociodemographic Predictors of School Lunch Purchase Behavior during a Year-Long Environmental Intervention in Middle School.

Science.gov (United States)

Greece, Jacey A; Kratze, Alyssa; DeJong, William; Cozier, Yvette C; Quatromoni, Paula A

2015-06-10

Modifying the school food environment is on the national agenda as one strategy to improve the nutritional quality of children's diets. Because few environmental-level interventions have been rigorously evaluated, the evidence base to inform programs and policies is limited. Of concern is the impact that changes to cafeteria offerings will have on participation in school meal programs. This study evaluates school lunch participation in the setting of a year-long middle school cafeteria intervention by examining the association between body mass index (BMI), sociodemographics, and the purchases of school lunch meals. IMOVE meals were healthier choices that met stringent nutritional criteria and were offered alongside standard lunch meals. Students who were overweight had a significantly higher purchase rate for both types of meals compared to those with a healthy BMI. Non-white race, younger age, being male, and low-income status were also significantly associated with participation in school lunch. Results indicate that nutritionally vulnerable students participate in school lunch and are equally likely to buy healthy alternatives or standard meals. This behavioral observation has important implications for school foodservice programs and policies. These results are timely given recent federal legislation to improve the school food environment to influence students' food choice behaviors.

Environmental resources moderate the relationship between social support and school sports participation among adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis

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Schneider Margaret

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most Americans are not active at recommended levels. Adolescence is a developmental period when physical activity (PA decreases markedly. Methods This study investigates whether access to environmental PA resources moderates the relationship between psychosocial resources (social support and perceived competence and PA among 192 adolescents. Results Environmental access to PA resources (determined via GIS-based assessment of the number of gyms, schools, trails, parks and athletic fields within 0.5 miles of each participant's home moderated the association between social support and PA; among adolescents with high levels of environmental resources, greater social support was associated with students participating in a greater number of sports in school, whereas no such relationship emerged among adolescents with low environmental resources. Conclusions PA-promotion interventions should aim to enhance both social and environmental resources; targeting either one alone may be insufficient.

BALANCED SCORECARDS EVALUATION MODEL THAT INCLUDES ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING AHP MODEL

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Jelena Jovanović

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The research is oriented on improvement of environmental management system (EMS using BSC (Balanced Scorecard model that presents strategic model of measurem ents and improvement of organisational performance. The research will present approach of objectives and environmental management me trics involvement (proposed by literature review in conventional BSC in "Ad Barska plovi dba" organisation. Further we will test creation of ECO-BSC model based on business activities of non-profit organisations in order to improve envir onmental management system in parallel with other systems of management. Using this approach we may obtain 4 models of BSC that includ es elements of environmen tal management system for AD "Barska plovidba". Taking into acc ount that implementation and evaluation need long period of time in AD "Barska plovidba", the final choice will be based on 14598 (Information technology - Software product evaluation and ISO 9126 (Software engineering - Product quality using AHP method. Those standards are usually used for evaluation of quality software product and computer programs that serve in organisation as support and factors for development. So, AHP model will be bas ed on evolution criteria based on suggestion of ISO 9126 standards and types of evaluation from two evaluation teams. Members of team & will be experts in BSC and environmental management system that are not em ployed in AD "Barska Plovidba" organisation. The members of team 2 will be managers of AD "Barska Plovidba" organisation (including manage rs from environmental department. Merging results based on previously cr eated two AHP models, one can obtain the most appropriate BSC that includes elements of environmental management system. The chosen model will present at the same time suggestion for approach choice including ecological metrics in conventional BSC model for firm that has at least one ECO strategic orientation.

The Interplay of Emotional Instability and Socio-Environmental Aspects of Schools during Adolescence

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Alexander Lätsch

2018-04-01

Full Text Available According to Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological model, school is an essential microsystem of the developing child. Schools provide important developmental contexts for children and adolescents, as they constitute environments that might either foster or evoke students’ emotional instability. In particular, less is known about the precise and dynamic interplay of students’ socio-environmental aspects in school (i.e., sense of school belonging, social relationships with teachers and peers and emotional instability (i.e., depressive symptoms, perceived stress, feelings of loneliness during adolescence. To close this gap, this study examined within- and over-time cross-lagged associations based on data from a quantitative questionnaire-based survey of adolescent students (T1: N= 1088; Mage = 13.70, SD = 0.53 from 23 secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. Results of latent cross-lagged panel design supports the mutual relations for within-time associations, which is in line with Bronfenbrenner’s model. However, only the over-time association between school belonging and teacher-student relationship was found to be reciprocal.

Expanding Free School-based Human Papilloma Virus (HPV Vaccination Programs to Include School-aged Males in Nova Scotia, Canada

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Hannah Krater-Melamed

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Bill 70 (HPV Vaccine Act was presented to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly with the aim of expanding the current Nova Scotia school-based HPV vaccination program to include males. In recent years, increased awareness of HPV and HPV-caused cancers has led to the implementation of school-based female HPV vaccination programs across Canada. Changing guidelines, based on recent evidence, suggest that males should also be included in these programs. Program expansion to include males aims to reduce the prevalence of HPV-causing cancers and their ensuing costs, to promote equal access to healthcare services, and to make Nova Scotia a leader in HPV prevention. Support from the Canadian public and high profile political actors along with pressure from other provinces and interest groups, including the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, influenced the passing of the HPV Vaccine Act. In order to implement this reform, the provincial financial commitment to the previous HPV program was expanded to cover the cost of male vaccination.

Home and school environmental determinants of science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Determinants of educational achievement extend beyond the school environment to include the home environment. Both environments provide tangible and intangible resources to students that can influence science achievement. South Africa provides a context where inequalities in socio-economic status are vast, thus the ...

Birds in the playground: Evaluating the effectiveness of an urban environmental education project in enhancing school children's awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Rachel L; Eberstein, Katie; Scott, Dawn M

2018-01-01

Children nowadays, particularly in urban areas, are more disconnected from nature than ever before, leading to a large-scale "extinction of experience" with the natural world. Yet there are many potential benefits from children interacting with nature first-hand, including via outdoor learning opportunities. Urban environmental education programmes typically aim to increase awareness and knowledge of local biodiversity and to promote positive attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. However, limited research has been conducted evaluating to what extent these interventions achieve their goals. Here, we explore and assess the influence of a six-week bird-feeding and monitoring project conducted within school grounds ("Bird Buddies") on individual awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards birds by primary school children. This initiative was conducted across eight (sub-)urban primary schools within Brighton and Hove (UK), with 220 participating children (aged 7 to 10). Via pre- and post-project questionnaires, we found evidence for enhanced awareness of local biodiversity, alongside significant gains in both bird identification knowledge and attitudes, which were greatest for children with little prior exposure to nature. Many children expressed a keenness to continue improving the environmental value of their school grounds and to apply elements of the project at home. Student project evaluation scores were consistently positive. Mirroring this, participating teachers endorsed the project as a positive learning experience for their students. One year after the project, several schools were continuing to feed and watch birds. Collectively, the findings from this study highlight the multiple benefits that can be derived from engagement with a relatively short outdoor environmental activity. We therefore believe that such interventions, if repeated locally/longer term, could enhance children's experience with nature in urban settings with combined positive

Home and school environmental determinants of science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Andrea L. Juan

Determinants of educational achievement extend beyond the school environment to include the home ... generation of relevant knowledge and the productive use of that knowledge to advance growth (World Bank, .... language of teaching and learning when it differs ..... students are likely to be at a disadvantage, because.

Environmental sensitivities of inspectors, managers and principals working for the Ministry of Education

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Askin Kiraz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the environmental attitudes, behaviours and consciousness levels of inspectors and school managers working for the Ministry of Education in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC. The scope of this study covers the school managers of Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Professional Technical Schools in the capital, Lefkosa, and the inspectors of the Ministry of Education. Data was collected by questionnaire forms, which were answered by the participants. The forms included the “Environmental Consciousness Survey List”. The data was evaluated by using SPSS. The results of this study revealed the environmental attitude, behaviour and knowledge of school managers and inspectors, according to their gender, age, level of education, job and professional seniorities. A sample of the study covered 71 school managers and inspectors of which 38% were females and 62% were males. The results showed that the environmental consciousness level of the school managers and inspectors was 74%, which could be accepted as average level. No significant differences were determined for the environmental consciousness levels of school managers and inspectors regarding the factors of gender, professional seniorities, membership to any environmental organization, and participation in any environmental project. On the other hand, the results indicated an increase in the environmental consciousness levels when the age and level of education increased. Another important result of this study was that the environmental consciousness level of inspectors is higher than the school managers. School managers and inspectors indicated that the most important environmental problem for the world and TRNC is the misuse of natural resources. According to participants, the most important factor for the prevention of environmental problems is the schools and the most important subject is education.

School- And Home-Based Drug Prevention: Environmental, Parent, and Child Risk Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Ellen J.; Hall, Lynne A.; Rayens, Mary Kay; Myers, April V.; Bonnel, Galadriel

2007-01-01

The study purpose was to test the effect of a school- and home-based alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) prevention program on reducing environmental, parent, and child risk factors for ATOD use. The design was a three-group pretest-posttest with interviews at baseline and 1 and 6 months post-intervention. The sample was 126 parents and their…

Environmental analysis applied to schools. Methodologies for data acquisition; Analisi ambientale iniziale per gli istituti d'istruzione. Metodologia per l'acquisizione dei dati

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andriola, L; Ceccacci, R [ENEA, Div. Caratterizzazione dell' Ambiente e del Territorio, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy)

2001-07-01

The environment analysis is the basis of environmental management for organizations and it is considered as the first step in EMAS. It allows to identify, deal with the issues and have a clear knowledge on environmental performances of organizations. Schools can be included in the organizations. Nevertheless, the complexity of environmental issues and applicable regulations makes very difficult for a school, that wants to implement an environmental management system (EMAS, ISO 14001, etc.), to face this first step. So, it has been defined an instrument, that is easy but complete and coherent with reference standard, to let schools choose their process for elaborating the initial environmental revue. This instrument consists, essentially, in cards that, if completed, facilitate the drafting of the environmental analysis report. [Italian] L'analisi ambientale iniziale costituisce il presupposto di qualsiasi azione di gestione ambientale da parte di un'organizzazione ed e' esplicitamente prevista, come prima tappa, in EMAS. Essa consente infatti di individuare ed approfondire le problematiche ambientali e di fotografare, per mezzo di riferimenti oggettivi, le prestazioni ambientali di un'organizzazione, e quindi anche di una scuola, in modo da poter stabilire e controllare nel tempo gli obiettivi di miglioramento. Tuttavia la complessita' delle problematiche ambientali e delle relative normative di riferimento rende estremamente difficoltoso, per un istituto scolastico che intenda intraprendere un percorso di gestione ambientale comunque finalizzato (EMAS, ISO 14001, Comunicazione ambientale, ecc.) compiere questo passo iniziale. E' stato pertanto realizzato uno strumento semplificato, ma comunque completo e coerente con gli standard di riferimento, per consentire alle scuole di effettuare il percorso di elaborazione di un'analisi ambientale iniziale. Lo strumento consiste essenzialmente in schede che, una volta compilate, faciliteranno la stesura del rapporto di

Birds in the playground: Evaluating the effectiveness of an urban environmental education project in enhancing school children’s awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife

Science.gov (United States)

Eberstein, Katie; Scott, Dawn M.

2018-01-01

Children nowadays, particularly in urban areas, are more disconnected from nature than ever before, leading to a large-scale “extinction of experience” with the natural world. Yet there are many potential benefits from children interacting with nature first-hand, including via outdoor learning opportunities. Urban environmental education programmes typically aim to increase awareness and knowledge of local biodiversity and to promote positive attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. However, limited research has been conducted evaluating to what extent these interventions achieve their goals. Here, we explore and assess the influence of a six-week bird-feeding and monitoring project conducted within school grounds (“Bird Buddies”) on individual awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards birds by primary school children. This initiative was conducted across eight (sub-)urban primary schools within Brighton and Hove (UK), with 220 participating children (aged 7 to 10). Via pre- and post-project questionnaires, we found evidence for enhanced awareness of local biodiversity, alongside significant gains in both bird identification knowledge and attitudes, which were greatest for children with little prior exposure to nature. Many children expressed a keenness to continue improving the environmental value of their school grounds and to apply elements of the project at home. Student project evaluation scores were consistently positive. Mirroring this, participating teachers endorsed the project as a positive learning experience for their students. One year after the project, several schools were continuing to feed and watch birds. Collectively, the findings from this study highlight the multiple benefits that can be derived from engagement with a relatively short outdoor environmental activity. We therefore believe that such interventions, if repeated locally/longer term, could enhance children’s experience with nature in urban settings with combined

The effect of education on the knowledge of environmental threats on health in students of elementary schools in Bushehr port

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Maryam Ravanipour

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Background: More than one fourth of diseases around the world are caused by environmental threats. These threats have multifactorial effects on children's health. So, it needs collaboration between teachers, parents, students, and public health authorities to decrease them and improve health. Methods: A total of 18 primary schools were selected using random cluster sampling. After a need assessment analysis about environmental threads, the 3rd and 4th degree students of selected primary schools were invited to draw posters about air pollution, water sanitation, food contamination, natural disaster, solid waste pollution, and sea and beach pollution. Then, a booklet based on the initial need assessment about environmental threads was designed and used for a six weeks educational course. The students drew a second poster after the educational course taught by their teachers. The posters were scored for technical aspects and health concepts by independent examiners. Results: The mean score of students' knowledge about environmental threads increased after intervention (P<0.05. There was no difference between 4th graders and 5th graders, but girls showed a higher score than boys. Conclusion: In primary schools, booklet-based education was effective in promotion of the students' knowledge about environmental threads on health. Therefore, a booklet-based education, designed according to local need assessments, is recommended as a complementary education in primary schools.

Provisions in School Contracts: What to Include, What to Avoid

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Horner, Jeffrey J.

2011-01-01

Many factors distinguish public school district transactions from private business transactions. Like any other business transaction, public school contracts should unambiguously describe the transaction and sufficiently outline the obligations of the parties. However, public school districts may be subject to distinctive laws that effectively…

Environmental Education, a Way to Introduce and Improve Urban Environmental Pollution

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Karami

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background In this study, high school students in Tehran were selected to investigate the role of environmental education in the prevention and control of pollution. Objectives In this regard, 10 high schools from different areas of Tehran City were used to implement an Environmental Education (EE intervention program. Patients and Methods The students of 5 high schools (first group were trained by the paper-based guidebook and students of other 5 high schools (second group trained by a teacher (EE expert. This study has been designed as a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design with comparison groups. The impact on the participant’s environmental literacy was assessed by measuring a number of environmental literacy components, including knowledge, attitude, values, and concerns as well as behavioral intention/behavior. The results were presented in a bipolar 5-point Likert response format, with an "undecided" category. Relationships among variables were examined using the general linear model formulation with subsequent ANOVA analyses. Results Results for the participants show a significant increase in the scores of knowledge and attitude about air pollution. Educational program and training tools had no effect on the concern indexes, values, and behavior toward air pollution. Review of the score changes toward waste component, shows that posttest scores (in comparison with pretest ones increases in 4 indicators of knowledge, attitude, concern, and behavior, however the value index did not change so much. Conclusions We can conclude that educational program can be used to convey the knowledge of the environment and in this regard, its implementation is necessary.

Environmental Awareness and School Sanitation in Calabar Metropolis of Cross Rivers State, Nigeria

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Anijaobi-Idem, F. N.; Ukata, B. N.; Bisong, N. N

2015-01-01

This descriptive survey designed study explored the influence of environmental awareness on secondary school sanitation in Calabar Metropolis. 1 hypothesis was formulated to direct the investigation. 300 subjects made up of 30 principals and 270 teachers constituted the sample drawn from the population of principals and teachers in secondary…

Using Social Media to Reinforce Environmental Learning and Action-Taking for School Students

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Warner, Alan; Eames, Chris; Irving, Robyn

2014-01-01

Environmental experiences often engage learners and create an intention to act, which is then not followed through once the learner is removed from the environment. This study utilized an exploratory, interpretive framework with younger primary school classes to investigate if transfer of learning from field trip experiences "in" and…

Strategic Plan for Sustainable Energy Management and Environmental Stewardship for Los Angeles Unified School District

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, A.; Beattie, D.; Thomas, K.; Davis, K.; Sim, M.; Jhaveri, A.

2007-11-01

This Strategic Plan for Sustainable Energy Management and Environmental Stewardship states goals, measures progress toward goals and how actions are monitored to achieve continuous improvement for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Environmental Behavior of Secondary Education Students: A Case Study at Central Greece

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Stamatios Ntanos

2018-05-01

Full Text Available During the last three decades, human behavior has been becoming energy alarming towards environmental sustainability. One of the most influential initiatives towards environmental protection and increased environmental consciousness is the solidification of primary and secondary environmental education. The purpose of this paper is to investigate different environmental profiles amongst secondary education students, in light of a multi-parametric analysis that involved the contributive role of school and family towards environmental awareness and participation. By reviewing relevant studies, the benefits offered by environmental education are presented. Accordingly, a questionnaire survey was deployed using a sample of 270 secondary education students, from schools situated in the prefecture of Larissa, central Greece. The statistical methods included factor analysis and cluster analysis. Particularly, four groups of different environmental characteristics are identified and interviewed. Results suggest that most students are environmental affectionate, although there is a need for more solidified environmental education and motivation from out-of-school societal opportunities, such as in the contexts of family and public socialization. The deployed research method and analysis can be proven supportive in adopting and scheduling school environmental programs after an initial identification of the various environmental attitudes among the student population.

Spatializing Environmental Education: Critical Territorial Consciousness and Radical Place-Making in Public Schooling

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Stahelin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

In this case study of an environmental education (EE) program run in public schools of Rio de Janeiro, I use a constructivist spatial analytic to interrogate notions of space, place, and territory in critical EE practices. I examine the connections between socioenvironmental relations, counter-hegemonic political activity, and education by delving…

Physical environmental characteristics and individual interests as correlates of physical activity in Norwegian secondary schools: The health behaviour in school-aged children study

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Samdal Oddrun

2008-09-01

moderate the effect of facilities on recess physical activity. Conclusion The findings support the use of an ecological approach and multilevel analyses in the investigation of correlates of physical activity that allows for a broader understanding of the influence of and interaction between factors at multiple levels on physical activity behaviour. In the promotion of physical activity in lower secondary schools, the study suggests that programmes should include a focus on environmental facilitation and incorporate strategies to increase students' interests for school physical activity.

Perceptions of Secondary School Students' towards Environmental Services: A Case Study from Czechia

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Tesfai, Mehreteab; Nagothu, Udaya Sekhar; Šimek, Josef; Fucíkc, Petr

2016-01-01

A total of 967 students (males and females) from four secondary schools in Vysocina region of Czechia were interviewed via 24-question Likert-type questionnaire to assess student's environmental awareness and perceptions. The generalized linear models were used to test if (and to what extent) student perceptions related to environment are/or not…

A conservation strategy in San Andres Island: school projects and values in environmental education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forero M, German; Mahecha G, Ana Maria

2006-01-01

With the scope of showing and preserving an island endangered species, the Swanka turtle, a campaign and an environmental education program were conducted. The campaign consisted in showing the species to the community, its characteristics and its threats, through mass media and visits to different local schools. The environmental education program was carried out through a Scholar Environmental Project, which consisted on the conformation of an environmental group, where cognitive, attitudinal and participative aspects were worked together. Using a constrictive methodology the children developed some knowledge about the species and Its habitats. The scope was that they modified attitudes and behaviors towards situations that contribute to environmental damage; the reinforcement of values was the central point during all the activities. The knowledge gained by the pupils and the observed changes on their attitudes and participation show the positive results that arise when the action of environmental education focuses on the people and not the resources that are to be preserved

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of school classrooms: Case study in Malaysia

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Samad, Muna Hanim Abdul; Aziz, Zalena Abdul; Isa, Mohd Hafizal Mohd

2017-10-01

Thermal Comfort is one of the key criteria for occupants' comfort and productivity in a building. In schools, it is vital for a conduciveness for teaching and learning environment. Thermal comfort is dependent on air temperature, humidity, radiation, internal lighting, air movement, activities, clothing and climatic change and is part of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) components which have has significant effects on occupants. The main concern over energy and running cost has meant that most public schools in Malaysia are designed for natural ventilation and not air-conditioning. The building envelope plays a significant role in reducing the radiant heat and keeps the interior cooler than the outdoor temperature for acceptable thermal comfort level. The requirement of Industrial Building System (IBS) as the envelope system for school building in Malaysia could affect the role of envelope as a climate moderator. This paper is based on a research conducted on two schools in Malaysia of varied construction materials as the building envelopes to ascertain the thermal comfort level of the classrooms. Elements of IEQ such as air temperature, air movement, daylighting and noise level were taken of various classrooms to fulfill the required objectives of determining the level of quality. The data collected and analysed from the study shows that in terms of air temperature which range from 28°C to 34.5°C, the schools do not achieve the recommended comfort level for tropical climate. As for daylighting element, results also show that some classrooms suffered with too much glare whilst others had insufficient daylighting. The findings also show the unsatisfactory level of air movement in the classrooms as well as an unacceptable noise level exceeding the allowable threshold. This research also concluded that the use of materials and orientation in the school design are the major determinant factors towards good IEQ levels in school buildings.

Environmental and health education for school-age children: a transdisciplinary approach

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Schall Virginia T.

1994-01-01

Full Text Available A brief critical analysis and suggestion for guidelines concerning environmental and health education in the elementary school are presented from the viewpoint of emerging pedagogic experiences and theoretical philosophical reflections. The major points discussed are: the importance of transdisciplinarity, the enhancement of participatory education where technical knowledge and popular wisdom meet, the planning and execution of concrete experiences which stimulate the sensations of pleasure and of admiration for nature and life, the analysis and the search for a solution to problems affecting the local reality of pupils without losing sight of global issues. A major priority is investment in teacher training, stimulating acquisition of knowledge through creative practice and formation of a critical awareness, essential for the school to clearly show its commitment to a future of greater social equality and harmony in our relationship to the environment.

42 CFR 137.329 - What environmental considerations must be included in the construction project agreement?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... must be included in the construction project agreement? The construction project agreement must include..., and (d) An assurance that no action will be taken on the construction phase of the project that would... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What environmental considerations must be included...

Examining the relationship between school district size and science achievement in Texas including rural school administrator perceptions of challenges and solutions

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Mann, Matthew James

Rural and small schools have almost one-third of all public school enrollment in America, yet typically have the fewest financial and research based resources. Educational models have been developed with either the urban or suburban school in mind, and the rural school is often left with no other alternative except this paradigm. Rural based educational resources are rare and the ability to access these resources for rural school districts almost non-existent. Federal and state based education agencies provide some rural educational based programs, but have had virtually no success in answering rural school issues. With federal and state interest in science initiatives, the challenge that rural schools face weigh in. To align with that focus, this study examined Texas middle school student achievement in science and its relationship with school district enrollment size. This study involved a sequential transformative mixed methodology with the quantitative phase driving the second qualitative portion. The quantitative research was a non-experimental causal-comparative study conducted to determine whether there is a significant difference between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8 th grade science results and school district enrollment size. The school districts were distributed into four categories by size including: a) small districts (32-550); b) medium districts (551-1500); c) large districts (1501-6000); and d) mega-sized districts (6001-202,773). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the district averages from the 2010 TAKS 8th grade science assessment results and the four district enrollment groups. The second phase of the study was qualitative utilizing constructivism and critical theory to identify the issues facing rural and small school administrators concerning science based curriculum and development. These themes and issues were sought through a case study method and through use of semi

Indoor environment and pupils' health in primary schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Dijken, F.; van Bronswijk, J.E.M.H.; Sundell, Jan

2006-01-01

the associations between indoor environmental quality in Dutch schools and pupils' health, also taking into account the children's home environment and personal factors. A cross-sectional study was performed in 11 classrooms in 11 different schools in the Netherlands. The study included exposure measurements......Dutch children are legally bound to spend 15% of their time in a school setting. The indoor environment in Dutch primary schools is known to be substandard. However, it is unclear to what extent the health of pupils is affected by the indoor school environment. The paper aims to assess......, building inspections, and a questionnaire survey on pupils' health and domestic exposure. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and non-parametric tests were performed to assess relationships. None of the schools complied with all indoor environmental quality standards. The importance of both the school...

Tornadoes: Nature's Most Violent Storms. A Preparedness Guide Including Safety Information for Schools.

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American National Red Cross, Washington, DC.

This preparedness guide explains and describes tornadoes, and includes safety information for schools. A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The guide explains the cause of tornadoes, provides diagrams of how they form, describes variations of tornadoes, and classifies tornadoes by…

An Investigation of the Goals for an Environmental Science Course: Teacher and Student Perspectives

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Blatt, Erica N.

2015-01-01

This investigation uses an ethnographic case study approach to explore the benefits and challenges of including a variety of goals within a high school Environmental Science curriculum. The study focuses on environmental education (EE) goals established by the Belgrade Charter (1975), including developing students' environmental awareness and…

High School Students' Reasons for Their Science Dispositions: Community-Based Innovative Technology-Embedded Environmental Research Projects

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Ebenezer, Jazlin; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Kasab, Dimma

2018-05-01

The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively describe high school students' reasons for their science dispositions (attitude, perception, and self-confidence) based on their long-term experience with innovative technology-embedded environmental research projects. Students in small groups conducted research projects in and out of school with the help of their teachers and community experts (scientists and engineers). During the 3-year period of this nationally funded project, a total of 135 students from five schools in a mid-west State participated in research activities. Of the 135 students, 53 students were individually interviewed to explore reasons for their science dispositions. Students' reasons for each disposition were grouped into categories, and corresponding frequency was converted to a percentage. The categories of reasons were not only attributed to the use of innovative technologies in environmental research but also the contexts and events that surrounded it. The reasons that influenced students' science dispositions positively were because engaging in environmental research projects with technology contributed to easing fear and difficulty, building a research team, disseminating findings, communicating with the community, researching with scientists, training by teachers, and acknowledging teachers' knowledge. These results advanced how and why students develop science dispositions in the positive direction, which are as follows: building science teacher capacity, developing a community of inquirers, and committing to improve pedagogical practices.

Environmental analysis applied to schools. Methodologies for data acquisition; Analisi ambientale iniziale per gli istituti d'istruzione. Metodologia per l'acquisizione dei dati

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andriola, L.; Ceccacci, R. [ENEA, Div. Caratterizzazione dell' Ambiente e del Territorio, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy)

2001-07-01

The environment analysis is the basis of environmental management for organizations and it is considered as the first step in EMAS. It allows to identify, deal with the issues and have a clear knowledge on environmental performances of organizations. Schools can be included in the organizations. Nevertheless, the complexity of environmental issues and applicable regulations makes very difficult for a school, that wants to implement an environmental management system (EMAS, ISO 14001, etc.), to face this first step. So, it has been defined an instrument, that is easy but complete and coherent with reference standard, to let schools choose their process for elaborating the initial environmental revue. This instrument consists, essentially, in cards that, if completed, facilitate the drafting of the environmental analysis report. [Italian] L'analisi ambientale iniziale costituisce il presupposto di qualsiasi azione di gestione ambientale da parte di un'organizzazione ed e' esplicitamente prevista, come prima tappa, in EMAS. Essa consente infatti di individuare ed approfondire le problematiche ambientali e di fotografare, per mezzo di riferimenti oggettivi, le prestazioni ambientali di un'organizzazione, e quindi anche di una scuola, in modo da poter stabilire e controllare nel tempo gli obiettivi di miglioramento. Tuttavia la complessita' delle problematiche ambientali e delle relative normative di riferimento rende estremamente difficoltoso, per un istituto scolastico che intenda intraprendere un percorso di gestione ambientale comunque finalizzato (EMAS, ISO 14001, Comunicazione ambientale, ecc.) compiere questo passo iniziale. E' stato pertanto realizzato uno strumento semplificato, ma comunque completo e coerente con gli standard di riferimento, per consentire alle scuole di effettuare il percorso di elaborazione di un'analisi ambientale iniziale. Lo strumento consiste essenzialmente in schede che, una volta compilate

Biomonitoring of Danish school children and mothers including biomarkers of PBDE and glyphosate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Lisbeth E.; Hansen, Pernille Winton; Mizrak, Seher

2017-01-01

Danish school children aged 6–11 years and their mothers from rural and urban areas in autumn 2011. Some – but not all – results were published; however, the concurrence of the chemicals has not been assessed. Methods: The measured concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and glyphosate...... is assessed to complete the investigation of all 66 chemicals in DEMOCOPHES. The concentrations of PBDEs were measured in plasma samples of 143 mothers and 116 children. Glyphosate was measured in a subsample of 27 urine samples. Previously assessed chemicals were polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs...... the concentrations of the different environmental chemicals. investigated by correlation analysis. Results: PBDE47 was found in relatively high levels compared with previous Danish results in both mothers and children, with a significantly higher level in the children compared to their mothers. Glyphosate...

Including an Autistic Middle School Child in General Physical Education: A Case Study

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Jones, Kristen J.; Block, Martin E.

2006-01-01

Autism is a brain disorder that affects a person's social, communication, and behavioral skills. Social deficits are noted by the child's lack of interest or inability to interact with peers and family members. This article highlights some of the successful methods and techniques used to include an autistic middle school child in a general…

Economic/Environmental power dispatch for power systems including wind farms

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Imen BEN JAOUED

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the problem of the Economic/Environmental power Dispatching (EED of hybrid power system including wind energies. The power flow model for a stall regulated fixed speed wind generator (SR-FSWG system is discussed to assess the steady-state condition of power systems with wind farms. Modified Newton-Raphson algorithm including SR-FSWG is used to solve the load flow equations in which the state variables of the wind generators are combined with the nodal voltage magnitudes and angles of the entire network. The EED problem is a nonlinear constrained multi-objective optimization problem, two competing fuel cost and pollutant emission objectives should be minimized simultaneously while satisfying certain system constraints. In this paper, the resolution is done by the algorithm multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified on IEEE 6-generator 30-bus test system and using MATLAB software package.

Urban elementary students' views of environmental scientists, environmental caretakers and environmentally responsible behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Horne, Patricia Lynne

The purpose of this research was to determine the nature of the relationship between urban elementary fifth graders, environmental workers, and the environment. The study examined 320 urban fifth grade elementary students' drawings of environmental scientists (DAEST) and environmental caretakers (DAECT). Additionally, semi-structured interviews were included to elucidate student illustrations. The study's sample represented one-third of all fifth graders in the mid-Atlantic school district selected for this research. Approximately 5% of participants were chosen for follow-up semi-structured interviews based on their illustrations. A general conclusion is some of the stereotypes, particularly related to gender, revealed in prior research (Barman, 1999, Chambers, 1983; Huber & Burton, 1995; Schibeci & Sorensen's, 1983; Sumrall, 1995) are evident among many elementary students. Male environmental scientists were drawn twice as often as female environmental scientists. Females were represented in more pictures of environmental caretakers than environmental scientists. Students overwhelmingly drew environmental scientists (98.1%) and environmental caretakers (76.5%) working alone. Wildlife was noticeably absent from most drawings (85%). Where wildlife was included, it was most often birds (6.9%) and fish (3.1%). More than one species was evident in only 2.5% of the pictures. Fifty percent of environmental caretakers were shown picking up trash from land. Actions such as reducing resource use occurred in only 13 out of 319 pictures (4.1%). Pictures of environmental caretakers sharing knowledge were even less common (2.5%). Almost 22% of females drew multiple individuals compared to 18.5% drawn by males. Females were more likely to show individuals collaborating (22.4% to 16.8%) while males were more likely to show individuals working in opposition (5.2% to 2.0%).

Toward a Grounded Theory for Residential Environmental Education: A Case Study of the New Jersey School of Conservation

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Smith-Sebasto, N. J.; Walker, Lisa M.

2005-01-01

The authors present the findings of a study that explored student perceptions of the residential environmental education (EE) program at the New Jersey School of Conservation. The authors administered a 3-item instrument that was based on the minute paper/muddiest point techniques to 2,779 students from 31 schools. A qualitative methodology with a…

Turkish Chemistry Teachers' Views about Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum: A Perspective from Environmental Education

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Icoz, Omer Faruk

2015-01-01

Teachers' views about environmental education (EE) have been regarded as one of the most important concerns in education for sustainability. In secondary school chemistry curriculum, there are several subjects about EE embedded in the chemistry subjects in Turkey. This study explores three chemistry teachers' views about to what extent the…

Predicting the implementation of environmental education in Indiana K--8 schools

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Li-Ling

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors from the literature that influence teachers' implementation of environmental education (EE), and to predict the implementation of EE in the Indiana K--8 Schools by knowledge of these factors. By adapting two earlier instruments, a complete EE assessment instrument was developed, consisting of scales measuring teachers' implementation of EE, their pre-/in-service environmental training, their attitudes toward and competencies in teaching EE, their perceived barriers in teaching EE, and their significant life experiences related to the environment or EE. A questionnaire was sent to 1,200 randomly selected K--8 teachers in public schools throughout Indiana in April 2003, and 385 completed surveys were returned (32.1% return rate). The demographic characteristics of the respondents and the Indiana teacher population were found to be similar. Thus, the results from this study can be generalized to the Indiana teacher population. The construct validity and reliability of each scale were examined after the completion and return of the questionnaires by using factor analysis, item-test correlation analysis, and ANOVA, and also by assessing their alpha indices. It was found that all nine scales were homogeneous, valid, and reliable. Multiple regression analysis was calculated to predict the level of EE implementation in Indiana K--8 schools. Regression analyses indicated that the extent of the teachers' exposure to EE during their pre- and in-service training, the teachers' attitudes toward and competencies in teaching EE, and the barrier "EE not relevant to what I teach" were significant in the full model. This model accounted for 63% of the variance in the teachers' implementation of EE. The teachers' attitudes toward EE had the greatest effect on the teachers' EE implementation when compared to the other significant predictors in the model. The net effects of the extent of the teachers' pre-service and in

Exertional Heat Illnesses and Environmental Conditions During High School Football Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripp, Brady L; Eberman, Lindsey E; Smith, Michael Seth

2015-10-01

Guidelines for preventing exertional heat illnesses (EHIs) during extreme heat stress should be specific to regional environments, age, and sport and should be based on evidence of reducing the risk. Each year in the United States, over 1 million high school football players practice in the August heat; however, no published data describe the incidence of EHIs in these athletes. To describe the environmental conditions and incidence of EHIs during high school football practices over a 3-month period. Descriptive epidemiology study. For a 3-month period (August-October), athletic trainers at 12 high schools in North Central Florida recorded the practice time and length, environmental conditions (wet-bulb globe temperature), and incidences of EHIs in varsity football athletes. Athletes suffered 57 total EHIs during 29,759 athlete-exposures (AEs) for the 3-month data collection period (rate = 1.92/1000 AEs). August accounted for the majority of all EHIs, with 82.5% (47/57) and the highest rate (4.35/1000 AEs). Of total heat illnesses, heat cramps accounted for 70.2% (40/57), heat exhaustion 22.8% (13/57), and heat syncope 7.0% (4/57). The odds ratio indicated that athletes in August practices that lasted longer than the recommended 3 hours were 9.84 times more likely to suffer a heat illness than those in practices lasting ≤3 hours. The highest rate of EHIs was during August. Practices in August that exceeded the recommended 3 hours were associated with a greater risk of heat illnesses. The overall rate of EHIs was lower for the high school football athletes observed in the study compared with that reported for collegiate football athletes in the region. The low rates of EHIs recorded suggest that the prevention guidelines employed by sports medicine teams are appropriate for the region and population. Team physicians and athletic trainers should employ evidence-based, region- and population-specific EHI prevention guidelines. Sports medicine teams, coaches, and

The Role of Environmental Factors on Sleep Patterns and School Performance in Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitriou, Dagmara; Le Cornu Knight, Frances; Milton, Patrick

2015-01-01

Background: Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behavior. Aims: This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship. Sample and Method: Forty-seven adolescents took part. Sleep was measured using the School Sleep Habits Survey (SSHS) and a sleep diary. School records of year grade point averages provided a measure of academic achievement. Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices gave a measure of general cognitive processing. Environmental sleep factors falling into three groups, namely, stimulant consumption, media use and exercise, were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Results: An average of 7.08 h of sleep was reported. Correlations revealed that Total sleep time (TST) and bedtimes on weekdays were strongly associated with academic achievement. Morning/eveningness and sleep/wake behavior problems had a strong relationship with performance on the Ravens. Stimulant consumption and media use before bed revealed strong relationships with TST and bedtimes on weekdays. Crucially, mediation analyses confirmed that both caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bedtime were negatively associated with academic performance, via the mediating pathway by affecting sleep. Exercise was not associated with any of the sleep variables, but was associated with better academic performance. Conclusion: The current findings highlight that, now more than ever, parents, schools and policy makers must be aware of the negative effects of caffeinated substances marketed to students, and electronic media use on their sleep habits. Our findings suggest that targeting caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bed may represent effective

The role of environmental factors on sleep patterns and school performance in adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dagmara eDimitriou

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behaviour.Aims. This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship.Sample and method. Forty-seven adolescents took part. Sleep was measured using the School Sleep Habits Survey and a sleep diary. School records of year grade point averages provided a measure of academic achievement. Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices gave a measure of general cognitive processing. Environmental sleep factors falling into three groups, namely, stimulant consumption, media use and exercise, were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Results. An average of 7.08 hours of sleep was reported. Correlations revealed that Total sleep time (TST and bedtimes on weekdays were strongly associated with academic achievement. Morning/eveningness and sleep/wake behaviour problems had a strong relationship with performance on the Ravens. Stimulant consumption and media use before bed revealed strong relationships with TST and bedtimes on weekdays. Crucially, mediation analyses confirmed that both caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bedtime were negatively associated with academic performance, via the mediating pathway by affecting sleep. Exercise was not associated with any of the sleep variables, but was associated with better academic performance.Conclusion. The current findings highlight that, now more than ever, parents, schools and policy makers must be aware of the negative effects of caffeinated substances marketed to students, and electronic media use on their sleep habits. Our findings suggest that targeting caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bed may

The Role of Environmental Factors on Sleep Patterns and School Performance in Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitriou, Dagmara; Le Cornu Knight, Frances; Milton, Patrick

2015-01-01

Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behavior. This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship. Forty-seven adolescents took part. Sleep was measured using the School Sleep Habits Survey (SSHS) and a sleep diary. School records of year grade point averages provided a measure of academic achievement. Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices gave a measure of general cognitive processing. Environmental sleep factors falling into three groups, namely, stimulant consumption, media use and exercise, were measured using a self-report questionnaire. An average of 7.08 h of sleep was reported. Correlations revealed that Total sleep time (TST) and bedtimes on weekdays were strongly associated with academic achievement. Morning/eveningness and sleep/wake behavior problems had a strong relationship with performance on the Ravens. Stimulant consumption and media use before bed revealed strong relationships with TST and bedtimes on weekdays. Crucially, mediation analyses confirmed that both caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bedtime were negatively associated with academic performance, via the mediating pathway by affecting sleep. Exercise was not associated with any of the sleep variables, but was associated with better academic performance. The current findings highlight that, now more than ever, parents, schools and policy makers must be aware of the negative effects of caffeinated substances marketed to students, and electronic media use on their sleep habits. Our findings suggest that targeting caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bed may represent effective routes in alleviating modern teenage sleep debt, and in

Forest Schools and Environmental Attitudes: A Case Study of Children Aged 8-11 Years

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Turtle, Christina; Convery, Ian; Convery, Katie

2015-01-01

There is growing evidence that children in the UK are suffering from a lack of engagement with nature and the outdoor environment. This paper investigates the attitudes of children towards the natural environment and focuses on Forest School programmes as a mechanism to promote a "pro-environmental" attitude. The study identified that…

Genetic and environmental influences on the relationships between family connectedness, school connectedness, and adolescent depressed mood: sex differences.

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Jacobson, K C; Rowe, D C

1999-07-01

This study investigated (a) genetic and environmental contributions to the relationship between family and school environment and depressed mood and (b) potential sex differences in genetic and environmental contributions to both variation in and covariation between family connectedness, school connectedness, and adolescent depressed mood. Data are from 2,302 adolescent sibling pairs (mean age = 16 years) who were part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Although genetic factors appeared to be important overall, model-fitting analyses revealed that the best-fitting model was a model that allowed for different parameters for male and female adolescents. Genetic contributions to variation in all 3 variables were greater among female adolescents than male adolescents, especially for depressed mood. Genetic factors also contributed to the correlations between family and school environment and adolescent depressed mood, although, again, these factors were stronger for female than for male adolescents.

Including environmental concerns in energy policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potier, Michel

2014-05-01

In this article, the author comments the different impacts on the environment and risks related to energy, provided that all energies have an impact on the environment (renewable energies are generally cleaner than fossil energies) and these impacts can be on human health, ecosystems, buildings, crops, landscapes, and climate change. He comments the efforts made in the search for a higher energetic efficiency, and proposes an overview of the various available tools implemented by environmental policies in the energy sector: regulatory instruments, economic instruments, negotiated agreements, and informational instruments. He comments the implementation of an energetic taxing aimed at developing a greater respect of the environment

Development of the Environmental Education Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Moseley, Christine; Utley, Juliana; Angle, Julie; Mwavita, Mwarumba

2016-01-01

The increasing popularity of including environmental topics and issues in school curricula has created a need for effective environmental education teachers. One way to evaluate teacher effectiveness is through teacher efficacy, a belief measure that evaluates a teacher's perception that he/she can teach effectively. Research suggests that…

Cognitive constraints on high school students' representations of real environmental problems

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Ervin Kenneth

One class of juniors and seniors was studied through one semester in the investigation of how students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems. The intention was to listen to student voices while researching the features of their representations of these problems, the beliefs they held (tenets), the cognitive processes they employed, and the principles of science, ecology, problem solving, and ethics they held as tenets. The focus was upon two self-selected groups as they perceived, engaged, analyzed, and proposed solutions for problems. Analysis of the student representations involved interpretation of the features to include both the perspective tenets and the envisioning processes. These processes included the intentive and attentive constraints as tenet acquisition and volitive and agential constraints as tenet affirmation. The perspective tenets included a variety of conceptual (basic science, ecological, ethical, and problem-solving) constraints as well as ontological, epistemological, and other cultural (role, status, power, and community) constraints. The perspective tenets were interpreted thematically including the ways populations of people cause and care about environmental problems, the magnitude of environmental problems and the science involved, the expectations and limitations students perceive for themselves, and the importance of community awareness and cooperation to addressing these problems. Some of these tenets were interpreted to be principles in that they were rules that were accepted by some people as true. The perspective tenets, along with the envisioning processes, were perceived to be the constraints that determined the environmental problems and limited the solution possibilities. The students thought about environmental problems in mature and principled ways using a repertoire of cognitive processes. They learned from them as they acquired and affirmed tenets. They solved them through personal choices and

The Role of Environmental Factors on Sleep Patterns and School Performance in Adolescents

OpenAIRE

Dimitriou, Dagmara; Le Cornu Knight, Frances; Milton, Patrick

2015-01-01

Background: Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behavior. Aims: This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship. Sample and Method: Forty-seven adolescents ...

University of New Hampshire's Project SMART 2017: Marine and Environmental Science for High School Students

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Goelzer, J.; Varner, R. K.; Levergood, R.; Sullivan, F.; Palace, M. W.; Haney, J. F.; Rock, B. N.; Smith, C. W.

2017-12-01

The month long residential Marine and Environmental Science research program for high school students at the University of New Hampshire connects students with university researchers. This educational program provides upper level high school students who are considering majors in the earth and environmental sciences with the opportunity to perform field work and conduct authentic research. This year's program introduced students to four modules exploring topics ranging from forest ecology to island ecosystems. The unifying theme between modules was the use of spectroscopy and remote sensing as a method of assessing the characteristics of ecosystems. Students constructed their own photometers utilizing eight specific Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) spanning a wavelength range from 400 to 1200 nm. An Ultra Violet (UV) LED, four visible LEDs, and three different infrared LEDs were selected to detect light reflected by plant pigments and tissues. Students collected data using their photometers and compared results to an actual Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) reflectance data, mounted eight photometers on an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to collect forest canopy data and collected data from island rock pools. The students compared their photometer readings to data collected using a fluorometer to identify the presence of phycocyanin produced by cyanobacteria and chlorophyll produced by algae in the rock pools. Students found that the photometer data were comparable to the ASD data for several wavelengths, but recommended several changes. It was determined that to be useful for forest health assessment, two of the three infrared LEDs had the incorrect gain settings, and that for rock pool studies, the infrared LEDs were not necessary. Based on the student findings, we will refine the photometers for next year's program. The photometers constructed this summer will be utilized in high schools classes during the 2017-2018 school year. This low cost project will bring what is

Advanced Placement Environmental Science and the Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science (CCERS) Project in the New York City High School

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Birney, Lauren; McNamara, Denise

2018-01-01

This paper explores the issue of social justice through the lens of equitable access to Advanced Placement courses in the City of New York High Schools, with focus on Advanced Placement Environmental Science. A critical component of the Advanced Placement Environmental Science course is the incorporation of environmental fieldwork. The National…

The role of environmental factors on sleep patterns and school performance in adolescents

OpenAIRE

Dagmara eDimitriou; Dagmara eDimitriou; Frances eLe Cornu Knight; Frances eLe Cornu Knight; Patrick eMilton; Patrick eMilton

2015-01-01

Background. Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behaviour.Aims. This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship.Sample and method. Forty-seven adolescents took pa...

Should CAM and CAM Training Programs Be Included in the Curriculum of Schools That Provide Health Education?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to determine the knowledge levels and attitudes of School of Health and Vocational School of Health students toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM. Methods: Three hundred thirty-three (333 students studying at the Mehmet Akif Ersoy University School of Health and the Golhisar Vocational School of Health in Burdur, Turkey, were included in the study. Research data were collected by using a survey method based on the expressed opinions of the participants. Results: Of the participants, 69.7% were female and 97% were single (unmarried. Of cigarette users and those with chronic illnesses, 46.8% and 47.8%, respectively, used CAM. Those using CAM were statistically more likely to be female (P < 0.021, to have higher grades (P < 0.007, to be single (P < 0.005, to be vocational school of health graduates (P < 0.008, and to have fathers at work (P < 0.021. While 9.6% of the students thought CAM to be nonsense, 10.8% thought that the methods of CAM should be tried before consulting a doctor. Conclusion: A majority of the students in the study population were found to use complementary and alternative medicine, but that they lacked information about its methods. As a way to address this, CAM should be included in the curriculum of schools that provide health education, and CAM training programs should be given to healthcare professionals to improve their knowledge of CAM. In Turkey, many more studies should be performed to determine nurses’ and doctors’ knowledge of and attitudes about CAM methods so that they can give correct guidance to society and take more active responsibility in improving patient safety.

Risk Assessment and Community Participation Model for Environmental Asthma Management in an Elementary Public School: A Case Study in Puerto Rico

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Alberto Rivera-Rentas

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Asthma is a rapidly growing chronic disease in the general population of the world, mostly in children. Puerto Ricans have the highest prevalence of children with asthma among the Hispanic community in the US and its territories. Asthma and air quality are becoming a significant and potentially costly public health issue in Puerto Rico. The CDC has reported that in Puerto Rico, 320,350 adults have asthma and this number represents 11.5% of the island adult population. The north east municipality of Carolina, Puerto Rico, has the highest asthma prevalence in the 0 to 17 year old range (2001 data. In this study, we address the potential relationship between anthropogenic and naturally occurring environmental factors, and asthma prevalence in an urban elementary public school in Carolina in an effort to empower and engage communities to work on their environmental health issues. We integrated geographic information systems (GIS data of anthropogenic activities near the school as well as the natural resources and geomorphology of the region. We found that as Carolina is close by to Caribbean National Forest (El Yunque, this together with the temperature and precipitation cycles in the zone creates the ideal environmental conditions for increased humidity and pollen, mold and fungi development through out the year. We also collected health and socio economic data to generate an asthma profile of the students, employees and parents from the school community, and through a survey we identified perceptions on environmental asthma triggers, and indoor air quality in the school and homes of the students and employees. Finally, we implemented a workshop on indoor air quality designed to engage the school community in managing asthma triggers and the school environment. Our results showed that nearly 30 % of its student’s population has asthma, and from this group 58% are males and 42% are female students. Of all asthmatic children, only 43

Integrating ICTs into the Environmental Science Primary School Classroom in Chegutu District, Zimbabwe: Problems and Solutions

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Shadreck, Mandina

2015-01-01

This study investigated primary school teachers' perceptions of the barriers and challenges preventing them from integrating ICTs in the environmental science classroom. The study adopted a qualitative research approach that is in line with the phenomenological perspective as it sought to acquire knowledge through understanding the direct…

Environmental Education in Serbian Primary Schools: Challenges and Changes in Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Teacher Training

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Stanišic, Jelena; Maksic, Slavica

2014-01-01

The protection of human health and the preservation of the environment are topics that form an integral part of the primary school curriculum in Serbia. However, research studies have shown that students do not have enough knowledge to contribute to the development of a healthy lifestyle and environmental awareness. The latest changes in school…

Environmental psychology matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Gifford, Robert

2014-01-01

Environmental psychology examines transactions between individuals and their built and natural environments. This includes investigating behaviors that inhibit or foster sustainable, climate-healthy, and nature-enhancing choices, the antecedents and correlates of those behaviors, and interventions to increase proenvironmental behavior. It also includes transactions in which nature provides restoration or inflicts stress, and transactions that are more mutual, such as the development of place attachment and identity and the impacts on and from important physical settings such as home, workplaces, schools, and public spaces. As people spend more time in virtual environments, online transactions are coming under increasing research attention. Every aspect of human existence occurs in one environment or another, and the transactions with and within them have important consequences both for people and their natural and built worlds. Environmental psychology matters.

Are school and home environmental characteristics associated with oral health-related quality of life in Brazilian adolescents and young adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Alwadi, Maram Ali M; Vettore, Mario Vianna

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to test the association of contextual school and home environmental characteristics and individual factors with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a representative sample of Brazilian adolescents and young adults. Individual-level data from 3854 fifteen- to nineteen-year-olds who participated in the Brazilian Oral Health Survey were pooled with contextual city-level data. The dependent variable was the frequency of impacts of oral disorders on daily performances (OIDP extent), as a measure of OHRQoL. Contextual school and home environmental characteristics were categorized into three equal groups according to tertiles of the contextual variable's scores (low, moderate and high). Individual demographic, socioeconomic and oral clinical measures were the covariates. The association between contextual and individual characteristics and OIDP extent was estimated using multilevel Poisson regression models. The mean of OIDP extent was 0.9 (standard error 0.1). Adolescents and young adults living in the cities with high levels of lack of security at school (RR 1.33; 95% CI=1.02-1.74), moderate levels of bullying at school (RR 1.56; 95% CI=1.20-2.03) and moderate levels of low maternal schooling (RR 1.43; 95% CI=1.06-1.92) had a higher mean OIDP extent. Male sex, higher age, skin colour, poor individual socioeconomic status and worse oral clinical measures were also associated with higher mean of OIDP extent. Poor school and home environmental characteristics were independently associated with poor OHRQoL in individuals aged between 15 and 19 years. Our findings suggest the place where they study and the maternal level of education are meaningful aspects for their oral health. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fix my child: The importance of including siblings in clinical assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnfield, Steve

2017-07-01

This study examined concordance in the attachment strategies of school-aged siblings with reference to environmental risk in terms of poverty and maltreatment. It also investigated the effect of child maltreatment and maternal mental illness on children's psychosocial functioning in terms of the Dynamic-Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM) including unresolved trauma and the DMM Depressed modifier. The attachment strategies of 30 sibling pairs, aged 5-14 years, were assessed using the School-age Assessment of Attachment (SAA). Unlike most previous studies, this study included siblings from large families of two to six children. The main finding was that as environmental risk increases, the diversity of sibling attachment strategies decreases with greater recourse to the DMM Type A3-6 and A/C strategies. Unlike previous studies, the highest level of concordance was found in sibling pairs with the opposite gender. Boys whose mothers had a history of mental illness were significantly more likely than girls to be assessed with the DMM-depression modifier. As danger increases, children in the same family experience more of the same childhood. Further research should focus on single case, intra-familial studies to build a systemic model of the shared environment. Research should also evaluate the effects of environmental risk compared with size of the sibling group on children's attachment strategies. The clinical implications point to the importance of assessing all children in the family using a model built around functional formulation rather than diagnosing the symptoms of a particular child.

Teacher Attitudes on Including Students with Behavior Intervention Plans in a High-School Inclusive Classroom

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Tucker, Thurman D.

2017-01-01

This research examined attitudes to determine factors influencing teachers' attitudes toward including students with behavior intervention plans in inclusive high-school classrooms. For Research Question 1 one-way ANOVAs analyzed quantitative data with no significant differences found and qualitative data discovered common patterns that BIPs are…

A systemic and interdisciplinary perspective of environmental education. The case of the Higher Education School of Namibe, Angola

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Mercedes Ortiz-Blanco

2017-07-01

Full Text Available One of the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Angola is the training of teachers and the eradication of illiteracy. The present work to make a proposal of study of environmental education with a systemic and interdisciplinary perspective making recommendations for the generalization of the aforementioned relationship in the context of the Pedagogical Higher School of Namibe. The analysis that is carried out around this in this work transits through fundamental moments: the first, characterized by a general theoretical treatment of the concepts of environmental education, systemic approach and interdisciplinarity and its dialectical interaction, the second focuses its attention on Proposal of some theoretical and methodological recommendations without neglecting the social plan and with the purpose of contributing to the professional improvement in the school object of our study.

The environmental self-management in the university community: a road to propitiate desirable changes in the environmental behaviors of the university youths, from their own cultural practices

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Rogelio García-Tejera

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The Cuban Education System power to the school as a promoter of development center, its social projection includes meeting the educational needs of the community, and community environmental education for sustainable development is inserted into the educational management of the school as cultural center of Higher Education. Consider the space as a community college gives the possibility of self-management actions, with the aim of improving environmental way the university community, using experiences that characterize the cultural practices of the university. For non-formal way contributes to environmental training, to stimulate responsibility for the planning and implementation of methods that characterize the management of their environment.

78 FR 14090 - EPA Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education; Request for Nominations of Candidates...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-04

...: Environmental education, public-private partnerships, environmental or educational project financing, nonprofit... K-12, community college and/or technical school education. Nominations should include a resume and a...: Contact information including name, address, phone and fax numbers and an email address; a curriculum...

National Spill Control School. A pilot program in environmental training. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oberholtzer, G.R.; Acuff, J.T.

1980-01-01

Increased environmental awareness and the amended Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 required an increased level of expertise by the American Public in the field of oil spill prevention and control. The National Spill Control School was created at Corpus Christi State University to help meet this need. Drawing on the talents of a nationwide sample of experts in this field, the project team created a unique management oriented course. A review of the origination and experiences of two years of classes of this pilot program is provided in this report.

[The comparison of the indoor environmental factors associated with asthma and related allergies among school-child between urban and suburban areas in Beijing].

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Hai-bo; Deng, Fu-rong; Sun, Ji-dong; Wu, Shao-wei; Sun, Xiu-ming; Wang, Xin; Zhao, Yan-hua; Guo, Xin-biao

2010-07-01

To study the indoor environmental factors associated with the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children. A cluster sampling method was used and the ISAAC questionnaire was conducted. A total of 4612 elementary students under Grade Five of 7 schools were enrolled in the survey for the impact of indoor environmental factors on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies in several urban and suburban schools of Beijing. A total of 4060 sample were finally analyzed including 1992 urban and 2068 suburban. The prevalence of wheeze, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema in the past 12 months was 3.1% (61/1992), 5.3% (106/1992), 1.1% (22/1992) among urban children while 1.3% (27/2068), 3.1% (65/2068), 1.0% (22/2068) among suburban children respectively. The prevalence of wheeze and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis of the past 12 months in urban were both significantly higher than that in suburban (χ(2) = 14.77, 11.93, P children (5.3% (105/1992), 29.4% (586/1992)) were significantly (χ(2) = 39.03, 147.22, P interior decoration had different influence on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children in the two areas. The significant impact of passive smoking on having asthma ever among suburban children was observed (OR = 2.70, 95%CI = 1.17 - 6.23) while no significant result in urban (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.71 - 1.58); the percentage of interior decoration was 84.0% (1673/1992) among urban children and 80.0% (1655/2068) among suburban children, there was significant impact of interior decoration on the prevalence of having eczema ever among urban children (OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.17 - 2.10) but no significant results were found in suburban sample (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.76 - 1.48). The prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children is much higher in urban areas than that in suburban areas and the indoor environmental factors such as passive smoking and interior decoration may differently explain the

Articulating Social Change in Puerto Rico: Environmental Education as a Model for Youth Socio-Political Development and Community-Led School Reform

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Cintron-Moscoso, Federico

2010-01-01

Recent attempts at developing an environmental education agenda in public schools emphasize the need to foster greater public awareness about environmental rights, issues, and solutions, while producing citizens with the knowledge and skills needed to address the ecological challenges of contemporary society. However, some scholars have argued…

Development and Initial Validation of the Student Rating of Environmental Stressors Scale: Stressors Faced by Students in Accelerated High School Curricula

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Suldo, Shannon M.; Dedrick, Robert F.; Shaunessy-Dedrick, Elizabeth; Roth, Rachel A.; Ferron, John

2015-01-01

High school students in accelerated curricula face stressors beyond typical adolescent developmental challenges. The Student Rating of Environmental Stressors Scale (StRESS) is a self-report measure of environmental stressors appropriate for students in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. We developed the StRESS…

Dolphins and Children: A Blueprint for Marine Environmental Education in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Van Bressem, Marie-Francoise; Alfaro-Shigueto, Joanna; Geysen, Karen; Onton, Karina; Vega, Diana; Chavez-Lisambart, Laura; Van Waerebeek, Koen

2006-01-01

To complement legislative measures protecting cetaceans and other marine animals, the Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research in the period 1993-2000 implemented an environmental education program at the kindergartens, primary and high schools of several fishing towns and in Lima, Peru. This program included environmental classes based on selected…

Environmental correlates of active travel behavior of children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemperman, A.D.A.M.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2014-01-01

This study explored the participation of children in walking and bicycling for transportation, school, and various leisure purposes, and the relation with social and physical environmental characteristics and sociodemographics. Detailed individual travel data, including all walking and bicycling

A surplus production model including environmental effects: Application to the Senegalese white shrimp stocks

Science.gov (United States)

Thiaw, Modou; Gascuel, Didier; Jouffre, Didier; Thiaw, Omar Thiom

2009-12-01

In Senegal, two stocks of white shrimp ( Penaeusnotialis) are intensively exploited, one in the north and another in the south. We used surplus production models including environmental effects to analyse their changes in abundance over the past 10 years and to estimate their Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the related fishing effort ( EMSY). First, yearly abundance indices were estimated from commercial statistics using GLM techniques. Then, two environmental indices were alternatively tested in the model: the coastal upwelling intensity from wind speeds provided by the SeaWifs database and the primary production derived from satellite infrared images of chlorophyll a. Models were fitted, with or without the environmental effect, to the 1996-2005 time series. They express stock abundance and catches as functions of the fishing effort and the environmental index (when considered). For the northern stock, fishing effort and abundance fluctuate over the period without any clear trends. The model based on the upwelling index explains 64.9% of the year-to-year variability. It shows that the stock was slightly overexploited in 2002-2003 and is now close to full exploitation. Stock abundance strongly depends on environmental conditions; consequently, the MSY estimate varies from 300 to 900 tons according to the upwelling intensity. For the southern stock, fishing effort has strongly increased over the past 10 years, while abundance has been reduced 4-fold. The environment has a significant effect on abundance but only explains a small part of the year-to-year variability. The best fit is obtained using the primary production index ( R2 = 0.75), and the stock is now significantly overfished regardless of environmental conditions. MSY varies from 1200 to 1800 tons according to environmental conditions. Finally, in northern Senegal, the upwelling is highly variable from year to year and constitutes the major factor determining productivity. In the south, hydrodynamic

77 FR 46516 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement, Including a Programmatic...

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2012-08-03

... Impact Statement, Including a Programmatic Agreement, for the Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine Counties...) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a Programmatic Agreement (PA), which is.... 100 N., Nephi Beaver Library, 55 W. Center St., Beaver FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Penny Woods...

76 FR 34097 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Including a Draft...

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2011-06-10

... Impact Statement, Including a Draft Programmatic Agreement, for the Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine...) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a Draft Programmatic Agreement (PA.... 100 N., Nephi Beaver Library, 55 W. Center St., Beaver. The Draft EIS describes and analyzes SNWA's...

School Nurse Workload.

Science.gov (United States)

Endsley, Patricia

2017-02-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to survey the most recent (5 years) acute care, community health, and mental health nursing workload literature to understand themes and research avenues that may be applicable to school nursing workload research. The search for empirical and nonempirical literature was conducted using search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline. Twenty-nine empirical studies and nine nonempirical articles were selected for inclusion. Themes that emerged consistent with school nurse practice include patient classification systems, environmental factors, assistive personnel, missed nursing care, and nurse satisfaction. School nursing is a public health discipline and population studies are an inherent research priority but may overlook workload variables at the clinical level. School nurses need a consistent method of population assessment, as well as evaluation of appropriate use of assistive personnel and school environment factors. Assessment of tasks not directly related to student care and professional development must also be considered in total workload.

Can an hour or two of sun protection education keep the sunburn away? Evaluation of the Environmental Protection Agency's Sunwise School Program

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Kenausis Kristin

2003-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melanoma incidence is rising at a rate faster than any other preventable cancer in the United States. Childhood exposure to ultraviolet (UV light increases risk for skin cancer as an adult, thus starting positive sun protection habits early may be key to reducing the incidence of this disease. Methods The Environmental Protection Agency's SunWise School Program, a national environmental and health education program for sun safety of children in primary and secondary schools (grades K-8, was evaluated with surveys administered to participating students and faculty. Results Pretests (n = 5,625 and posttests (n = 5,028 were completed by students in 102 schools in 42 states. Significant improvement was noted for the three knowledge variables. Intentions to play in the shade increased from 68% to 75%(p Conclusions Brief, standardized sun protection education can be efficiently interwoven into existing school curricula, and result in improvements in knowledge and positive intentions for sun protection.

Understanding the determinants of active transportation to school among children: evidence of environmental injustice from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Pabayo, Roman A; Gauvin, Lise; Barnett, Tracie A; Morency, Patrick; Nikiéma, Béatrice; Séguin, Louise

2012-03-01

To examine the combined influence of poverty and dangerousness of the neighborhood on active transportation (AT) to school among a cohort of children followed throughout the early school years. Growth curve modeling was used to identify determinants of AT to school among 710 children participating in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development from 2003 through 2006. Parent-reported dangerousness and pedestrian-vehicle collision data were merged with travel mode and health data. At age 6 years, insufficient household income, having an older sibling, and living in a neighborhood that is not excellent for raising children, or characterized with high decay were predictive of greater likelihood of using AT and remained unchanged as children progressed from kindergarten through grade 2. A public health concern is children experiencing environmental injustice. Since AT is most likely to be adopted by those living in poverty and because it is also associated with unsafe environments, some children are experiencing environmental injustice in relation to AT. Interventions may be implemented to reduce environmental injustice through improvements in road safety. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Mapping Framework and Childhood Obesity in Selangor, Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayati Adilin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The schools environment might be one of the factors that contribute to childhood obesity since children spent most of their time at school. This study aimed to identify the compliance of selected schools in Selangor, Malaysia with whole-school mapping framework and prevalence of obesity among primary school children in rural and urban environmental settings. A total of 1200 children aged 10-11 years from 60 schools in rural and urban area in Selangor involved in this study and their BMI was calculated. The compliance of each school environmental factors was determined by using whole-school environmental mapping framework's questionnaires.

Challenges to professionalism: Social accountability and global environmental change.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, David; Walpole, Sarah; Barna, Stefi

2015-01-01

This article explores the concept of professionalism as it relates to social change and social accountability, and expands on them in the light of global environmental changes. Professionalism in medicine includes concepts of altruism, service, professional knowledge, self-regulation and autonomy. Current dialogues around social accountability suggest that medical schools should re-orientate their strategy and desired education, research and service outcomes to the health needs of the communities they serve.This article addresses the following questions: • How do we reconcile ideas of medical professionalism with the demands of creating a more equal, just, sustainable and socially inclusive society? • What new challenges do or will we face in relation to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, ecosystem health and climate change? • How can medical schools best teach social and environmental responsiveness within a framework of professionalism? • How do medical schools ensure that tomorrow's doctors possess the knowledge, skills and attitude to adapt to the challenges they will face in future roles?We offer ideas about why and how medical educators can change, recommendations to strengthen the teaching of professionalism and social accountability and suggestions about the contribution of an emerging concept, that of "environmental accountability".

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of the Mathematics Courses Included in the Primary School Teacher Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Serin, Mehmet Koray; Incikabi, Semahat

2017-01-01

Mathematics educators have reported on many issues regarding students' mathematical education, particularly students who received mathematics education at different departments such as engineering, science or primary school, including their difficulties with mathematical concepts, their understanding of and preferences for mathematical concepts.…

Development of school energy policy and energy education plans: A comparative case study in three Wisconsin school communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lane, Jennie F.; Floress, Kristin; Rickert, Melissa

2014-01-01

Through a qualitative comparative case study, this investigation examined the process by which three school districts in Wisconsin, U.S.A., developed a school energy policy and complementary energy education plan. To guide the process, the researchers created an outline of recommended steps for the districts to follow. Although there were variations in the sequence and perceived ease of the steps, the Energy Task Force members involved in the process found the outline to be a supportive guide. Further analysis of the cases involved interviewing members of the Energy Task Forces to identify facilitating and obstructing factors. The study concluded that factors such as level of environmental literacy, along with aspects of the school culture and leadership, interacted to influence the successful drafting of school energy policies and education plans. In addition to introducing an outline of recommended steps that can be used by other school policy development teams interested in promoting energy efficiency, this study adds insights into the analysis of energy policy work within the context of a school setting. - Highlights: • School energy policy and complementary energy education plans can be successfully developed with guidelines for policy team membership. • Teacher agency, including environmental literacy, helps overcome barriers in developing school policy and energy education plans. • Administrative support of energy conservation is a key to the development of school energy policies and complementary energy education plans

[School meals: state of the art and recommendations].

Science.gov (United States)

Aranceta Bartrina, J; Pérez Rodrigo, C; Dalmau Serra, J; Gil Hernández, A; Lama More, R; Martín Mateos, M A; Martínez Suárez, V; Pavón Belinchón, P; Suárez Cortina, L

2008-07-01

School meals contribute substantially to overall energy and nutrient intake adequacy of children, but also play an important role in the development of child food habits and the socialisation process. Evidence shows that school based environmental actions, which include changes in school meals and school food policies related to increased availability and access to healthy foods and drinks while in the school are effective to foster healthy eating practices among children. A growing number of children engage in school meals. Available information to date shows that the quality of the food on offer is not always consistent with dietary guidelines. Vegetables and fish are served less often than desirable and excess added fats are used in food preparations. Norms and regulations are very detailed regarding food safety issues and administrative management of the service, including subcontracting of catering providers and care staff. Nutrition and health promotion issues should also be included in regulations by means of nutrition recommendations for school meals along with information on food based dietary guidelines and portion sizes. School meals should be part of the educational project using a whole school approach.

Predicting Dropout Using Student- and School-Level Factors: An Ecological Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Laura; Kiperman, Sarah; Esch, Rachel C.; Leroux, Audrey J.; Truscott, Stephen D.

2017-01-01

High school dropout has been associated with negative outcomes, including increased rates of unemployment, incarceration, and mortality. Dropout rates vary significantly depending on individual and environmental factors. The purpose of our study was to use an ecological perspective to concurrently explore student- and school-level predictors…

Teaching Methods in Biology Education and Sustainability Education Including Outdoor Education for Promoting Sustainability--A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Jeronen, Eila; Palmberg, Irmeli; Yli-Panula, Eija

2017-01-01

There are very few studies concerning the importance of teaching methods in biology education and environmental education including outdoor education for promoting sustainability at the levels of primary and secondary schools and pre-service teacher education. The material was selected using special keywords from biology and sustainable education…

Assessing the environmental characteristics of cycling routes to school: a study on the reliability and validity of a Google Street View-based audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanwolleghem, Griet; Van Dyck, Delfien; Ducheyne, Fabian; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet

2014-06-10

Google Street View provides a valuable and efficient alternative to observe the physical environment compared to on-site fieldwork. However, studies on the use, reliability and validity of Google Street View in a cycling-to-school context are lacking. We aimed to study the intra-, inter-rater reliability and criterion validity of EGA-Cycling (Environmental Google Street View Based Audit - Cycling to school), a newly developed audit using Google Street View to assess the physical environment along cycling routes to school. Parents (n = 52) of 11-to-12-year old Flemish children, who mostly cycled to school, completed a questionnaire and identified their child's cycling route to school on a street map. Fifty cycling routes of 11-to-12-year olds were identified and physical environmental characteristics along the identified routes were rated with EGA-Cycling (5 subscales; 37 items), based on Google Street View. To assess reliability, two researchers performed the audit. Criterion validity of the audit was examined by comparing the ratings based on Google Street View with ratings through on-site assessments. Intra-rater reliability was high (kappa range 0.47-1.00). Large variations in the inter-rater reliability (kappa range -0.03-1.00) and criterion validity scores (kappa range -0.06-1.00) were reported, with acceptable inter-rater reliability values for 43% of all items and acceptable criterion validity for 54% of all items. EGA-Cycling can be used to assess physical environmental characteristics along cycling routes to school. However, to assess the micro-environment specifically related to cycling, on-site assessments have to be added.

Environmental Education in Pre-Service Teacher Training: A Literature Review of Existing Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-García, Olaya; Sureda-Negre, Jaume; Comas-Forgas, Rubén

2015-01-01

The importance of pre-service teacher training regarding environmental education (EE) has been vastly demonstrated. This systematic review examined the existing evidence from studies evaluating and analysing the relationship between EE, including environmental competences and pre-service primary school teacher training. The literature review…

Cultural Astronomy in Elementary and Secondary School

Science.gov (United States)

Jafelice, Luiz Carlos

2015-07-01

This work is addressed to educators and geography, science, biology and physics teachers who deal with elementary, middle and high school education. It discusses the importance of adopting the anthropological perspective regarding issues that are considered within the astronomy area. It also presents practical proposals for those who intend to introduce cultural astronomy in elementary, middle and high school education - from the beginning of the 1st grade in Elementary school to the end of the 3rd grade in Secondary school, in formal as well as in informal education. This work is proposed within the context of the holistic and transdisciplinary environmental education. Our approach values above all the experience and aims at a humanistic education that includes epistemological and cultural diversities. The suggested practical proposals can be also beneficially used to address works that include contents related to Brazilian indigenous and Afro-descent cultures in the school curriculum, as the new law requires. The guidelines presented here were tested in real school situations.

Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1. Annual operation report: January-December 1977 (including environmental report)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-02-01

Net electrical energy generated in 1977 was 2,922,683.7 MWH with the generator on line 6,959.8 hours. Information is presented concerning operations, power generation, shutdowns, maintenance, changes, tests, experiments, occupational personnel radiation exposures, and primary coolant chemistry. Data on radioactive effluent releases, meteorology, environmental monitoring, and potential radiation doses to individuals for July 7, 1977 to December 31, 1977 are also included

Water Awareness Through Environmental Restoration

Science.gov (United States)

Davis-Caldwell, K.

2012-04-01

This poster will highlight a series of project based activities carried out at Hammond Elementary School in Laurel, Maryland, USA. All of the featured projects revolve around the school's Green School Initiative or an integral part of the science curricula. The Maryland Green School program was developed by a diverse team of educators representing the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), Office of the Governor, the Maryland Association of Student Councils, Maryland Department of Education, Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Department of the Environment. The program is administered through the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education. The Maryland Green Schools Award Program recognizes Maryland schools that include environmental education in the curricula, model best management practices at the school and address community environmental issues. Among these numerous projects water is a common thread. Hammond Elementary School lies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed which stretches across 64,000 square miles and encompasses the entire District of Columbia. Educational components address habitats, tributaries and, the estuary system. The projects being highlighted in the poster will include: Trout to Streams Project: This 4th grade project focuses on the natural filtration system that area trout provide to the local and global waterways. As students learn about the importance of various fish to the watershed, they come to understand the effect of changes in the population of fish species due to consumption and pollution. The service learning project highlighted teaches students about water quality as they raise trout eggs and monitor their development into hatching and later stream release. Buffer Streams Tree Planting Projects: This 5th grade science service learning project allows students to investigate the water quality and conditions of local area streams. This project teaches students the positive

Teaching Environmental Health Science for Informed Citizenship in the Science Classroom and Afterschool Clubs

Science.gov (United States)

Keselman, Alla; Levin, Daniel M.; Hundal, Savreen; Kramer, Judy F.; Matzkin, Karen; Dutcher, Gale

2013-01-01

In the era of growing concerns about human-induced climate change and sustainable development, it is important for the schools to prepare students for meaningful engagement with environmental policies that will determine the future of our society. To do this, educators need to face a number of challenges. These include deciding on the science knowledge and skills needed for informed citizenship, identifying teaching practices for fostering such knowledge and skills, and finding ways to implement new practices into the tightly packed existing curriculum. This paper describes two collaborative efforts between the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and University of Maryland College of Education that attempt to meet these challenges. The focus of both projects is on helping students develop information seeking and evaluation and argumentation skills, and applying them to complex socio-scientific issues that have bearing on students’ daily lives. The first effort involves co-designing an afterschool environmental health club curriculum with an interdisciplinary team of middle school teachers. The second effort is the development and implementation of a week-long school drinking water quality debate activity in a high school environmental science classroom. Both projects center on Tox Town, an NLM web resource that introduces students to environmental health issues in everyday environments. The paper describes successes and challenges of environmental health curriculum development, including teachers’ and researchers’ perception of contextual constraints in the club and classroom setting, tensions inherent in co-design, and students’ experience with socio-scientific argumentation. PMID:24382985

A case study of the development of environmental action projects from the framework of participatory action research within two middle school classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Charmatz, Kim

The purpose of this study was to understand student and teacher empowerment through a socially critical environmental education perspective. The main research question guiding this study was: How do participants make sense of a learning experience in which students design and carry out an environmental action project in their community? This study used participatory action research and critical theory as practical and theoretical frameworks. These frameworks were relevant as this study sought to examine social change, power, and relationships through participants' experiences. The context of this study was within one seventh and one eighth grade classroom participating in environmental projects. The study was conducted in spring 2005 with an additional follow-up data collection period during spring 2006. The school was located in a densely populated metropolitan suburb. Fifty-three students, a teacher researcher, and three science teachers participated. Data sources were written surveys, scores on Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey Instrument (MSELI), observations, interviews, and student work. This study used a mixed methodological approach. Quantitative data analysis involved dependent samples t-test scores on the MSELI before and after the completion of the projects. Qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive analysis approach. This study has implications for educators interested in democratic education. Environmental action projects provide a context for students and teachers to learn interdisciplinary content knowledge, develop personal beliefs, and learn ways to take action in their communities. This pedagogy has the potential to increase cooperation, communication, and tensions within school communities. Students' participation in the development of environmental action projects may lead to feelings of empowerment or being able to make a difference in their community, as an individual or member of a group. Future research is needed to discern

Indoor Air Quality in Schools (IAQ): The Importance of Monitoring Carbon Dioxide Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Sundersingh, David; Bearg, David W.

This article highlights indoor air quality and exposure to pollutants at school. Typical air pollutants within schools include environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, allergens, pathogens, radon, pesticides, lead, and dust. Inadequate ventilation, inefficient…

Effects of a 1-Day Environmental Education Intervention on Environmental Attitudes and Connectedness with Nature

Science.gov (United States)

Sellmann, Daniela; Bogner, Franz X.

2013-01-01

Besides cognitive learning effects, short-term environmental education (EE) is often regarded as ineffective in intervening with participants' environmental attitudes and behaviour. However, in Germany, school classes often participate in such 1-day EE programmes because they better match the school curriculum in contrast to longer (residential)…

Using interviews and peer pairs to better understand how school environments affect young children's playground physical activity levels: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Parrish, Anne-Maree; Yeatman, Heather; Iverson, Don; Russell, Ken

2012-04-01

School break times provide a daily opportunity for children to be active; however, research indicates this time is underutilized. Reasons for low children's playground activity levels have primarily focused on physical barriers. This research aimed to contribute to physical environmental findings affecting children's playground physical activity levels by identifying additional variables through the interview process. Thirteen public schools were included in the sample (total 2946 children). Physical activity and environmental data were collected over 3 days. Environmental variables were manually assessed at each of the 13 schools. Observational data were used to determine which three schools were the most and least active. The principal, three teachers and 20 students in Grades 4-6 from these six schools (four lower and two average socioeconomic status) were invited to participate in the interview process. Student interviews involved the paired interview technique. The main themes generated from the school interviews included the effect of non-fixed equipment (including balls), playground markings, playground aesthetics, activity preference, clothing, the amount of break time available for play, teacher playground involvement, gender, bullying, school policies, student confidence in break-time activity and fundamental movement skills. The effect of bullying on playground physical activity levels was concerning.

Multiplied Environmental Literacy. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Buethe, Chris

This booklet presents a pupil-oriented program designed to increase the environmental literacy of teachers and students in Indiana schools through a programmed multiplier effect. Junior and senior high school science teachers were prepared to teach students the meanings of 44 selected environmental terms and related concepts. Those teachers then…

Including Health in Environmental Assessments of Major Transport Infrastructure Projects: A Documentary Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Emily; Harris, Patrick; Kent, Jennifer; Sainsbury, Peter; Lane, Anna; Baum, Fran

2018-05-10

Transport policy and practice impacts health. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are regulated public policy mechanisms that can be used to consider the health impacts of major transport projects before they are approved. The way health is considered in these environmental assessments (EAs) is not well known. This research asked: How and to what extent was human health considered in EAs of four major transport projects in Australia. We developed a comprehensive coding framework to analyse the Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) of four transport infrastructure projects: three road and one light rail. The coding framework was designed to capture how health was directly and indirectly included. We found that health was partially considered in all four EISs. In the three New South Wales (NSW) projects, but not the one South Australian project, this was influenced by the requirements issued to proponents by the government which directed the content of the EIS. Health was assessed using human health risk assessment (HHRA). We found this to be narrow in focus and revealed a need for a broader social determinants of health approach, using multiple methods. The road assessments emphasised air quality and noise risks, concluding these were minimal or predicted to improve. The South Australian project was the only road project not to include health data explicitly. The light rail EIS considered the health benefits of the project whereas the others focused on risk. Only one project considered mental health, although in less detail than air quality or noise. Our findings suggest EIAs lag behind the known evidence linking transport infrastructure to health. If health is to be comprehensively included, a more complete model of health is required, as well as a shift away from health risk assessment as the main method used. This needs to be mandatory for all significant developments. We also found that considering health only at the EIA stage may be a significant

Information management for global environmental change, including the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoss, F.W. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center

1994-06-01

The issue of global change is international in scope. A body of international organizations oversees the worldwide coordination of research and policy initiatives. In the US the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established in November of 1993 to provide coordination of science, space, and technology policies throughout the federal government. NSTC is organized into nine proposed committees. The Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources (CERN) oversees the US Department of Energy`s Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). As part of the USGCRP, the US Department of Energy`s Global Change Research Program aims to improve the understanding of Earth systems and to strengthen the scientific basis for the evaluation of policy and government action in response to potential global environmental changes. This paper examines the information and data management roles of several international and national programs, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL`s) global change information programs. An emphasis will be placed on the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), which also serves as the World Data Center-A for Atmospheric Trace Gases.

Reconceptualizing Environmental Education: Taking Account of Reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, Justin; Teamey, Kelly

2002-01-01

Investigates the pros and cons of integrating environmental education into the school curriculum. Focusing solely on environmental education's role in the school curriculum ignores a range of factors that affect its efficacy in the majority of the world. Suggests a conceptualization of environmental education that takes into account a range of…

Predicting dropout using student- and school-level factors: An ecological perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Laura; Kiperman, Sarah; Esch, Rachel C; Leroux, Audrey J; Truscott, Stephen D

2017-03-01

High school dropout has been associated with negative outcomes, including increased rates of unemployment, incarceration, and mortality. Dropout rates vary significantly depending on individual and environmental factors. The purpose of our study was to use an ecological perspective to concurrently explore student- and school-level predictors associated with dropout for the purpose of better understanding how to prevent it. We used the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 dataset. Participants included 14,106 sophomores across 684 public and private schools. We identified variables of interest based on previous research on dropout and implemented hierarchical generalized linear modeling. In the final model, significant student-level predictors included academic achievement, retention, sex, family socioeconomic status (SES), and extracurricular involvement. Significant school-level predictors included school SES and school size. Race/ethnicity, special education status, born in the United States, English as first language, school urbanicity, and school region did not significantly predict dropout after controlling for the aforementioned predictors. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts within a multitiered intervention model are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS? ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilek OZMEN

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine university students? attitudes towards environmental problems and the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on it. The present descriptive study was carried out at the Celal Bayar University School of Health, SHMYO and Faculty of Medicine (N=742. A questionnaire designed by researches and Environmental Attitudes Scale (EAS were applied to n=410 students who were present at the school at the time of applying. Although 65,0% of the students have stated that they were sensitive to environmental issues, 84,9% of them have not participitated to an activity about environmental issues. Total score of EAS of the students of Faculty of Medicine and School of Health, the students whose age were higher than 20, female students, the students who lived longest at city, the students who were sensitive to environmental issues, the students who thought an education must be given in high school, the students who has siblings fewer than 3 and the students whose parents were university graduate were higher than other students (p < 0,05. An education program should be developed for the students who were sensitive about the environmental issues to change their behavior about environmental matters. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2005; 4(6.000: 330-344

Including environmental concerns in management strategies for depleted uranium hexafluoride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, M.; Avci, H.I.; Bradley, C.E.

1995-01-01

One of the major programs within the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science, and Technology of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is the depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF 6 ) management program. The program is intended to find a long-term management strategy for the DUF 6 that is currently stored in approximately 46,400 cylinders at Paducah, KY; Portsmouth, OH; and Oak Ridge, TN, USA. The program has four major components: technology assessment, engineering analysis, cost analysis, and the environmental impact statement (EIS). From the beginning of the program, the DOE has incorporated the environmental considerations into the process of strategy selection. Currently, the DOE has no preferred alternative. The results of the environmental impacts assessment from the EIS, as well as the results from the other components of the program, will be factored into the strategy selection process. In addition to the DOE's current management plan, other alternatives continued storage, reuse, or disposal of depleted uranium, will be considered in the EIS. The EIS is expected to be completed and issued in its final form in the fall of 1997

Prenatal Exposure to Organohalogens, Including Brominated Flame Retardants, Influences Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Performance at School Age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roze, Elise; Meijer, Lisethe; Bakker, Attie; Van Braeckel, Koenraad N. J. A.; Sauer, Pieter J. J.; Bos, Arend F.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Organohalogen compounds (OHCs) are known to have neurotoxic effects on the developing brain. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of prenatal exposure to OHCs, including brominated flame retardants, on motor, cognitive, and behavioral outcome in healthy children of school age.

Report on the 1972--1973 term of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental School

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eichler, E.

1979-03-01

The Laboratory has carried out a variety of staff educational functions over the years, ranging from the small scale--reimbursement of fees for university study--to the elaborate--the Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology. The outstanding success of ORSORT in converting chemists, physicists, and engineers of varied stripe to reactor technologists led ORNL management to consider another such program, and the then rosy prospects for funding growth in environment-related programs suggested the subject area. This report will describe the enterprise as it emerged from planning into reality. After a summary of the pre-history of the School, the events of its first and only year will be detailed. Implications of this experience for future educational programs will be discussed. The reactions of staff and student body will then be presented. Appendices will include important documents relating to the School's formation, as well as the vital statistics of the School, including the student and staff listings as well as funding details.

Solar Heating Considerations for Green Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, Brian; Fiedler, Lon

2012-01-01

As energy costs continue to rise, many schools and universities are considering energy-saving solutions, including solar heating options, to lower costs and to attract students and staff that support environmentally friendly practices. However, administrators and facility engineers should take several issues into account before pursuing a solar…

Eco-Schools campaign. The European projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchini, P.; Marino, G.

1999-01-01

The Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) was established in 1981; since then it was been actively promoting and delivering education through a series of successful internationals programmes launched in 21 different European nations. The Eco-School Campaign aims to raise students' awareness of environment issues through classroom study, and provide an integrated system for environmental management of schools based on EMAS (with waste, water and energy management as priority areas). As a process of facilitating sustainable developpement at a local level, pupils are encouraged to take an active role in mental impact of the schools. The Eco-Schools Green Flag, awarded to schools with high achievement in their Programme, is a recognised and respected eco-label for environmental education and performance. In Italy the National Eco-Schools operator was asked to set up a ten-schools pilot programme in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia: these are very first national schools that are likely to become 'Eco-Schools'

Why education in public schools should include religious ideals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Ruyter, D.J.; Merry, M.S.

2009-01-01

This article aims to open a new line of debate about religion in public schools by focusing on religious ideals. The article begins with an elucidation of the concept ‘religious ideals’ and an explanation of the notion of reasonable pluralism, in order to be able to explore the dangers and positive

Implementation of strategies to increase adolescents' access to fruit and vegetables at school

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Anne Kristine; Jørgensen, Thea Suldrup; Jørgensen, Sanne Ellegaard

2015-01-01

schools. METHODS: We used data from 20 intervention schools involved in the school-based multicomponent Boost trial targeting 13-year-olds' FV consumption. The environmental components at school included daily provision of free FV and promotion of a pleasant eating environment. Questionnaire data......BACKGROUND: Access to fruit and vegetables (FV) is associated with adolescents' FV consumption. However, little is known about implementation of strategies to increase access to FV at schools. We examined the implementation of two environmental components designed to increase access to FV at Danish...... was collected by the end of the nine-month intervention period among 1,121 pupils (95%), from all school principals (n = 20) and half way through the intervention period and by the end of the intervention among 114 teachers (44%). The implementation of the components was examined descriptively using...

Preparing Adults to Work with Youth: An Environmental Scan of Professional Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Gerdes

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This feature article shares the results of a national environmental scan conducted to identify professional development programs offered for school age providers across the nation through the Cooperative Extension System. A purposeful sample comprised of representatives from state extension offices throughout the country included 135 respondents from 48 states. Results showed 139 professional development programs for school age providers were offered through the Cooperative Extension System. The majority of programs offered professional development in the areas of health, nutrition, safety, youth development, and quality afterschool environments. This article summarizes the findings of the environmental scan, including number of contact hours, program scope, and program partners, as well as discussion and recommendations for future work in this area.

Environmental Education and Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Paul

2014-01-01

In the fall of 2013, Inverness Associates conducted a comprehensive national survey of environmental education and sustainability among private independent schools. The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and 14 regional and state associations supported the research. The survey sought to understand how schools' environmental…

Measuring environmental attitudes of elementary school students

Science.gov (United States)

John C. Benjamin; George H. Moeller; Douglas A. Morrison

1977-01-01

A modified semantic differential was developed to measure environmental attitudes of sixth-graders. Classes were selected to represent different socioeconomic and residence backgrounds and degrees of previous exposure to structured environmental programs. Results indicate that: exposure to environmental education fosters favorable environmental attitudes; socioeconomic...

The effectiveness of a head-heart-hands model for natural and environmental science learning in urban schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Jagannathan, Radha; Camasso, Michael J; Delacalle, Maia

2018-02-01

We describe an environmental and natural science program called Nurture thru Nature (NtN) that seeks to improve mathematics and science performance of students in disadvantaged communities, and to increase student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. The program draws conceptual guidance from the Head-Heart-Hands model that informs the current educational movement to foster environmental understanding and sustainability. Employing an experimental design and data from seven cohorts of students, we find some promising, albeit preliminary, indications that the program can increase students' science knowledge and grades in mathematics, science and language arts. We discuss the special adaptations that environmental and sustainability education programs need to incorporate if they are to be successful in today's resource depleted urban schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internal dental school environmental factors promoting faculty survival and success.

Science.gov (United States)

Masella, Richard S

2005-04-01

A career in dental academics offers ample rewards and challenges. To promote successful careers in dental education, prospective and new dental faculty should possess a realistic view of the dental school work environment, akin to the informed consent so valuable to patients and doctors. Self-assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses provides helpful information in matching faculty applicants with appropriate dental schools. Essential prehiring information also includes a written job description detailing duties and responsibilities, professional development opportunities, and job performance evaluation protocol. Prehiring awareness of what constitutes excellence in job performance will aid new faculty in allotting time to productive venues. New faculty should not rely solely on professional expertise to advance careers. Research and regular peer-reviewed publications are necessary elements in academic career success, along with the ability to secure governmental, private foundation, and corporate grant support. Tactful self-promotion and self-definition to the dental school community are faculty responsibilities, along with substantial peer collaboration. The recruitment period is a singular opportunity to secure job benefits and privileges. It is also the time to gain knowledge of institutional culture and assess administrative and faculty willingness to collaborate on teaching, research, professional development, and attainment of change. Powerful people within dental schools and parent institutions may influence faculty careers and should be identified and carefully treated. The time may come to leave one's position for employment at a different dental school or to step down from full-time academics. Nonetheless, the world of dental and health professional education in 2005 is rapidly expanding and offers unlimited opportunities to dedicated, talented, and informed educators.

Environmental Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Heiser, Ed

Furnished in this comprehensive report is a resume of a five-year experimental program in environmental education conducted by the Eastern Montana College Laboratory School in conjunction with Eastern Montana College and the Billings School District #2. The basic purpose of the program is to make teachers, and in turn students, aware of the…

Earth Institute at Columbia University ADVANCE Program: Addressing Needs for Women in Earth and Environmental Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, R. E.; Cane, M.; Mutter, J.; Miller, R.; Pfirman, S.; Laird, J.

2004-12-01

The Earth Institute has received a major NSF ADVANCE grant targeted at increasing the participation and advancement of women scientists and engineers in the Academy through institutional transformation. The Earth Institute at Columbia University includes 9 research institutes including Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate Prediction, Earth Engineering Center, NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Center for Risks and Hazards, Center for Globalization and Sustainable Development, and Center for Global Health and Economic Development and six academic departments including Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B, School of Arts and Sciences), Earth and Environmental Engineering (DEEE, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences), Department of Environmental Health (School of Public Health), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES, School of Arts and Sciences), Department of International and Public Affairs (School of International and Policy Affairs), and Barnard College Department of Environmental Science. The Earth Institute at Columbia University's ADVANCE program is based both on a study of the status of women at Columbia and research on the progression of women in science elsewhere. The five major targets of the Columbia ADVANCE program are to (1) change the demographics of the faculty through intelligent hiring practices, (2) provide support to women scientists through difficult life transitions including elder care and adoption or birth of a child, (3) enhance mentoring and networking opportunities, (4) implement transparent promotion procedures and policies, and (5) conduct an institutional self study. The Earth Institute ADVANCE program is unique in that it addresses issues that tend to manifest themselves in the earth and environmental fields, such as extended

The development and refinement of models of less established and more established high school environmental service-learning programs in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Malikova, Yuliya

2005-07-01

Environmental Service-Learning (Env. S-L) appears to show great promise and practitioners tout its benefits, although there have been fewer than ten studies in this emerging area of environmental education. The overall study purpose was to describe the nature, status, and effects of Grade 9--16 Env. S-L programs in Florida, and develop descriptive models of those programs. The purpose of Phase I was to describe these programs and associated partnerships. Based on Phase I results, the purpose of Phase II was to develop, compare, and refine models for less and more established high school programs. This study involved: (1) defining the population of Florida 9--16 Env. S-L programs (Phase I); (2) developing and administering program surveys (Phase I, quantitative); (3) analyzing Phase I survey data and identifications of options for Phase II (Intermediate stage); (4) designing and implementing methodology for further data collection (Phase II, qualitative); (5) refining and finalizing program models (Phase II, descriptive); and (6) summarizing program data, changes, and comparisons. This study revealed that Env. S-L has been practiced in a variety of ways at the high school and college levels in Florida. There, the number of high school programs, and participating teachers and students has been growing. Among others, major program features include block scheduling, indirect S-L activities, external funding sources, and formal and ongoing community partnerships. Findings based on self-reported program assessment results indicate that S-L has had positive effects on students across Furco's S-L outcome domains (i.e., academic achievement/success, school participation/behavior, carrier development, personal development, interpersonal development, ethical/moral development, and development of civic responsibility). Differences existed between less established and more established Env. S-L programs. Less established programs had relatively few participating teachers

Environmental Assessment Lakeview Geothermal Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treis, Tania [Southern Oregon Economic Development Department, Medford, OR (United States)

2012-04-30

The Town of Lakeview is proposing to construct and operate a geothermal direct use district heating system in Lakeview, Oregon. The proposed project would be in Lake County, Oregon, within the Lakeview Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA). The proposed project includes the following elements: Drilling, testing, and completion of a new production well and geothermal water injection well; construction and operation of a geothermal production fluid pipeline from the well pad to various Town buildings (i.e., local schools, hospital, and Lake County Industrial Park) and back to a geothermal water injection well. This EA describes the proposed project, the alternatives considered, and presents the environmental analysis pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The project would not result in adverse effects to the environment with the implementation of environmental protection measures.

Association between environmental factors and current asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema symptoms in school-aged children from Oropeza Province--Bolivia: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Solis-Soto, María Teresa; Patiño, Armando; Nowak, Dennis; Radon, Katja

2013-11-05

In recent years, the prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema symptoms in childhood has considerably increased in developing countries including Bolivia, possibly due to changes in lifestyle, environmental and domestic factors. This study aimed to assess the association between environmental factors and asthma, rhinoconjuctivitis and eczema symptoms in school-aged children from Oropeza Province in Chuquisaca, Bolivia. A cross-sectional study was performed in 2340 children attending the fifth grade in 36 randomly selected elementary schools in Oropeza province. The prevalence of symptoms was determined using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Environmental factors were assessed by the ISAAC environmental questionnaire including questions related to exposure to pets, farm animals, indoor and outdoor pollution, presence of disease vectors at home and precarious household conditions. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were adjusted for age, sex and place of living. Thirty seven percent of children reported that at least one of their parents smoked at home. Wood or coal was used as cooking fuel in 19% of the homes and 29% reported intense truck traffic on the street where they lived. With respect to hygiene conditions, 86% reported exposure to dogs, 59% exposure to cats and 36% regular contact to farm animals. More than one precarious household condition was reported by 8% of children. In the adjusted model exposure to dog (adjusted OR 1.4; CI 95% 1.0-1.9), cat (1.2; 1.0-1.5), farm animals (1.5; 1.2-1.8); intense truck traffic (1.3; 1.0-1.6), parents smoking at home (1.2; 1.0-1.5), presence of disease vectors at home (fourth quartile vs. first quartile: 1.6; 1.2-2.3) and two or more precarious household conditions (1.5; 1.0-2.2) were significantly associated with rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms. The associations were similar for asthma and eczema symptoms; however it did not reach the level of statistical

Environmental Epidemiology Program

Science.gov (United States)

partnering with Utah schools to conduct voluntary sampling for lead in school drinking water. Visit the links Study Harmful Algal Blooms TriCounty Adverse Birth Outcomes Study - 2017 Update Monticello Mill ) Submit a Question Partners Reports Centers for Disease Control(CDC) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA

Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools; Final Rule and Notice. Part III: Environmental Protection Agency. 40 CFR Part 763.

Science.gov (United States)

Federal Register, 1987

1987-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) to require all local education agencies (LEAs) to identify asbestos-containing materials in their school buildings and take appropriate action to control release of asbestos fibers. The LEAs are required to describe their activities in…

Active versus passive transportation to school-differences in screen time, socio-economic position and perceived environmental characteristics in adolescent girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Mota, Jorge; Gomes, Helena; Almeida, Mariana; Ribeiro, José Carlos; Carvalho, Joana; Santos, Maria Paula

2007-01-01

The aims of this study were (1) to assess the relationships between transport to and from school (active vs. passive), sedentary behaviours, measures of socio-economic position and perceived environmental variables, and (2) to determine which, if any, variables were predictors of active transportation. The sample comprised 705 girls with mean age of 14.7 (SD = 1.6) years old. Questionnaires were used to describe travel mode to school and to estimate weekly television and computer use (screen time). Girls were assigned to active transportation (AT) or passive transportation (PT) groups depending on whether they walked or bicycled (AT) to and from school or travelled by car or bus (PT). Screen time was determined by the number of hours they reported watching television and using computers in the week preceding the examination, including weekends. Socio-economic position was established by parental occupation and educational level. A questionnaire assessed Perceived Neighbourhood Environments. No statistically significant differences were seen for screen time between travel groups. Occupational status of both mother (r = -0.17) and father (r = -0.15) and father's educational level (r = -0.10) were significantly and negatively associated with AT, while street connectivity (r = 0.10) was positively and significantly associated with AT. Logistic regression analysis showed that the likelihood of active commuting decreased by around 50% with increasing father's occupation (odds ratio (OR) = 0.51; p active (OR = 1.63; p active commuting to school and that street connectivity is a predictor of active transportation in adolescent girls.

Environmental assessment of passenger transportation should include infrastructure and supply chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chester, Mikhail V; Horvath, Arpad

2009-01-01

To appropriately mitigate environmental impacts from transportation, it is necessary for decision makers to consider the life-cycle energy use and emissions. Most current decision-making relies on analysis at the tailpipe, ignoring vehicle production, infrastructure provision, and fuel production required for support. We present results of a comprehensive life-cycle energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and selected criteria air pollutant emissions inventory for automobiles, buses, trains, and airplanes in the US, including vehicles, infrastructure, fuel production, and supply chains. We find that total life-cycle energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions contribute an additional 63% for onroad, 155% for rail, and 31% for air systems over vehicle tailpipe operation. Inventorying criteria air pollutants shows that vehicle non-operational components often dominate total emissions. Life-cycle criteria air pollutant emissions are between 1.1 and 800 times larger than vehicle operation. Ranges in passenger occupancy can easily change the relative performance of modes.

Is the environment near school associated with active commuting to school among preschoolers?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Cazuza Farias Junior

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Available studies show that environmental factors may influence how parentes choose to commute their children from home to school. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between the characteristics of the physical and social environment near school and active commuting to school among preschool children. A school-based cross-sectional study with a sample of children aged 3to 5 years (n=914 was undertaken. Participants were selected by a single-stage cluster sampling process. To obtain data on commuting to school and demographicand socioeconomic variables, a previously validated questionnaire was used while an audit tool was used to assess the environment near school. Binarylogistic regression was used to analyze the association and results were presented as Odds Ratio values. Results showed that 28.3% (95%CI 25.5-31.3 ofthe children were active commuters from home to school. A positive association was found between public transportation (p=0.002 and social environment(p=0.004 domains and active commuting. However, this association was foundonly among children from families that did not have a car. The likelihood of achild being an active commuter was higher among those who are enrolled in schools with better environmental surroundings (OR=1.88; 95%CI 1.31-2.70. It was concluded that there was a positive association between some of the environmental factors near school and active commuting to school among children from families that did not have a car.

47 CFR 1.1311 - Environmental information to be included in the environmental assessment (EA).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... a residential area, the EA must also address the impact of this lighting upon the residents. (2) A... concerning the proposal's environmental impact, if any. The EA shall deal specifically with any feature of... land utilized (e.g., deforestation, water diversion, wetland fill, or other extensive change of surface...

HVAC retrofit for healthy schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, R.C.; Fisher, G.; Brennan, T.; Turner, W.A.; McKnight, F.

1991-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated the impacts of HVAC systems and building dynamics on radon concentrations in 26 schools across the United States. Diagnostic data indicated that radon was not the only indoor air pollutant in these schools. As a result, an essential step in the School Evaluation Program is determination of the feasibility of using HVAC technology for radon remediation in addition to general indoor air improvement. In 1990, the EPA sponsored the HVAC retrofit of two schools in Maine. This paper presents the information gained by these case studies. First, the extensive pre-retrofit diagnostics and characterizations of the two schools are reviewed. Then follows a discussion of why and how the HVAC systems, including unit ventilators, central air-handling units, and heat recovery ventilation, were retrofitted. Finally, an appraisal of the post-retrofit radon and CO 2 levels is made, along with presentation of related data such as retrofit costs and energy and comfort impacts

The development of environmental awareness through a proposal for promoting intercomprehension in romance languages among high school seniors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bibiana Amado

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This work aims to analyze the treatment of environmental issues in an educational proposal for Intercomprehension in Romance Languages (hereinafter called IC developed by InterRom, a research team from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, in Argentina. This proposal, aimed at developing high school seniors’ language skills from the perspective of teaching and learning IC from text genres, integrates pluralistic approaches to languages with contributions from socio-discursive interactionism (BRONCKART, 2007, from the sociocultural theory of human development (BRUNER, 1994; NELSON, 1996; ROGOFF, 1993; VYGOTSKY, 1962, 1988 and from cognitive approaches to text comprehension and production (BRITTON and GRAESSER, 1996; HAYES and FLOWERS, 1980, HAYES, 1996; SCARDAMALIA and BEREITER, 1992. Through the convergence of these theoretical perspectives, the proposal promotes IC in French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, related to environmental conservation, as well as actions for writing texts in Spanish. The planned language activities involve working with different text genres on environmental issues, such as the extinction of animal species, the production of genetically modified foods and the use of agrochemicals that contaminate the biosphere and threaten the life of all living species, including human beings. The exercises related to these topics, at the same time, encourage students to reflect on critical environmental issues and to develop strategies for writing texts in Spanish. To conclude, it can be argued that the IC proposal is based on social and intercultural approaches that integrate teaching actions, text production processes and science issues regarding the environment. As a result, students are regarded as subjects with competencies to understand discourses from different cultures and to think, write and act within their natural, social and cultural environments.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic

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and Environmental Benefits with Propane Buses Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic and School District Reaps Economic and Environmental Benefits with Propane Buses on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic and Environmental Benefits with

Contextualizing School Psychology Practice: Introducing Featured Research Commentaries

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Matthew K.

2013-01-01

Bronfenbrenner (1977) defined ecological-systems theory (EST) as the study of the multiple interconnected environmental systems that influence individual development. To understand the child, psychologists must fully examine the environment in which the child lives including the home, school, community, and culture (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). There…

Betel Quid Dependency and Associated Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Environmental Factors among Adolescents: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Azmina; Zaheer, Sidra; Shafique, Kashif

2018-03-13

Betel quid (BQ) is one of the fourth most commonly used substance globally. Though BQ is a psycho-active substance, yet little has been explored regarding dependency on it particularly among adolescents. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine adolescents' dependency on BQ, along with their intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental determinants of dependency. This cross-sectional study focused on 2200 school-going adolescents of Karachi, Pakistan in 2016. Primary outcome was dependency on BQ among adolescents. Both univariate and multivariate regressions were used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (after adjustments for all intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors) with 95% confidence level. Out of 2200 students, 874 (39.7%) were found to be BQ users amongst whom 69 (7.9%) were dependent on BQ. Comparing the groups with only areca nut users as reference category, betel quid with tobacco additives chewers were considerably dependent (OR = 14.08, 95% CI 3.64-54.16). The individuals who chewed >5 chews per day (OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.08-3.29) and chronic users (>1year) (OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.09-3.74) were more likely to be dependent. Older students (>12 years) (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.06-4.23), and who studied in government schools were significantly dependent (OR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.80-6.10) than those who studied in private schools. In conclusion, intrapersonal characteristics like more than 5 chews per day, chronic chewers of more than a year, BQ with tobacco chewers, older adolescents and children studying in government schools were significantly associated with BQ dependency.

Ensino de saneamento do meio nas escolas de saúde pública Teaching environmental sanitation in schools of public health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter Engracia de Oliveira

1975-06-01

Full Text Available Após a última guerra mundial, e especialmente nesta década, em decorrência do crescimento demográfico e do desenvolvimento industrial, a par de migração da população rural em direção aos conglomerados urbanos, aumentaram os problemas relacionados ao saneamento do meio, devido a poluição ambiental. Aumentou assim a necessidade de maior incremento ao ensino e à pesquisa no campo do saneamento do meio, como também uma revisão dos programas. É evidenciado que o ensino do saneamento do meio deveria ser oferecido em todos os níveis do ensino, desde o primário ao superior. Nas escolas de saúde pública, este ensino, tradicionalmente, é oferecido nos cursos de graduação, para graduados e pós-graduação (mestrado e doutorado, e em cursos de nível médio. Algumas matérias do programa deveriam ser oferecidas em cursos curtos ou de especialização. O programa de saneamento do meio, além de procurar dar uma formação geral no campo do saneamento ambiental, deve ser estabelecido em função das necessidades do país, região ou Estado, o profissional que queremos preparar, e o papel da escola, isto é, o nível de preparação de pessoal - internacional, nacional, para um ou vários estados, deve influenciar o programa de saneamento do meio. Ponderou-se que as pesquisas sobre essa matéria devem ser intensificadas, tanto nos países em fase de desenvolvimento, como nos países subdesenvolvidos, devendo ser preferencialmente de caráter aplicado e mais simples. O intercâmbio com os países mais adiantados poderia ser útil para ambos.After the second world war, and specially in this decade, in consequence of population growth and industrial development, along with the rural migration in direction to urban areas the problems of environmental sanitation are increasing, including pollution control. It is necessary to increase and improve tuition and researches in the field of environmental sanitation, as well as review the

Changes in America's Public School Facilities: From School Year 1998-99 to School Year 2012-13. Stats in Brief. NCES 2016-074

Science.gov (United States)

Bahr, Steven; Sparks, Dinah

2016-01-01

This Statistics in Brief summarizes the changes from the 1998-99 to the 2012-13 school years in the average age of public schools, ratings of satisfaction of the environmental quality of school facilities, the cost to put school buildings in good overall condition, and short-range plans to improve school facilities. In addition to providing…

40 CFR 262.105 - What must be included in the laboratory environmental management plan?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... compliance, waste minimization, risk reduction and continual improvement of the environmental management... its compliance with the Environmental Management Plan and applicable federal and state hazardous waste... laboratory environmental management plan? 262.105 Section 262.105 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

Environmental Concern in School-Age Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Malkus, Amy J.; Musser, Lynn M.

This study examined the relationship between children's environmental concern and grade, sex, environmental attitudes and behaviors, perceived competencies, and manifest anxiety. A total of 138 children in grades 1, 3, and 5 were interviewed and completed scales that measured childhood concerns, attitudes toward the environment, self perception,…

Conveying Environmental Issues with and through Art

Science.gov (United States)

Abeles, K. V.

2016-12-01

Art has the ability to convey serious environmental issues, inspiring people to respond personally Kim Abeles is an artist who crosses disciplines and media to explore and map urban and global environments. She has exhibited with a unique range of collaborators including smog control agencies, science and natural history museums, and educational and healthcare professionals. Her work has been exhibited across the world. Since 1985, her art projects have explored topics including air and water pollution, refuse and recycling, and consumption. This presentation will discuss three unconventional art projects from inspiration to impact including results. Most can be replicated in any educational or community setting to increase understanding of environmental issues. Abeles's Smog Collector series makes images from polluted air, helping viewers to see the air they breathe in an accessible, engaging, and visceral way. In addition to exhibitions of this work in art museums and galleries, it has been displayed in vehicle emissions testing booths to increase awareness and behavior change, and the process has been taught as curriculum in schools. Abeles sees consumption as a primary problem that leads to environmental decay. Her Paper Person was made from the California Science Center's paper trash that was generated on a single day by their visitors (Earth Day 2009). The 40' x 48' sculpture is in the permanent collection of the CSC, and the text accompanying the artwork prompts visitors to consider bringing their lunches next time instead of buying fast food. Similarly, Paper Person (Harvard Westlake School) is a figurative sculpture made of one week of students' paper trash. Exhibited in the school's gallery, students were able to identify their own scraps, and to see how their consumption and trash adds up. When the artwork was exhibited, the school decided to change the way they handled their lunch preparation, bottled water, and trash. gallery-of-solutions was a recent

Development of National Assessment Criteria for Green Schools in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

4carolinebell@gmail.com

evaluation of the national green schools project in Mainland China in 2006. Background ... school management (the green school committee, the plan for green schools, training ... the processes of environmental education (inclusion of environmental education in the .... The basic reason is that the content about continued ...

Uncovering Students' Environmental Identity: An Exploration of Activities in an Environmental Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Blatt, Erica

2014-01-01

This study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States explores how students' environmental identities are affected by various activities in an Environmental Science course. Data was collected as part of an ethnographic study involving an Environmental Science teacher and her tenth-twelfth grade students. The results focus on…

Condiciones ambientales riesgosas para las infecciones respiratorias agudas en escolares de primaria Risky environmental conditions for acute respiratory infections in primary school students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Mezquía Valera

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Introducción: el deterioro de las condiciones ambientales contribuye de forma importante a los procesos de la enfermedad, porque expone a la población urbana a enfermedades y riesgos muy bien identificados y conocidos. Objetivos: identificar las condiciones ambientales riesgosas en los hogares, las escuelas y sus entornos para la prevalencia de las infecciones respiratorias en educandos, en el curso escolar 2006-2007. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en los educandos de 1ro. a 6to. grado del universo de las escuelas primarias del consejo popular Cayo Hueso, del municipio Centro Habana. Se aplicó a las madres un cuestionario con preguntas al respecto, y se realizó la evaluación de las condiciones ambientales de las escuelas y sus entornos, según las orientaciones de guías preelaboradas. Resultados: la prevalencia de infecciones respiratorias agudas fueron obtenidas de los educandos que asisten a las escuelas "Pedro Carbó Serviá", "Salvador Cisneros Betancourt", "Fernández Roig" y "República de Bolivia", y coincidió con que son las que tienen más factores de riesgo del ambiente y/o las que tienen mayores frecuencias de educandos con condiciones ambientales riesgosas de sus hogares, escuelas o entorno.Introduction: deterioration of environmental conditions contributes in a very important way to disease processes because of to expose to urban population to diseases and risks very well identified and well known. Objective: to identify the risky environmental conditions at homes, schools and its surroundings for prevalence of respiratory infections in the students during 2006-1007 courses. Methods: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in students from 1st to sixth degrees from the universe of primary schools of "Cayo Hueso" popular council of the Centro Habana municipality. In mothers a questionnaire was distributed with related questions and the environmental conditions of schools and its

Summer Schools in Nuclear and Radiochemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silber, Herbert B. [San Jose State University

2013-06-20

The ACS Summer Schools in Nuclear and Radiochemistry (herein called “Summer Schools”) were funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and held at San Jose State University (SJSU) and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The Summer Schools offer undergraduate students with U.S. citizenship an opportunity to complete coursework through ACS accredited chemistry degree programs at SJSU or the State University of New York at Stony Brook (SBU). The courses include lecture and laboratory work on the fundamentals and applications of nuclear and radiochemistry. The number of students participating at each site is limited to 12, and the low student-to-instructor ratio is needed due to the intense nature of the six-week program. To broaden the students’ perspectives on nuclear science, prominent research scientists active in nuclear and/or radiochemical research participate in a Guest Lecture Series. Symposia emphasizing environmental chemistry, nuclear medicine, and career opportunities are conducted as a part of the program. The Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) renewed the five-year proposal for the Summer Schools starting March 1, 2007, with contributions from Biological and Environmental Remediation (BER) and Nuclear Physics (NP). This Final Technical Report covers the Summer Schools held in the years 2007-2011.

International Accreditations as Drivers of Business School Quality Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Michael

2013-01-01

Business schools are under pressure to implement continuous improvement and quality assurance processes to remain competitive in a globalized higher education market. Drivers for quality improvement include external, environmental pressures, regulatory bodies such as governments, and, increasingly, voluntary accreditation agencies such as AACSB…

Exploring Environmental Identity and Behavioral Change in an Environmental Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Blatt, Erica N.

2013-01-01

This ethnographic study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States investigates the process of change in students' environmental identity and proenvironmental behaviors during an Environmental Science course. The study explores how sociocultural factors, such as students' background, social interactions, and classroom structures,…

Environmental Education Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes (Warren) Co. and Black (Kenneth) Associate, Architects, Lansing, MI.

Public awareness and concern for our natural environment have rapidly increased. With new demands for knowledge and action concerning all aspects of environmental quality, schools have begun to incorporate into their curriculums new programs emphasizing environmental awareness and appreciation at all age levels. To bring students into further…

Ozone (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation National Library of Medicine Environmental Health Student Portal Connecting Middle School Students to Environmental Health Information Menu Home Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor ...

Pesticides (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation National Library of Medicine Environmental Health Student Portal Connecting Middle School Students to Environmental Health Information Menu Home Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor ...

Why Teach Environmental Chemistry?

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Marjorie H.

1974-01-01

Discusses the importance of teaching environmental chemistry in secondary school science classes, and outlines five examples of environmental chemistry problems that focus on major concepts of chemistry and have critical implications for human survival and well-being. (JR)

The effects on student health of interventions modifying the school environment: systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonell, C; Wells, H; Harden, A; Jamal, F; Fletcher, A; Thomas, J; Campbell, R; Petticrew, M; Whitehead, M; Murphy, S; Moore, L

2013-08-01

Owing to the limited effectiveness of traditional health education curricula in schools, there is increasing interest in interventions aiming to promote young people's health by modifying the school environment. Existing systematic reviews cannot determine whether environmental intervention is effective because they examine interventions combining environmental modifications and traditional health education. This gap is significant because school-environment interventions are complex to implement and may be sidelined in underfunded and attainment-focused school systems without evidence to support such an approach. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of school-environment interventions without health-education components on student health and inequalities. This was a systematic review of experimental/quasi-experimental studies of school-environment interventions. Sixteen databases were searched, eliciting 62 329 references which were screened, with included studies quality assessed, data extracted and narratively synthesised. Sixteen reports of 10 studies were included, all from the USA and the UK. Five evaluations of interventions aiming to develop a stronger sense of community and/or improve relationships between staff and students suggested potential benefits particularly regarding violence and aggression. Two trials of interventions enabling students to advocate for changes in school catering and physical activity reported benefits for physical activity but not diet. Three evaluations of improvements to school playgrounds offered weak evidence of effects on physical activity. School environment interventions show the potential to improve young people's health particularly regarding violence, aggression and physical activity. Further trials are required to provide a stronger and more generalisable evidence base.

A national environmental/energy workforce assessment. Post-secondary education profile: composite i (environmental engineering/health). Final report on phase 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-12-01

This study is one of 16 volumes aggregating data on representative environmental education offerings in the United States at post-secondary education institutions and in the private sector of the economy. Structured around on-site interviews, the study describes the institutions' education programs--their program structure, representative course offerings, faculty structure, and program requirements. In addition, the study provides information on the employment history of graduates. Designed as Phase II of a three-phase program, the study presents the information on schools with emphasis on environmental engineering/health. The study is an overview. It doesn't include all environmental programs in the United States, and it makes no attempt to evaluate the program offerings

The Association Between the Physical Environment of Primary Schools and Active School Transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kann, D.H.H. van; Kremers, S.P.J.; Gubbels, J.S.; Bartelink, N.H.M.; Vries, S.I. de; Vries, N.K. de; Jansen, M.W.J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the relationship between the physical environment characteristics of primary schools and active school transport among 3,438 5- to 12-year-old primary school children in the Netherlands. The environmental characteristics were categorized into four theory-based clusters (function,

Environmental literacy based on educational background

Science.gov (United States)

Agfar, A.; Munandar, A.; Surakusumah, W.

2018-05-01

This research aims to examine attitude, knowledge and cognitive skill. To collect data we used survey method, was conducted in Pahawang, Lampung. Respondents of this research are coastal society of Pahawang, 114 participants determined using purposive sampling, from two areas in the village, Pahawang and Penggetahan. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and descriptive. Environmental literacy of the society which is primary school graduate is moderate category (85.61), consist of 38.90% in low category and 61.10% in moderate category. Environmental literacy of junior high school graduate is moderate (99.36), consist of 12% in low category, 76% in moderate category and 12% in high category. Environmental literacy of senior high school graduate is moderate (108.85), consist of 84.90% moderate category and 15.10% in high category. But, undergraduate society is high category (118.53). Details 0% low category 52.94% moderate category and 47.06% in high category. This finding research has revelaed that the educational background affects the level of environmental literacy. This finding research has revealed that the educational background affects the level of environmental literacy.

Assessment of Secondary School Students' Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes to Environmental Pollution Issues in the Mining Regions of South Africa: Implications for Instruction and Learning

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Olufemi, Adejoke Christianah; Mji, Andile; Mukhola, Murembiwa S.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we compared the levels of awareness, knowledge and attitudes (AKA) about environmental pollution of secondary school students from two South African provinces. The purpose was to determine the levels of AKA between students living under different environmental conditions. These two groups were students from a coal-mining province…

On your bike! a cross-sectional study of the individual, social and environmental correlates of cycling to school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trapp Georgina SA

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Active school transport (AST has declined rapidly in recent decades. While many studies have examined walking, cycling to school has received very little attention. Correlates of cycling are likely to differ to those from walking and cycling enables AST from further distances. This study examined individual, social and environmental factors associated with cycling to school among elementary school-aged children, stratified by gender. Methods Children (n = 1197 attending 25 Australian primary schools located in high or low walkable neighborhoods, completed a one-week travel diary and a parent/child questionnaire on travel habits and attitudes. Results Overall, 31.2% of boys and 14.6% of girls cycled ≥ 1 trip/week, however 59.4% of boys and 36.7% of girls reported cycling as their preferred school transport mode. In boys (but not girls, school neighborhood design was significantly associated with cycling: i.e., boys attending schools in neighborhoods with high connectivity and low traffic were 5.58 times more likely to cycle (95% CI 1.11-27.96 and for each kilometer boys lived from school the odds of cycling reduced by 0.70 (95% CI 0.63-0.99. Irrespective of gender, cycling to school was associated with parental confidence in their child's cycling ability (boys: OR 10.39; 95% CI 3.79-28.48; girls: OR 4.03; 95% CI 2.02-8.05, parental perceived convenience of driving (boys: OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.23-0.74; girls: OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.20-0.82; and child's preference to cycle (boys: OR 5.68; 95% CI 3.23-9.98; girls: OR 3.73; 95% CI 2.26-6.17. Conclusion School proximity, street network connectivity and traffic exposure in school neighborhoods was associated with boys (but not girls cycling to school. Irrespective of gender, parents need to be confident in their child's cycling ability and must prioritize cycling over driving.

Modifiable environmental obesity risk factors among elementary school children in a Mexico-us border city.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Barrón, Rita Gabriela; Jiménez-Cruz, Arturo; Bacardí-Gascón, Montserrat

2015-05-01

The increasing overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) prevalence in Mexican children warrant the assessment of the environmental risk factors. To assess whether there is an association between food availability in children's environments and their food consumption with BMI z-score and waist circumference (WC). Six hundred and eighty four children, 264 parents, 22 teachers and cafeteria staff in the schools and street vendors participated in the study. Weight, height, and WC of 5(th) grade children were assessed. Food frequency, physical activity (PA) and eating habits questionnaires were applied to parents, children and teachers. A food inventory questionnaire was applied to parents, cafeteria staff in the schools, street vendors and stores near the schools. The children's mean age was 10.5. Twenty eight per cent of the children were overweight, 26% obese and 25% had abdominal obesity. A positive correlation was found between energy-dense foods (EDF), fruit and vegetable availability at home and their weekly consumption. Also a correlation between consumption of soft drinks and other EDF was found. The largest contributors to food consumption were the availability at home and at school (R2 = 0.11, p = 0.0001). Children's TV viewing was positively correlated with parents TV viewing time. For each hour of increase (from cero to seven) in daily TV viewing children were more likely to be overweight or obese (OR=1.22 95% CI 1.02-1.45, p=0.026). EDF, fruit and vegetable availability in and near home and school along with hours of TV viewing were positively associated with obesity. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

The school environmental projects inside the planning and the territorial ordering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pablo Emilio Bonilla Luque

2006-01-01

The scholastic institutions of the country, must fulfill the established thing in decree 1743 of the 3 of august of 1994, sent by the ministry of national education, forces to that all the establishments of education formal, as much officials as private, in their different levels from pre-student, basic and average, include within their institutional educative projects, scholastic environmental projects within the framework of environmental, local, regional and/or national diagnoses, with a view to helping to the resolution of specific environmental problems. Within this contextual frame the Universidad Libre create inter-institutional project PRAES integrated by its faculties of accountants office, of sciences of the education, and engineering. Through the program of environmental engineering it covers the own technical-practical requirements with the georreferencial frame that implies non-single concerning the cartography aspects, teledetection, photogrammetry and territorial planning, but that coordinates with the department of engineering of systems the development of computer developing of the project, environmentally the geographic boundary in cartography, for all and each one of the educative establishments by UPZ, model applicable to local, regional and national level settles down, the computer science support helps by means of the development of the respective page web from each locality to the diffusion, overcrowded and access of the information, that finally it must allow the establishment of network PRAE of the scholastic environmental projects

Should Intelligent Design Be Included in Today's Public School Curriculums?

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Costley, Kevin C.; Killins, Pam

2010-01-01

The controversial concept of evolution makes up only a small part of the science curriculum stated in Arkansas. During the past few years, the curriculum topic of "Intelligent Design" has caught the attention of many science teachers in the public schools. The Intelligent Design Movement has been successful in attracting the attention of…

Fatigue evaluation including environmental effects for primary circuit components in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seichter, Johannes; Reese, Sven H.; Klucke, Dietmar

2013-01-01

The influence of LWR coolant environment to the lifetime of materials in Nuclear Power Plants is in discussion internationally. Environmental phenomena were investigated in laboratory tests and published in recent years. The discussion is mainly focused both on the transition from laboratory to real plant components and on numerical calculation procedures. Since publishing of the NUREG/CR-6909 report in 2007, formulae for calculating the Fen factors have been modified several times. Various calculation procedures like the so called 'Strain-integrated Method' and 'Simplified Approach' have been published while each approach yields to different results. The recent revision of the calculation procedure, proposed by ANL in 2012, is presented and discussed with regard to possible variations in the results depending on the assumptions made. In German KTA Rules the effect of environmentally assisted fatigue (EAF) is taken into account by means of so called attention thresholds. If the threshold value is exceeded, further measures like NDT, in-service inspections including fracture mechanical evaluations or detailed assessment procedures have to be performed. One way to handle those measures is to apply sophisticated procedures and to show that the calculated CUF is below the defined attention thresholds. On the basis of a practical example, methods and approaches will be discussed and recommendations in terms of avoiding over-conservatism and misinterpretation will be presented.

Fatigue evaluation including environmental effects for primary circuit components in nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seichter, Johannes [Siempelkamp Pruef- und Gutachter-Gesellschaft mbH, Dresden (Germany); Reese, Sven H.; Klucke, Dietmar [Component Technology Global Unit Generation, E.ON Kernkraft GmbH, Hannover (Germany)

2013-05-15

The influence of LWR coolant environment to the lifetime of materials in Nuclear Power Plants is in discussion internationally. Environmental phenomena were investigated in laboratory tests and published in recent years. The discussion is mainly focused both on the transition from laboratory to real plant components and on numerical calculation procedures. Since publishing of the NUREG/CR-6909 report in 2007, formulae for calculating the Fen factors have been modified several times. Various calculation procedures like the so called 'Strain-integrated Method' and 'Simplified Approach' have been published while each approach yields to different results. The recent revision of the calculation procedure, proposed by ANL in 2012, is presented and discussed with regard to possible variations in the results depending on the assumptions made. In German KTA Rules the effect of environmentally assisted fatigue (EAF) is taken into account by means of so called attention thresholds. If the threshold value is exceeded, further measures like NDT, in-service inspections including fracture mechanical evaluations or detailed assessment procedures have to be performed. One way to handle those measures is to apply sophisticated procedures and to show that the calculated CUF is below the defined attention thresholds. On the basis of a practical example, methods and approaches will be discussed and recommendations in terms of avoiding over-conservatism and misinterpretation will be presented.

School Facilities and Sustainability-Related Concepts: A Study of Hellenic Secondary School Principals’, Teachers’, Pupils’ and Parents’ Responses

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Vasiliki Zepatou

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Effective building environment sustainability frameworks and practices need to take users’ opinions into account. For this purpose, a survey questionnaire was developed and the “Panhellenic survey of school spaces, materials and environmental-comfort conditions in secondary schools and perceptions, stances and attitudes of pupils, teachers, principals and parents towards sustainable construction and the selection and use of materials in schools that are friendly to the environment and human health” was conducted nationwide with a random stratified sample of 170 Hellenic public secondary schools. Selected findings are presented and discussed here. These show that existing school facilities are primarily rated as good and that selection and use of materials friendly to the environment and human health are extremely important. User groups believe that they should participate in planning/selecting sustainable solutions for schools. An Index of 10 School Environment Desired Outcomes associated with environmentally friendly and health-friendly materials selection and use was devised. Relevant factors were extracted and interpreted. The research establishes users’ subjective opinions that may be considered and integrated into procedures for improving school buildings, assessing and selecting environmentally friendly materials and implementing strategies for sustainable school design, building and operation.

Including Children with Selective Mutism in Mainstream Schools and Kindergartens: Problems and Possibilities

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Omdal, Heidi

2008-01-01

There is little research on inclusion of children with selective mutism in school/kindergarten. Moreover, few studies have tried to understand selectively mute children's interactions in the natural surroundings of their home and school/kindergarten. Five children meeting the DSM-IV criteria for selective mutism were video-observed in social…

Development of Environmental Knowledge, Team Working Skills and Desirable Behaviors on Environmental Conservation of Matthayomsuksa 6 Students Using Good Science Thinking Moves Method with Metacognition Techniques

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Ladawan, Charinrat; Singseewo, Adisak; Suksringarm, Paitool

2015-01-01

The research aimed to investigate environmental knowledge, team working skills, and desirable behaviors of students learning through the good science thinking moves method with metacognition techniques. The sample group included Matthayomsuksa 6 students from Nadoon Prachasan School, Nadoon District, Maha Sarakham Province. The research tools were…

The Effects of In-Nature and Virtual-Nature Field Trip Experiences On Proenvironmental Attitudes and Behaviors, And Environmental Knowledge Of Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ferderbar, Catherine A.

To develop sustainable solutions to remediate the complex ecological problems of earth's soil, water, and air degradation requires the talents and skills of knowledgeable, motivated people (UNESCO, 1977; UNESCO, 2010). Researchers historically emphasized that time spent in outdoor, nature activities (Wells & Lekies, 2006), particularly with an adult mentor (Chawla & Cushing, 2007), promotes environmental knowledge and nature-relatedness, precursors to environmental literacy. Research has also demonstrated that technology is integral to the lives of youth, who spend 7:38 hours daily (Rideout, et al., 2010), engaged in electronics. Educators would benefit from knowing if in-nature and virtual-nature field trip experiences provide comparable levels of knowledge and connectedness, to nurture student proenvironmentalism. To investigate field trip phenomena, the researcher studied the impact of virtual-nature and in-nature experiences during which students analyzed water quality along Midwestern rivers. The quasi-experimental, mixed method convergent parallel design with a purposeful sample (n=131) of middle school students from two Midwestern K-8 schools, utilized scientist participant observer field records and narrative response, written assessment aligned to field trip content to evaluate knowledge acquisition. To gain insight into student environmental dispositions, participant observers recorded student comments and behaviors throughout field trips. A survey, administered Pre-Treatment, Post-Treatment 1 and Post-Treatment 2, focused on family water-related behaviors and student perceptions of the need for local government water protection. The findings demonstrated both field trips increased content knowledge significantly, with large effect size. Content knowledge gain from one experience transferred to and was augmented by the second experience. Skill gain (technical and observational) varied by type of field trip and did not transfer. Technical skill was often

Home and School Environmental Determinants of Science Achievement of South African Students

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Juan, Andrea; Visser, Mariette

2017-01-01

Determinants of educational achievement extend beyond the school environment to include the home environment. Both environments provide tangible and intangible resources to students that can influence science achievement. South Africa provides a context where inequalities in socio-economic status are vast, thus the environments from whence…

Especially for High School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, J. Emory

1999-12-01

Chemistry and the Environment This issue contains more than 20 articles relating to the environment. Several articles of potential interest are indicated in the Table of Contents with the SSC mark (). Others are not so indicated because they depict use of expensive instrumentation or costly procedures, but if you have an interest in environmental chemistry you may wish to examine all the environmentally related articles. While many of the articles, both marked and unmarked, are targeted to college-level environmental chemistry curricula or to introductory courses for non-major, the methods described in several could be readily adapted to high school chemistry courses. One article likely to be of interest to teachers is found in News from Online, pp 1608-1609. The author explains how to use the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's EnviroMapper Web site to view and query environmental information. She mentioned finding a hazardous waste handler located near her home, so I decided to check the area near my home. I quickly located a natural gas salt dome storage facility marked on the map and, with a few more mouse clicks, I found information that included status of compliance with regulations, amounts of each compound released to the air in tons per year, and how to contact the corporation owning the site. Email and Web site addresses were included for the convenience of anyone wishing to contact the corporation. Students could learn a great deal about where they live that is relevant to chemistry by using the EPA site. Additional Web sites dealing with environmental issues and chemistry are cited in the sidebar at the bottom of p 1609. Among the articles that could be adapted to an advanced high school chemistry class or possibly even to an introductory class is one titled Bridge of Mandolin County (pp 1671-1672). It describes a case-study strategy similar to the scenarios used in ChemStudy. Students analyze information from various sources, including laboratory

REFLEXIONS ON MBYA-GUARANI SCHOOLING: MERE ENVIRONMENTAL BEING AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TECHNIQUE

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Rosemary Modernel Madeira

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This article is about the relationship between the Mbyá Guarani and the School and about how they are getting closer to citizen life, including perspectives of job, monetary gain and consumption of the object. Substantiated on Rodolfo Kusch and Martin Heidegger, the article looks for a vision of the human in his antagonistic facets: the one who believes in destiny and surrenders to the ambiental ¨mere being¨, and the one who pursuits ¨being someone¨ on the effort of the citizen ethics, proclaimed by the School. Through the analysis of the texts and speeches from teachers and leaders, the article develops trying to understand how the Mbyá take the citizen tecnique, represented in the School, to (reinvent their own tecnique and (retake their own culture

Environmental literacy in agriculture and coastal areas

Science.gov (United States)

Pujianti, N.; Munandar, A.; Surakusumah, W.

2018-05-01

This research aim to investigate the environmental literacy of junior high school students in agricultural and coastal areas in Subang based on knowledge, cognitive skill and attitudes toward to environment. This research used descriptive method. The subjects of the research were 7 grade students of junior high school and involved 62 participants in agriculture area and 64 participants in coastal area. The instrument of environment literacy adapted from Middle School Environment Literacy Survey (MSELS) and adapted to the context of agricultural and coastal area. The results showed that: environmental literacy in agricultural areas is 169.30 with moderate category and environmental literacy in the coastal area is 152.61 in the moderate category.

From "sit and listen" to "shake it out yourself": Helping urban middle school students to bridge personal knowledge to scientific knowledge through a collaborative environmental justice curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeh, Shamu Fenyvesi

Science education and environmental education are not meeting the needs of marginalized communities such as urban, minority, and poor communities (Seller, 2001; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 1996). There exists an equity gap characterized by the racial and socioeconomic disparities in: levels of participation in scientific and environmental careers and environmental organizations (Lewis & James, 1995; Sheppard, 1995), access to appropriate environmental education programs (U.S. EPA, 1996), exposure to environmental toxins (Bullard, 1993), access to environmental amenities and legal protections (Bullard, 1993), and in grades and standardized test scores in K-12 science (Jencks & Phillips, 1998; Johnston & Viadero, 2000). Researchers point to the cultural divide between home and school culture as one of the reasons for the equity gap in science education (Barton, 2003; Delpit, 1995; Seiler, 2001). This study is designed to address the equity gap by helping students connect personal/cultural knowledge to scientific knowledge. A collaborative action research study was conducted in 8th-grade science classrooms of low-income African American and Latino students. The participating teacher and the researcher developed, enacted and evaluated a curriculum that elicited students' personal and cultural knowledge in the investigation of local community issues. Using qualitative methods, data were collected through student and teacher interviews, observation, and written documents. Data were analyzed to answer questions on student participation and learning, bridging between personal and scientific knowledge, and student empowerment. The most compelling themes from the data were described as parts of three stories: tensions between the empire of school and the small student nation, bridging between the two nations, and students gaining empowerment. This study found that the bridging the curriculum intended was successful in that many students brought personal

Energy and indoor environmental quality in relocatable classrooms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apte, Michael; Hodgson, Alfred; Shendell, Derek; Dibartolomeo, Dennis; Hochi, Toshifumi; Kumar, Satish; Lee, Seung-Min; Liff, Shawna; Rainer, Leo; Schmidt, Richard; Sullivan, Douglas; Diamond, Richard; Fisk, William

2002-01-01

Relocatable classrooms (RCs) are commonly utilized by school districts with changing demographics and enrollment sizes. Four energy-efficient RCs were designed and constructed for this study to demonstrate technologies that simultaneously attempt to improve energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Two were installed at each of two school districts, and energy use and IEQ parameters were monitored during occupancy. Two (one per school) were finished with materials selected for reduced emissions of toxic and odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Each RC had two HVAC systems, alternated weekly, consisting of a standard heat-pump system and an indirect-direct evaporative cooling (IDEC) system with gas-fired hydronic heating. The hypothesized advantages of the IDEC include continuous outside air ventilation at(ge)7.5 L s(sup -1) per person,(approx)70% less cooling energy and efficient particle filtration. Measurements include: carbon dioxide, particles, VOCs, temperature, humidity, thermal comfort, noise, meteorology, and energy use. Preliminary IEQ monitoring results are reported

Obesogenic environments: environmental approaches to obesity prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipek, Tobias; Igel, Ulrike; Gausche, Ruth; Kiess, Wieland; Grande, Gesine

2015-05-01

Childhood obesity is a major concern for public health. There are multiple factors (e.g., genetic, social, and environmental) that contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Drawing from findings on "obesogenic environments" and core principles of preventive strategies to reduce health inequalities, this paper gives an overview of recent childhood prevention programs that target aspects of the physical environment ("environmental changes"). Out of the ten reviews we screened (including more than 300 studies), we identified very few that addressed aspects of the environment. We focus here on 14 programs that follow different approaches to environmental changes (e.g., access to/quality of playgrounds, changes in school cafeterias). Altering the environment offers opportunities for healthier behaviors and seems to be an effective strategy to prevent childhood obesity. However, the evaluation of those (mostly) multidimensional interventions does not allow drawing firm conclusions about the single effect of environmental changes. We conclude that obesity prevention programs should combine person-based and environmental approaches.

FUTURE BIOLOGY TEACHERS’ METHODOLOGICAL TRAINING FOR THE STUDENTS’ ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE AND ABROAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataliia Hrytsai

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The environmental education is an important element of general education related to the mastery of the scientific principles of interaction between nature and society. The Biology teacher should be prepared to implement the environmental education in Biology lessons at school, to organize the methodologically studying activities for students. The author has been studied different aspects of environmental education in secondary schools of Ukraine and abroad by foreign scientists (N. Andreeva, L. Rybalko, M. Skiba, O. Tsurul, T. Chistiakova. However, until now the content of the biologist-students’ methodological training in schoolchildren’s environmental education has not been studied yet. The purpose of the article is to reveal the contents and features of methodological training of future Biology teachers for the schoolchildren’s environmental education at Ukrainian and foreign Universities. The research methods are the theoretical analysis of scientific literature on the issue, the study of future Biology teachers’ methodological training in Ukraine and abroad, comparisons, generalizations and making conclusions. The article reveals the nature of environmental education, defines its mission and place in future Biology teachers’ training. The author has analysed the curricula of future Biology teachers’ training at the Universities of Ukraine and abroad, the content of teaching courses that include issues of environmental education. The importance of implementing ecological approach into future Biology teachers’ methodological training is emphasized. The author suggests subjects of methodological direction that raise the future Biology teachers’ level for implementing environmental education into secondary schools. It is established that Biology teachers’ proper training to the students’ environmental education as a basic one in high school curricula is necessary for specialty 014 Secondary education (Biology at pedagogical

Secondary Students’ Environmental Attitudes: The Case of Environmental Education in Bangladesh

OpenAIRE

Mahbub Sarkar

2011-01-01

This paper examined secondary students’ environmental attitudes in Bangladesh by employing a standardized environmental attitude scale. The scale consisted of 15 questions rated on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). 400 secondary students, with equal number of boys and girls from both the urban and rural schools participated in this study. The study found that overall students from both the urban and rural areas expressed favourable environmental att...

In Their Own Words, Urban Students Make Suggestions for Improving the Appearance of Their Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Doan, Kim; Jablonski, Brian

2012-01-01

In their own words, 50 students in two Los Angeles area schools reveal their feelings about litter, graffiti, and the appearance of their schools. The analysis includes a discussion of the research in environmental psychology as it pertains to overcrowding, noise and pollution, design and appearance, and their effects on productivity. Excerpts of…

Understanding the school 'climate': secondary school children and climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, Susan; Bernier, Sandrine; Blanchet, Aymeric; Derkenne, Chantal; Clement, Florence; Petitjean, Leslie

2012-01-01

held in the school under study. A critical description of the nature and content of communicated messages, activities and projects follows. Individual and collective initiatives which foster an interdisciplinary approach to climate change education are identified, as are the various obstacles to this approach, including organizational obstacles and the longstanding traditions of the French educational system which tend to hinder pedagogical innovation. Lastly, the reception of these projects and activities by school children in the second year of secondary school is analyzed. The results of this analysis are somewhat, but not always, encouraging. School children interviewed do not clearly understand the scientific phenomena surrounding climate change, and have difficulty considering this issue within its wider socio-political context. School children's interest in climate change and environmental science is largely dependent upon a perceived link with their own centers of interest or hobbies. School children express nonetheless the need for more and better adult mediation on the question of climate change, even though they see environmentally conscious behavior as contrary to the modern lifestyle of comfort that society offers them. Certain school projects and activities which had a particular impact on school children are discussed, in order to suggest criteria for evaluating the effectiveness (or non-effectiveness) of climate change projects in school. This study can be considered to be a tool for reflection and for the evaluation of the potential impact of climate change programs and messages produced for youngsters in school today

Schools K-12, School locations within Sedgwick County. This layer is maintained interactively by GIS staff. Primary attributes include school name, class, funding source, address, and parachial status. Published to scschoop.shp., Published in 2008, 1:1200 (1in=100ft) scale, Sedgwick County Government.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — Schools K-12 dataset current as of 2008. School locations within Sedgwick County. This layer is maintained interactively by GIS staff. Primary attributes include...

Gaia Theory in Brazilian High School Biology Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Do Carmo, Ricardo Santos; Nunes-Neto, Nei Freitas; El-Hani, Charbel Nino

2009-01-01

Gaia theory proposes that a cybernetic system including the biota and the physicochemical environment regulates environmental variables at a global scale, keeping them within a range that makes Earth inhabitable by living beings. One can argue that this theory can play an important role in school science, since it bears upon current environmental…

Embedding Sustainability Instruction across Content Areas: best Classroom Practices from Informal Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Clary, R. M.; Walker, R. M.; Wissehr, C.

2017-12-01

Environmental education (EE) facilitates students' scientific and environmental literacy, and addresses content areas including sustainability, ecology, and civic responsibility. However, U.S. science content compartmentalization and EE's interdisciplinary nature historically made it a fragmented curriculum within U.S. schools. To gain a better understanding of effective EE instruction that can be transferred to traditional K-12 classrooms, we researched the interactions between a recognized environmental residential camp and students and teachers from six participating schools using grounded theory methodology. Our research identified the residential learning center's objectives, methods of instruction, and objectives' alignment to the delivered curricula. Data generated included lesson plans, survey responses, and interviews. Students (n = 215) identified wilderness and geology activities as the activities they wanted to experience more; they also identified developing curiosity and a sense of discovery as the most meaningful. Whereas most student-identified meaningful experiences aligned with the center's curricular objectives within the optional units, categories emerged that were not explicitly targeted in the unit activities but were embedded throughout the curriculum in sustainable practices, data collection, and reflections. We propose that embedded activities and implicit instruction can be included across content areas within K-12 classrooms. Teacher modeling and implicit instruction will require minimal classroom time, and facilitate students' scientific and environmental literacy in topics such as sustainability and citizen responsibility.

Survey on awareness and attitudes of secondary school students regarding plastic pollution: implications for environmental education and public health in Sharjah city, UAE.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammami, Mohammad Bakri Alaa; Mohammed, Eman Qasem; Hashem, Anas Mohammad; Al-Khafaji, Mina Amer; Alqahtani, Fatima; Alzaabi, Shaikha; Dash, Nihar

2017-09-01

Since the industrial revolution in the 1800s, plastic pollution is becoming a global reality. This study aims to assess knowledge and attitude about plastic pollution among secondary school students in Sharjah city, United Arab Emirates. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 students in 6 different secondary schools in Sharjah city. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed through probability stratified random sampling method between February and April 2016. Majority of the population understands how harmful plastic wastes are to the environment (85.5%). However, the students' mean knowledge score was 53%, with females (P < 0.01), grades 11 and 12 (P = 0.024), and students whose mothers were more educated (P = 0.014) being more knowledgeable and inclined towards pro-environmental behavior. Yet, all students showed tendency to be involved in the fighting against this dilemma. Strategies which address deficiencies, provide incentives for change, and assure governmental support along with environmental education are needed to bridge the information gap and enhance opportunities to adopt pro-environmental behaviors.

76 FR 38189 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Environmental Science Formative Research Methodology...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-29

... consortium of representatives from appropriate Federal agencies (including the Centers for Disease Control... prospective cohort study, from birth to adulthood, to evaluate the effects of both chronic and intermittent..., fathers, public health and environmental science professional organizations and practitioners, and schools...

Little Green Lies. The Environmental Miseducation of America's Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Adler, Jonathan H.

1992-01-01

Critiques environmental education in elementary school and secondary school education by reviewing 10 myths that give children an incomplete understanding of environmental issues. Discusses recycling, plastics, garbage, pesticides, acid rain, consumption, overpopulation, air pollution, global warming, and the ozone layer. Offers suggestions to…

Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Brittin, Jeri; Sorensen, Dina; Trowbridge, Matthew; Lee, Karen K; Breithecker, Dieter; Frerichs, Leah; Huang, Terry

2015-01-01

Increasing children's physical activity at school is a national focus in the U.S. to address childhood obesity. While research has demonstrated associations between aspects of school environments and students' physical activity, the literature currently lacks a synthesis of evidence to serve as a practical, spatially-organized resource for school designers and decision-makers, as well as to point to pertinent research opportunities. This paper describes the development of a new practical tool: Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture. Its aims are to provide architects and designers, as well as school planners, educators, and public health professionals, with strategies for making K-12 school environments conducive to healthy physical activity, and to engage scientists in transdisciplinary perspectives toward improved knowledge of the school environment's impact. We used a qualitative review process to develop evidence-based and theory-driven school design guidelines that promote increased physical activity among students. The design guidelines include specific strategies in 10 school design domains. Implementation of the guidelines is expected to enable students to adopt healthier physical activity behaviors. The tool bridges a translational gap between research and environmental design practice, and may contribute to setting new industry and education standards.

Mediating equity in shared water between community and industry: The effects of an after school program that addresses adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of water science and environmental issues

Science.gov (United States)

Patton, Mary Chandler

This critical ethnography deconstructs how one participant researcher came to understand young adults' changing knowledge about water science and environmental issues in an after school program in Colombia. The program intended to empower self-identified young community leaders by teaching participants to engage community members in discourse related to how environmental factors impact one's level of health and quality of life. The data presented in this study illustrate how student participants responded to long-term teacher engagement and to particular curricular components that included hands-on science teaching and social justice coaching. I assessed how student interest in and knowledge of local water ecology and sanitation infrastructure changed throughout the program. Students' responses to the use of technology and digital media were also included in the analysis. The data demonstrates a dramatic change in student's attitudes and perceptions related to their environment and how they feel about their ability to make positive changes in their community.

Measured and perceived environmental comfort: field monitoring in an Italian school.

Science.gov (United States)

De Giuli, Valeria; Zecchin, Roberto; Corain, Livio; Salmaso, Luigi

2014-07-01

Microclimatic conditions were recorded in an Italian school and Fanger's indexes PMV and PPD were calculated under different conditions. Students' sensations were investigated four times by means of two surveys, one related to actual microclimatic conditions and one on overall satisfaction, interaction occupant-building and reactions to discomfort. Pupils' classroom position was considered to look for possible influence on thermal comfort: a difference emerged from PMV and the survey, but the results obtained from the two approaches differ for both the entity of discomfort and its distribution within each classroom. Innovative multivariate nonparametric statistical techniques were applied to compare and rank the classrooms in accordance with students' subjective perceptions; a global ranking has been also calculated, considering thermal and visual comfort and air quality. Comparing pupil-sensation-based ranking with environmental parameters no clear correspondence was found, except for mid-season, where PMV, CO2 concentration and desk illuminance were similar in all the classrooms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Environmental education in Tobago ’s primary schools: a case study of coral reef education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyacinth G Armstrong

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Environmental education is a relatively new area on the primary school curriculum of Trinidad and Tobago.Because of the close relationship between human activities and the degradation of the natural environment in Tobago,environmental education will become increasingly important to the preservation and conservation of the island ’s fragile natural resources.Current teaching methods rely heavily on text books and utilise a lecture style that does not promote student interaction. Unfortunately, these methods are not very conducive to environmental education.As such,this paper examines a pilot program in which staff from the Buccoo Reef Trust taught students from 15 primary schools about coral reefs using interactive tools and hands-on methods as described in People &Corals:an Education Package for Primary Schools (People &Corals .The pilot program ran over an eight week period with prepared lessons being taught every two weeks and student evaluations taking place once before the first lesson and once after the last lesson.The lessons were supplemented with a field trip to a coral reef ecosystem.Despite several challenges that were faced in the implementation process,the overall outcome of the pilot program was successful.Teachers and students reacted positively to the information that was being shared,thereby reinforcing the effectiveness of using a dynamic,active method of teaching to advance environmental education.La educación ambiental es un área relativamente nueva en los currículos de las escuelas primarias de Trinidad y Tobago.Debido a la relación entre las actividades humanas y la degradación del ambiente natural,la educación ambiental va a ser cada vez más importante para la preservación y conservación de los frágiles recursos naturales de la Isla de Tobago.Los métodos de enseñanza actuales se basan principalmente en libros de texto y utilizan un estilo de lectura que no promueve la interacción de los estudiantes

Global school-based childhood obesity interventions: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ickes, Melinda J; McMullen, Jennifer; Haider, Taj; Sharma, Manoj

2014-08-28

The issue of childhood overweight and obesity has become a global public health crisis. School-based interventions have been developed and implemented to combat this growing concern. The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast U.S. and international school-based obesity prevention interventions and highlight efficacious strategies. A systematic literature review was conducted utilizing five relevant databases. Inclusion criteria were: (1) primary research; (2) overweight or obesity prevention interventions; (3) school-based; (4) studies published between 1 January 2002 through 31 December 2013; (5) published in the English language; (6) child-based interventions, which could include parents; and (7) studies that reported outcome data. A total of 20 interventions met the inclusion criteria. Ten interventions each were implemented in the U.S. and internationally. International interventions only targeted elementary-aged students, were less likely to target low-income populations, and were less likely to be implemented for two or more years in duration. However, they were more likely to integrate an environmental component when compared to U.S. interventions. Interventions implemented in the U.S. and internationally resulted in successful outcomes, including positive changes in student BMI. Yet, varying approaches were used to achieve success, reinforcing the fact that a one-size-fits-all approach is not necessary to impact childhood obesity. However, building on successful interventions, future school-based obesity prevention interventions should integrate culturally specific intervention strategies, aim to incorporate an environmental component, and include parents whenever possible. Consideration should be given to the potential impact of long-term, frequent dosage interventions, and subsequent follow-up should be given attention to determine long-term efficacy.

Global School-Based Childhood Obesity Interventions: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melinda J. Ickes

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The issue of childhood overweight and obesity has become a global public health crisis. School-based interventions have been developed and implemented to combat this growing concern. The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast U.S. and international school-based obesity prevention interventions and highlight efficacious strategies. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted utilizing five relevant databases. Inclusion criteria were: (1 primary research; (2 overweight or obesity prevention interventions; (3 school-based; (4 studies published between 1 January 2002 through 31 December 2013; (5 published in the English language; (6 child-based interventions, which could include parents; and (7 studies that reported outcome data. Results: A total of 20 interventions met the inclusion criteria. Ten interventions each were implemented in the U.S. and internationally. International interventions only targeted elementary-aged students, were less likely to target low-income populations, and were less likely to be implemented for two or more years in duration. However, they were more likely to integrate an environmental component when compared to U.S. interventions. Discussion: Interventions implemented in the U.S. and internationally resulted in successful outcomes, including positive changes in student BMI. Yet, varying approaches were used to achieve success, reinforcing the fact that a one-size-fits-all approach is not necessary to impact childhood obesity. However, building on successful interventions, future school-based obesity prevention interventions should integrate culturally specific intervention strategies, aim to incorporate an environmental component, and include parents whenever possible. Consideration should be given to the potential impact of long-term, frequent dosage interventions, and subsequent follow-up should be given attention to determine long-term efficacy.

The status of environmental education in Illinois public high school science and social studies classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Jill F.

Examines relationships among the levels of pre-service and inservice teacher preparation in various topic areas within environmental education (EE) and the levels of implementation of those topic areas in public high school science and social studies classrooms in Illinois. Measures teacher attitudes toward EE. Findings indicate that teachers who had received pre-service/inservice teacher education in EE implemented significantly more EE topics into the curriculum than did teachers who reported receiving no pre-service/inservice teacher education in EE. Findings also indicate that beginning teachers do not implement the EE topics nearly as much as veteran teachers.

The environmental self-management in the university community

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Rogelio García-Tejera

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The System of Education Cuban power to the school like center promoter of the development, their social projection includes the satisfaction of the educational necessities of the community. The community environmental education for the sustainable development is inserted in the educational administration of the school like cultural center. To consider the university space as a community, he/she gives the possibility to carry out actions of self-management with the objective of improving the atmosphere in the university community, when the experiences that characterize to the cultural practices of the university students taking advantage. For the non formal road, it is contributed to the environmental formation, when stimulating the responsibility for the planning and execution of the methods that characterize the administration of their atmosphere, to make emphasis in the critic to the not wanted behaviors, to promote the voluntary commitment of the active participation of each one of their members and to achieve the work of the juvenile organizations.

Tourists of the future: importance of pro-environmental attitude among secondary school children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoltan Bujdoso

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In the last few years the importance of responsible thinking, ethic and the sensitivity to the environment have become a significant part of the postmodern tourism. The people in the service sector, the agents, the ministers and other decision-makers and the travellers are more and more conscious about the questions of social and environmental effects. The members of the new generation, who are the young, against the elder people have a tendency to travel, have much more information about the technical details of the journey and how to organize it. The following questions can arise: whether the secondary school students know the effects of their travels; whether they know that their visits can have a positive or negative influence on the environment or the society of the destination. The first purpose is to acquire more information about the topic, since if we know the deficiency and faults of the education, the alteration of it can happen easily. The study shows the sensitivity of secondary school students to the environment, reports the narrow cross sections, where the people who are in connection with the students (for example teachers, parents, older acquaintances can help in creating an ethic and conscious aspect.

Examining Public Perceptions about Lead in School Drinking Water: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Twitter Response to an Environmental Health Hazard.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekenga, Christine C; McElwain, Cora-Ann; Sprague, Nadav

2018-01-20

Exposure to lead has long been a community health concern in St. Louis, Missouri. The objective of this study was to examine public response to reports of elevated lead levels in school drinking water in St. Louis, Missouri via Twitter, a microblogging platform with over 320 million active users. We used a mixed-methods design to examine Twitter user status updates, known as "tweets," from 18 August to 31 December 2016. The number of tweets each day was recorded, and Twitter users were classified into five user types (General Public, Journalist/News, Health Professional/Academic, Politician/Government Official, and Non-Governmental Organization). A total of 492 tweets were identified during the study period. The majority of discourse on Twitter occurred during the two-week period after initial media reports and was driven by members of the General Public. Thematic analysis of tweets revealed four themes: Information Sharing, Health Concerns, Sociodemographic Disparities, and Outrage. Twitter users characterized lead in school drinking water as an issue of environmental inequity. The findings of this study provide evidence that social media platforms can be utilized as valuable tools for public health researchers and practitioners to gauge public sentiment about environmental health issues, identify emerging community concerns, and inform future communication and research strategies regarding environmental health hazards.

Environmental endocrinology of salmon smoltification

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Bjornsson, Bjorn Thrandur; Stefansson, S.O.; McCormick, S.D.

2011-01-01

Smolting is a hormone-driven developmental process that is adaptive for downstream migration and ocean survival and growth in anadromous salmonids. Smolting includes increased salinity tolerance, increased metabolism, downstream migratory and schooling behavior, silvering and darkened fin margins, and olfactory imprinting. These changes are promoted by growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I, cortisol, thyroid hormones, whereas prolactin is inhibitory. Photoperiod and temperature are critical environmental cues for smolt development, and their relative importance will be critical in determining responses to future climate change. Most of our knowledge of the environmental control and endocrine mediation of smolting is based on laboratory and hatchery studies, yet there is emerging information on fish in the wild that indicates substantial differences. Such differences may arise from differences in environmental stimuli in artificial rearing environments, and may be critical to ocean survival and population sustainability. Endocrine disruptors, acidification and other contaminants can perturb smolt development, resulting in poor survival after seawater entry. ?? 2010.

Personal, social and environmental risk factors of problematic gambling among high school adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdi, Tariku A; Ruiter, Robert A C; Adal, Tamirie A

2015-03-01

Understanding risk factors of problematic gambling is prerequisite to effective intervention design to alleviate the negative consequences of gambling. This study explored the personal, social and environmental risk factors of problematic gambling in four high schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, among students (N = 422) ranging from 12 to 21 years of age. Results from the cross-sectional survey showed that personal feelings (e.g., self-esteem, false perceptions about winning, drug abuse), social factors (e.g., peer influence, parental gambling), and environmental factors (e.g., accessibility of gambling venues, advertisements) were significant correlates of problematic gambling. The study also revealed that men were more at risk for severe problematic gambling than females. Among the identified types of gambling activities, the most prevalent ones were playing cards followed by flipping coin and pool gambling while internet gambling was among the least reported gambling activities. By identifying personal, social and environmental correlates of risky gambling activities this study provides evidence-based information for the systematic design and evaluation of educational interventions to prevent problematic gambling in young people.

Changes in Physical Activity Domains During the Transition Out of High School: Psychosocial and Environmental Correlates.

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Molina-García, Javier; Queralt, Ana; Castillo, Isabel; Sallis, James F

2015-10-01

This study examined changes in multiple physical activity domains during the transition out of high school and psychosocial and environmental determinants of these changes. A 1-year prospective study was designed. The baseline sample was composed of 244 last-year high school students (58.6% female) from Valencia, Spain. Follow-up rate was 46%. Physical activity and potential determinants were measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and other evaluated scales in 2 waves. Total physical activity and active commuting (AC) decreased, respectively, by 21% and 36%, only in males. At time 1, access to car/motorbike (inverse), planning/psychosocial barriers (inverse), street connectivity (positive) and parental education (inverse) were significantly associated with AC (P genders, there was a decrease in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA; -35% in males, -43% in females). At time 1, self-efficacy and social support were positive correlates of LTPA (P physical activity change were identified, and these are promising targets for interventions.

Environmental Considerations: Home and School Comparison of Spanish-English Speakers' Vocalizations

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Jackson, Carla W.; Callender, Maya F.

2014-01-01

This study examined differences in the quantity of child vocalizations (CVs) between preschool and home environments using the Language Environmental Analysis (LENA). The sample included monolingual English-speaking children (n = 27) and Spanish-English speaking dual language learners (n = 30). A two-way mixed effects analysis of variance with one…

Specialists meeting on properties of primary circuit structural materials including environmental effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1977-07-01

The Specialists Meeting on Properties of Primary Circuit Structural Materials of LMFBRs covered the following topics: overview of materials program in different countries; mechanical properties of materials in air; fracture mechanics studies - component related activities; impact of environmental influences on mechanical properties; relationship of material properties and design methods. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for exchange of information on structural materials behaviour in primary circuit of fast breeder reactors. Special emphasis was placed on environmental effects such as influence of sodium and irradiation on mechanical properties of reactor materials.

Specialists meeting on properties of primary circuit structural materials including environmental effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The Specialists Meeting on Properties of Primary Circuit Structural Materials of LMFBRs covered the following topics: overview of materials program in different countries; mechanical properties of materials in air; fracture mechanics studies - component related activities; impact of environmental influences on mechanical properties; relationship of material properties and design methods. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for exchange of information on structural materials behaviour in primary circuit of fast breeder reactors. Special emphasis was placed on environmental effects such as influence of sodium and irradiation on mechanical properties of reactor materials

Situational effects of the school factors included in the dynamic model of educational effectiveness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Creerners, Bert; Kyriakides, Leonidas

We present results of a longitudinal study in which 50 schools, 113 classes and 2,542 Cypriot primary students participated. We tested the validity of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness and especially its assumption that the impact of school factors depends on the current situation of

Epistemic agency in an environmental sciences watershed investigation fostered by digital photography

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2018-05-01

This collective case study investigates the role of digital photography to support high school students' engagement in science inquiry practices during a three-week environmental sciences unit. The study's theoretical framework brings together research from digital photography, participation in environmental science practices, and epistemic agency. Data analysed include field notes and video transcripts from two groups of learners (n = 19) that focus on how high school students used digital photography during their participation in two distinct environmental monitoring practices: stream mapping and macroinvertebrate identification. Our study resulted in two findings related to the role of digital photography where students developed knowledge as they engaged in environmental monitoring inquiry practices. First, we found that digital photography was integral to the youths' epistemic agency (defined as their confidence that they could build knowledge related to science in their community) as they engaged in data collection, documenting environmental monitoring procedures, and sharing data in the classroom. Based this finding, an implication of our work is a refined view of the role of digital photography in environmental sciences education where the use of photography enhances epistemic agency in inquiry-based activities. Second, we found that the youths innovated a use of digital photography to foster a recognition that they were capable and competent in scientific procedures during a streamside study. Based on this finding, we offer a theoretical implication that expands the construct of epistemic agency; we posit that epistemic agency includes a subcomponent where the students purposefully formulate an external recognition as producers of scientific knowledge.

Global Climate Change as Perceived by Elementary School Teachers in Yogyakarta , Indigenous Psychology Approach

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Aquilina Tanti Arini

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to describe how the global climate change was perceived by teachers of elementary schools. The subjects were 111 teachers from 7 elementary schools in Yogyakarta City and Sleman district. The data were collected using open-ended questions (including perception about the weather, feeling evoked by global warming words and free responses related to global warming issues. The data were analyzed using the technique of qualitative and quantitative content analysis with Indigenous Psychology Approach. The result showed that only one teacher reported that there was no weather anomaly, while 110 teachers reported that they perceived weather anomaly. Of those who perceived weather anomaly mostly referred to natural conditions (including global climatic condition and environmental destruction and human behavior as its causes. Responses about feeling as evoked by global warming word were classified into three categories, i.e. emotional, physical and irrelevant responses. Free responses about global warming were classified into four categories respectively from the highest frequency of responses: prevention (including statement “must be prevented”, prevention behaviors and prevention efforts, states (including the weather states and feeling, causes (including technological advances and human behavior generally, and others. The research finding was discussed in the frame of environmental concern as a means of character education in elementary school.

Assessment of environmental awareness among secondary school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The major finding of study reveals that teachers possessed positive attitudes towards both environmental issues and environmental education. We found that contrary to a number of findings from studies in other parts of the world, male respondents were the most concerned about the environment and more knowledgeable ...

Can learning in informal settings mitigate disadvantage and promote urban sustainability? School gardens in Washington, DC

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher-Maltese, Carley; Fisher, Dana R.; Ray, Rashawn

2017-09-01

This article explores how school gardens provide learning opportunities for school-aged children while concurrently helping cities achieve sustainability. The authors analyse this process in Washington, DC, a particularly innovative metropolis in the United States. This national capital city boasts two of the most progressive examples of legislation aimed at improving environmental awareness and inciting citizens to engage in environmental stewardship, both of which focus on school-aged children: (1) the Healthy Schools Act of 2010 and (2) the Sustainable DC Act of 2012. Together these policies focus on bringing healthy lifestyles and environmental awareness, including meaningful outdoor learning experiences, to students and families in the District of Columbia. This article is organised into three parts. The first part discusses how Washington, DC became a sustainable learning city through the implementation of these specific policies. The next part presents the results of a pilot study conducted in one kindergarten to Grade 5 (K-5) elementary school located in Ward 8, the poorest part of the city. The authors' analysis considers the support and the obstacles teachers and principals in the District of Columbia (DC) are experiencing in their efforts to integrate school gardens into the curriculum and the culture of their schools. Exploring the impacts of the school garden on the students, the local community, and the inter-generational relationships at and beyond schools, the authors aim to shed light on the benefits and the challenges. While Washington, DC is fostering its hope that the benefits prevail as it provides a model for other cities to follow, the authors also candidly present the challenges of implementing these policies. In the final part, they discuss the implications of their findings for school gardens and sustainable learning cities more broadly. They encourage further research to gain more insights into effective ways of promoting environmental

PCBs in various Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Characterize primary and secondary sources of PCBs in school buildings Characterize levels of PCBs in air, dust, soil and on surfaces; investigate relationships between sources and environmental levels Apply an exposure model for estimating children’s exposures to PCBs in schools...

Seeding Social Innovation in Private Schools: A Case Study of St. Mary’s School, Delhi, India

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Niket Sagar

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Education has an important role in creating new learning opportunities and driving social progress. As social institutions, schools form a fundamental block to understand about life and society. While schools have done a good job in preparing students for life and society, newer challenges facing humanity have now emerged. How can schools meaningfully engage students on various pressing social issues and empower their students to take action on issues like environmental crisis, social injustice and developmental challenges? Current school curriculum does not provide adequate opportunities where students can experiment and explore these issues and look for solutions. Problem identifications and their solutions can be explored by creating an interface between community and school. This would create an open space for creativity and innovation amongst students to explore, develop and understand social issues. Such practices would further fuel the students to think and act to address social and environmental challenges. Such approach will pave the way for students to implement and share innovative solutions rather than simply limiting their knowledge to the classroom. This paper is an attempt to highlight the initiatives taken by St. Mary’s School (Delhi, India under its social footprint projects and social innovation in the context of community engagement and emerging environmental issues.

Interventions to Improve Asthma Management of the School-Age Child.

Science.gov (United States)

Friend, Mary; Morrison, Amber

2015-06-01

Improvement of medication adherence in the school-age child can lead to improvement in quality of life, decreased morbidity, and a potential decreased risk of deferred academic, social, and emotional development. The objective of this article is to review barriers to asthma medication adherence and identify evidence-based techniques that improve medication management of the asthmatic child 5 to 12 years of age. A literature review was performed and articles were obtained through database searches within Medline, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and PubMed. Research indicates that barriers to the adherence of medication regimens required for asthmatic children include poor understanding of the medication regimen, substandard education on symptom recognition and environmental triggers, rejection of the diagnosis, and a lack of support or understanding within the community. Researched techniques aimed to improve medication management in 5- to 12-year-olds include: computer-based education; workshops for parents, teachers, and children; incorporation of asthma education into classroom lessons; use of case managers; the introduction of a nurse practitioner in the school to provide care, including medication prescriptions for the asthmatic child; and assessment and evaluation of environmental and emotional triggers in the home and school. Collaboration of current data may help lead to a successful interventional model that can improve asthma management in this population. © The Author(s) 2014.

From researchers to primary school: dissemination of scientific research results on the beach. An experience of environmental education at Nefza, Tunisia

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Lucia Fanini

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Within the framework of the MEDCORE project on the ecology andmanagement of Mediterranean coastal areas we decided to includethe local dissemination of scientific results in Tunisia. Theinvolvement of a local public school, and the joint work of localteachers and of local and international researchers, was chosenas a dissemination method because of the role of the school asan educational centre and the natural interest and curiositycharacterising the schoolchildren. As the subject of the experienceof dissemination a beach-dune system was considered suitablebecause of it was near, familiar and easy to reach, and alsobecause of the economic importance of such environments, whichgenerate considerable income as a result of tourists frequentingthem. In environmental education, however, less emphasis is placedon this particular environment. A test performed before and aftera school trip to the beach showed an increase in knowledge amongchildren about beach-dune systems. Correlations between the genderand background of the children with their previous knowledgeand information acquired from the field experience were analysed,and found to be not significant. All the children were equallyreceptive to environmental issues, regardless of their genderor background (urban/rural environment. One of the main resultsobtained through this experience is the effectiveness of sharingknowledge with local people, as stakeholders of study sites.The next step in the process of disseminating scientific knowledgefor the benefit of the local community should be to examine itspossible long-term effects.

Teacher Perceptions about the Importance of Parental Involvement for Included Students with Learning Disabilities in New York Metropolitan Area Orthodox Yeshivas and Day Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Goldie Eichorn

2010-01-01

The population of students attending Jewish day schools includes an increasing number of students with exceptional needs. How Jewish schools meet the needs of these students is an important question. Inclusive education is a service model predicated on legal and philosophical mores as well as pedagogical and psychological findings. The quality of…

Why Astronomy Should BE Part of the School Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Percy, John

Why is astronomy useful? Why should it be supported by taxpayers? Why should it be part of the school curriculum? In this paper I will list 20 reasons. They include: cultural historical and philosophical reasons; practical technological and scientific reasons; environmental aesthetic and emotional reasons; and pedagogical reasons. Astronomy can attract young people to science and technology. It can promote public awareness understanding and appreciation of science. It can be done as an inexpensive hobby; ""the stars belong to everyone"". Finally: I will connect the 20 reasons to the expectations of the modern school curriculum: knowledge skills applications and attitudes. In the context of the science curriculum this includes science technology society and environment.

Effects of Exposure to Environmental Groups on Student Awareness of Environmental Issues and Their Desire to Be Locally Involved

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Ann M.

2017-01-01

This study investigated changes in high school students' awareness of environmental issues and their intent to be involved with local environmental groups after attendance at an environmental fair that exposed them to local environmental groups. A comparison of prefair and postfair surveys given to students indicated a highly significant increase…

Radon diagnostics and mitigation in two public schools in Nashville, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, A.B.; Leovic, K.W.; Harris, D.B.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on diagnostic measurements and mitigation studies that were carried out in two schools in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPAs) School Radon Mitigation Development/Demonstration Program. Diagnostic studies included architectural plans and building examination, sub-slab radon concentrations, sub-slab communications measurements, and detailed classroom radon measurements using 2-day charcoal canisters, electret ion chambers, and continuous monitors. Although sub-slab communications varied significantly between the two schools, both were amenable to mitigation using sub-slab suction. Average premitigation levels of 39.5 and 29.7 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) were reduced to 0.78 and 1.7 pCi/L in the two schools

Health behaviors and mental health of students attending alternative high schools: a review of the research literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Karen E; Taliaferro, Lindsay A

2012-04-01

The purpose of this review is to describe current knowledge about health-risk behaviors and mental health among alternative high school students. Substance use, diet and/or physical activity, sexual-risk behaviors, mental health, and violence were reviewed. Students were described as marginalized youth facing significant social environmental challenges. Findings from 43 studies published from 1997-2010 suggested a high prevalence of health-risk behaviors among alternative high school students. Very few studies were conducted by nurse researchers. Suggestions for future research include addressing social environmental factors, resiliency, and emotional/mental health outcomes. Alternative high schools offer a venue to conduct research and implement nursing interventions with high-risk, yet resilient, youth. © 2011, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture.

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Jeri Brittin

Full Text Available Increasing children's physical activity at school is a national focus in the U.S. to address childhood obesity. While research has demonstrated associations between aspects of school environments and students' physical activity, the literature currently lacks a synthesis of evidence to serve as a practical, spatially-organized resource for school designers and decision-makers, as well as to point to pertinent research opportunities. This paper describes the development of a new practical tool: Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture. Its aims are to provide architects and designers, as well as school planners, educators, and public health professionals, with strategies for making K-12 school environments conducive to healthy physical activity, and to engage scientists in transdisciplinary perspectives toward improved knowledge of the school environment's impact. We used a qualitative review process to develop evidence-based and theory-driven school design guidelines that promote increased physical activity among students. The design guidelines include specific strategies in 10 school design domains. Implementation of the guidelines is expected to enable students to adopt healthier physical activity behaviors. The tool bridges a translational gap between research and environmental design practice, and may contribute to setting new industry and education standards.

Becoming a health promoting school: key components of planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Senior, Elizabeth

2012-03-01

This article looks at the practicalities of implementing the health promoting school (HPS) framework, including conducting a whole school audit, to enable a primary school to successfully adopt the HPS principles. A partnership agreement was signed, between EACH Social and Community Health which is a local Community Health Centre and a primary school in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, in Australia. An audit was conducted of the school community with four follow up focus groups of students from grades 3 to 6. Qualitative data was gathered from 20 teachers at the school at a professional development day facilitated by the health promotion staff of the Community Health Centre. The results of the school audit identified that students in grades 3 to 6 and parents valued the outside environment of the school most highly. The staff valued staff attributes most highly. Suggestions from students to improve the school included improving the canteen and outside environment. Staff were most concerned about fitness of both the staff and the students. Parents also identified lack of healthy eating as a concern. The school community sees the value of adopting the HPS framework, however on-going structured support is required if the school is to successfully adopt the HPS approach. The school community needs to understand that the move toward cultural and environmental change is slow. Successful adoption of the HPS model requires time and collaboration. The emphasis needs to be on supporting teachers to change their school from within. Relationships are important.

Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Environmental Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Köse, Sacit; Savran Gencer, Ayse; Gezer, Kudret; Erol, Gül Hanim; Bilen, Kadir

2011-01-01

Environmental education has been viewed as an important way to educate students about environmental issues beginning from pre-school to higher education. This study is a part of this field- namely, undergraduate environmental education. The purpose of the study is to explore undergraduate students' attitudes towards environment at the end of the…

Learning with and about Technology: A Middle School Nature Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Fetterman, David

1998-01-01

Discussion of learning with technology as well as about technology focuses on a case study of a middle school nature area that uses technology to extend accessibility of environmental data. Highlights include the design of Web pages to describe the nature area; file sharing software; and the use of videoconferencing. (LRW)

The Effect of Environmental Science Projects on Students' Environmental Knowledge and Science Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.; Al-Aamri, Shamsa S.

2014-01-01

The current study explores the effectiveness of involving students in environmental science projects for their environmental knowledge and attitudes towards science. The study design is a quasi-experimental pre-post control group design. The sample was 62 11th-grade female students studying at a public school in Oman. The sample was divided into…

Effect of an environmental school-based obesity prevention program on changes in body fat and body weight: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Donald A; Champagne, Catherine M; Harsha, David W; Han, Hongmei; Martin, Corby K; Newton, Robert L; Sothern, Melinda S; Stewart, Tiffany M; Webber, Larry S; Ryan, Donna H

2012-08-01

This study tested the efficacy of two school-based programs for prevention of body weight/fat gain in comparison to a control group, in all participants and in overweight children. The Louisiana (LA) Health study utilized a longitudinal, cluster randomized three-arm controlled design, with 28 months of follow-up. Children (N = 2,060; mean age = 10.5 years, SD = 1.2) from rural communities in grades 4-6 participated in the study. Seventeen school clusters (mean = 123 children/cluster) were randomly assigned to one of three prevention arms: (i) primary prevention (PP), an environmental modification (EM) program, (ii) primary + secondary prevention (PP+SP), the environmental program with an added classroom and internet education component, or (iii) control (C). Primary outcomes were changes in percent body fat and BMI z scores. Secondary outcomes were changes in behaviors related to energy balance. Comparisons of PP, PP+SP, and C on changes in body fat and BMI z scores found no differences. PP and PP+SP study arms were combined to create an EM arm. Relative to C, EM decreased body fat for boys (-1.7 ± 0.38% vs. -0.14 ± 0.69%) and attenuated fat gain for girls (2.9 ± 0.22% vs. 3.93 ± 0.37%), but standardized effect sizes were relatively small (environmental program did not enhance weight/fat gain prevention, but did impact physical activity and social support in overweight children.

Practical Ranges of Loudness Levels of Various Types of Environmental Noise, Including Traffic Noise, Aircraft Noise, and Industrial Noise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine A. Janssen

2011-05-01

Full Text Available In environmental noise control one commonly employs the A-weighted sound level as an approximate measure of the effect of noise on people. A measure that is more closely related to direct human perception of noise is the loudness level. At constant A-weighted sound level, the loudness level of a noise signal varies considerably with the shape of the frequency spectrum of the noise signal. In particular the bandwidth of the spectrum has a large effect on the loudness level, due to the effect of critical bands in the human hearing system. The low-frequency content of the spectrum also has an effect on the loudness level. In this note the relation between loudness level and A-weighted sound level is analyzed for various environmental noise spectra, including spectra of traffic noise, aircraft noise, and industrial noise. From loudness levels calculated for these environmental noise spectra, diagrams are constructed that show the relation between loudness level, A‑weighted sound level, and shape of the spectrum. The diagrams show that the upper limits of the loudness level for broadband environmental noise spectra are about 20 to 40 phon higher than the lower limits for narrowband spectra, which correspond to the loudness levels of pure tones. The diagrams are useful for assessing limitations and potential improvements of environmental noise control methods and policy based on A-weighted sound levels.

Environmental aspects of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, D.P.

1988-01-01

Nuclear power provides the world with an important option for generating electricity. To successfully and safely utilize this power, engineering and environmental factors should be carefully considered throughout a nuclear power plant project, especially during the planning stages. This paper discusses the major environmental aspects of a nuclear power plant project from site selection to retirement. During the site selection process, both engineering and environmental resources must be identified and evaluated. Environmental resources include areas that support agricultural or aquatic commercial activities, habitats for commercial or endangered species, population centers, transportation systems, and recreational areas. Also during the site selection process, the potential impacts of both construction and operating activities must be considered. In addition to the area actually disturbed by construction, construction activities also affect local services, such as transportation systems, housing, school systems, and other social services. Since nuclear power plants use a ''clean fuel,'' generally the most significant operating activity having a potential environmental impact is the discharge of cooling water. The potential effect of this discharge on commercial activities and sensitive habitats should be thoroughly evaluated. Lastly, the method of decommissioning can affect long-range land use planning and should therefore be considered during the planning process

European environmental communication networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plesnikova, T.

2005-01-01

The goal of this presentation is apprise of special community - representatives of state and public administration, self-administration, workers of scientific institutes, schools, private companies and next privies subjects of areas of the environment with possibilities of access to actual environmental information by the Internet. Web-sites of environmental communication networks with data about the environment are presented

Environmental aspects of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, D.P.

1987-01-01

Nuclear power provides the world with an important option for generating electricity. To successfully and safely utilize this power, engineering and environmental factors should be carefully considered throughout a nuclear power plant project, especially during the planning stages. This paper discusses the major environmental aspects of a nuclear power plant project from site selection to retirement. During the site selection process, both engineering and environmental resources must be identified and evaluated. Environmental resources include areas that support agricultural or aquatic commercial activities, habitats for commercial or endangered species, population centers, transportation systems, and recreational areas. Also, during the site selection process, the potential impacts of both construction and operating activities must be considered. In addition to the area actually disturbed by construction, construction activities also affect local services, such as transportation systems, housing, school systems, and other social services. Since nuclear power plants use a 'clean fuel,' generally the most significant operating activity having a potential environmental impact is the discharge of cooling water. The potential effect of this discharge on commercial activities and sensitive habitats should be thoroughly evaluated. Lastly, the method of decommissioning can affect long-range land use planning and should therefore be considered during the planning process. With appropriate planning, nuclear power plants can be constructed and operated with minimum environmental impact. (author)

Environmentally-adapted local energy systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moe, N; Oefverholm, E [NUTEK, Stockholm (Sweden); Andersson, Owe [EKAN Gruppen (Sweden); Froste, H [Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm (Sweden)

1997-10-01

Energy companies, municipalities, property companies, firms of consultants, environmental groups and individuals are examples of players working locally to shape environmentally adapted energy systems. These players have needed information making them better able to make decisions on cost-efficient, environmentally-adapted energy systems. This book answers many of the questions they have put. The volume is mainly based on Swedish handbooks produced by the Swedish National Board for Industrial and Technical Development, NUTEK, together with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. These handbooks have been used in conjunction with municipal energy planning, local Agenda 21 work, to provide a basis for deciding on concrete local energy systems. The contents in brief: -The book throws new light on the concept of energy efficiency; -A section on the environment compares how air-polluting emissions vary with different methods of energy production; -A section contains more than 40 ideas for measures which can be profitable, reduce energy consumption and the impact on the environment all at the same time; -The book gives concrete examples of new, alternative and environmentally-adapted local energy systems. More efficient use of energy is included as a possible change of energy system; -The greatest emphasis is laid upon alternative energy systems for heating. It may be heating in a house, block of flats, office building or school; -Finally, there are examples of environmentally-adapted local energy planning.

LA GEOGRAFÍA DE CUBA EN LA ESCUELA PRIMARIA ANTE LOS RETOS DE LA EDUCACIÓN AMBIENTAL PARA EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE | THE GEOGRAPHY OF CUBA IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL BEFORE THE CHALLENGES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mavel Moré Estupiñan

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The inclusion of environmental education for sustainable development to the teaching - learning process becomes a challenge for the educational systems in the XXI century. This study is aimed to support this challenge from the didactics of the Geography of Cuba in the elementary school. In this sense, both investigation action participation and systematization of experiences are used to carry out a critical analysis of the Primary School Model, the program and the textbook of this subject. Didactic recommendations for the inclusion of environmental education for the sustainable development to the teaching learning process of Geography of Cuba in the primary school have been provided, as well as dimensions, indicators for their evaluation and models of exercises. These results of the educational science are a valuable tool for updating school curricula and also for the teachers’ continuous formation. Their introduction in selected schools of Villa Clara province achieved positive impacts in the environmental education for the sustainable development, among students and at the same time, in the professional behavior and environmental awareness of teachers.

Prenatal exposure to environmental chemical contaminants and asthma and eczema in school-age children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smit, Lidwien A M; Lenters, Virissa; Høyer, Birgit Bjerre

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that prenatal or early-life exposures to environmental contaminants may contribute to an increased risk of asthma and allergies in children. We aimed to the explore associations of prenatal exposures to a large set of environmental chemical contaminants...... asthma, eczema, and wheeze. We applied principal components analysis (PCA) to sixteen contaminants in maternal serum sampled during pregnancy, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), metabolites of diethylhexyl (DEHP) and diisononyl (DiNP) phthalates, PCB-153, and p,p'-DDE. Scores of five principal...... components (PCs) explaining 70% of the variance were included in multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: In a meta-analysis that included both populations, the PC2 score, reflecting exposure to DiNP, was negatively associated with current eczema (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.96). Other associations were...

Does the school food environment influence the dietary behaviours of Norwegian 11-year-olds? The HEIA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gebremariam, Mekdes K; Andersen, Lene F; Bjelland, Mona; Klepp, Knut-Inge; Totland, Torunn H; Bergh, Ingunn H; Lien, Nanna

2012-07-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of the school food environment on the dietary behaviours of 11-year-old Norwegian children in elementary schools. Baseline data from a school-based intervention study: the Health In Adolescents study was used. A total of 1425 11-year-old children from 35 schools from the eastern part of Norway were included. School administrators provided information on the physical, political, and sociocultural school food environment and students reported their intake of fruits, vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), and snacks. Multilevel modelling was used to assess the school-level variance in dietary behaviours and to investigate the association of school food environmental factors with these dietary behaviours. After adjustment for student characteristics, the school level accounted for a small proportion (1.1%-3.0%) of the variance in the dietary behaviours investigated. None of the investigated school food environmental factors were found to be related to the children's reported intake of fruits, vegetables, snacks or SSB. Most of the variance in the dietary behaviours investigated was at the personal level. Thus in this sample, the investigated school-level factors do not appear to exert a strong influence on the dietary behaviours of children. Longitudinal studies using validated measures of the school food environment are needed.

Strategies to address learner aggression in rural South African secondary schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunam D. Singh

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Managing learner aggression in the school system is central to learners’ academic performance and holistic development. In order to manage learner aggression, it is important to understand the contributory factors and the forms of learner aggression. This article reports on an investigation of factors contributing to learner aggression in rural secondary schools in the Empangeni district of KwaZulu-Natal in order to identify the forms of learner aggression and to establish strategies to manage such aggression in these secondary schools. A qualitative research design was adopted to investigate the phenomenon through an interview process with participants from five rural secondary schools. The findings showed that the factors contributing to learner aggression include family factors, environmental factors and school-related factors whilst the most common forms of learner aggression in schools are verbal aggression, physical aggression and bullying. The article concludes with the role that the school, parents and the Department of Education can play in addressing learner aggression in schools.

Does Formal Environmental Knowledge Inform the Everyday ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

How do senior secondary biology learners from three schools in Lesotho use this ... environmental literacy as a goal of science education is mentioned. ..... formal schooling context) or actions informed by informal information, which we ...

Investigation of Undergraduate Students’ Environmental Attitudes

OpenAIRE

Sacit KÖSE; Ayse SAVRAN GENCER; Kudret GEZER; Gül Hanım EROL; Kadir BİLEN

2011-01-01

Environmental education has been viewed as an important way to educate students about environmental issues beginning from pre-school to higher education. This study is a part of this field- namely, undergraduate environmental education. The purpose of the study is to explore undergraduate students’ attitudes towards environment after the course “Environment, Human, and Society”. In direction of this basic aim, environmental attitudes of university students were e...

Feeling and Being Involved? ParticipationExperienced by Children with Disabilities at Regular Schools in Austria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gantschnig, Brigitte E.; Hemmingsson, Helena; la Cour, Karen

2011-01-01

with disabilities appreciated attending regular schools. Being a part of school life was identified to include experiences of participation and nonparticipation. Different aspects of the environment influence experiences of participation and awareness of differences are facilitated through interaction with peers....... Together, the findings complement empirical insights to the understanding of experienced and performed involvement combined with subjective dimensions of environmental features that influence participation....

Self-efficacy in Environmental Education: Experiences of elementary education preservice teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Cynthia Crompton

Despite research showing Environmental Education can provide positive student outcomes in academic achievement, critical thinking, motivation and engagement (Ernst, 2007; Lieberman & Hoody, 1998; Orr, 1992; Palmer, 1998; Powers, 2004; Volk & Cheak, 2003), Environmental Education is currently not a critical element in American public school K-12 education. The present study investigates self-efficacy in Environmental Education through a mixed methods research approach. The data reveal the participants' perspectives of their sense of self-efficacy in Environmental Education. It adds to the body of work on Environmental Education and self-efficacy by specifically investigating the topics through interviews with preservice teachers. Purposeful sampling is used to identify preservice elementary education teachers in their senior year of college with a high measure of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is measured using the Environmental Education Efficacy Belief Instrument (Sia, 1992). Forty-six preservice teachers completed the instrument. Six preservice teachers were interviewed to determine experiences that impact their self-efficacy in Environmental Education. Continual comparison and cross-case analysis are used to analyze the data. The results reveal a relationship between personal experiences with nature as a young child and current beliefs toward their personal efficacy and teaching outcome efficacy in Environmental Education. Similar to the findings of Sia (1992), the researcher discovered that preservice teachers realize that they lack sufficient knowledge and skill in Environmental Education but believe that effective teaching can increase students understanding of Environmental Education. While the preservice teachers do not believe they will teach Environmental Education as well as other subjects, they will continually seek out better ways to teach Environmental Education. Interviews with participants who had a high self-efficacy revealed the importance of

Radon mitigation in schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saum, D.; Craig, A.B.; Leovic, K.

1990-01-01

Since 1987, more than 40 schools in Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina were visited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). School characteristics that potentially influence radon entry and impact mitigation system design and performance were identified. Mitigation systems that had proven successful in house mitigation were then installed in several of these schools. Many of the systems were installed by school personnel with some assistance from EPA and an experienced radon diagnostician. This article presents the diagnostic measurements made in the schools and it discusses in detail the specific mitigation systems that were installed in four Maryland schools by the EPA

Ecological and environmental education in the region of Ignalina NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motiejuniene, E.; Salickaite-Bunikiene, L.

1995-01-01

During three last years the groups involving pupils, students and teachers take part in the educational sessions. They are organized in Drukshiai Ecological Station . The work of Ignalina NPP, its influence on the nature as well as methods and results of scientific investigation and assessment of the influence are discussed. To direct environmental research activity of scholars the special 3-8 days programs made up by researchers are used. They include theoretical and practical studies. Educational - research activity performed in the Drukshiai Ecological Station could be an example of ecological schooling center related to environmental protection. (author). 2 refs

Environmental Health Problems and Indicators in Tabriz, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ghanbari Ghozikali

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Environmental Health Indicators (EHIs are the most im¬portant criteria for evaluation of effi¬ciency and effectiveness of the activi¬ties of the health sector. The operations and situation of the health sys¬tem can be analyzed through surveying the indicators and comparing them during different times. The present study aimed to study the EHIs of Ta¬briz, using the common environmental health processes and national EHIs of the Ministry of Health. Method: The required information for determination of EHIs was col¬lected from different sources, including mainly the Environmental Health De¬partment of the Health Center of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran and other organizations. Results: We found some important desirable and undesirable EHIs in Ta¬briz, including high percentage of households with access to safe and reliable drinking water, high safety in microbiological and chemical quality of drink¬ing water, acceptable level of BOD5 and COD in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WTP, lack of complete municipal wastewa¬ter collection and treatment, relatively poor sanitation and health of food markets and public places, undesirable collection, transportation and dis¬posal of munici¬pal solid waste, low EHIs of some school classrooms, un¬acceptable disposal of medical waste in some hospitals, and finally high level of noise pollution in the city.Conclusion: Considering the poor condition of some EHIs of Tabriz, im-plementing proper actions for pro¬motion of the indicators especially devel¬opment of municipal wastewater collection, improvement of solid waste management, environmental health of some schools and mosques, and fi¬nally the noise pollution level of the city is recommended.

My school voyages with PERSEUS - PERSEUS@SCHOOL

Science.gov (United States)

Fermeli, Georgia; Papathanassiou, Evangelos; Papatheodorou, George; Streftaris, Nikos; Ioakeimidis, Christos

2014-05-01

PERSEUS@SCHOOL is an international environmental education thematic school network which is inspired and supported by the European research project PERSEUS (Policy Oriented Marine Environmental Research in Southern European Seas_http://www.perseus-net.eu) which is funded by EU FP7 Theme "Ocean of Tomorrow" and it is coordinating by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). The overall scientific objectives of PERSEUS (FP7) research project are to identify the interacting patterns of natural and human-derived pressures on the Mediterranean and Black Seas, assess their impact on marine ecosystems and, using the objectives and principles of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as a vehicle, to design an effective and innovative research governance framework based on solid scientific knowledge. This research governance framework will engage scientists, policy-makers and the public, thereby reaching a shared understanding and informed decision-making based on sound scientific knowledge. PERSEUS@SCHOOL network is coordinated by the Department of Environmental Education of the 1st Directorate of Secondary Education of Athens and aims to help and enhance environmental education, focusing on clean seas stewardship in schools. Educators along with marine scientists have a role in supporting and inspiring children to acquire the knowledge, skills and inspire their awareness to live and work as responsible and concerned citizens. For this purpose, the network has designed specific pedagogical activities for primary and secondary education - based on PERSEUS key thematic areas i.e. Marine biodiversity, Overfishing, Chemical Marine Pollution - Bioaccumulation - Health, Eutrophication in Marine Waters and Marine Litter. Complementary, two web-monitoring tools will be used by the network; the Jellyfish Spotting campaign and the Marine LitterWatch (MLW) app (Developed by EEA). A special emphasis is given to MLW app, as school students for first time will use it in order to

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program: Benefits of Improving Air Quality in the School Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program to help schools prevent, identify, and resolve their IAQ problems. This publication describes the program and its advantages, explaining that through simple, low-cost measures, schools can: reduce IAQ-related health risks and…

PENANAMAN KESADARAN DAN TANGGUNGJAWAB TERHADAP LINGKUNGAN HIDUP MELALUI GREEN SCHOOL DI SD NEGERI DEMAKAN 02 TAHUN PELAJARAN 2014/2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pranichayudha Rohsulina

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract This devotion aims to instill awareness and responsibility towards the environment in elementary school students. This activity was conducted in 02 primary schools with class participants Demakan 3, 4, and 5 in groups. Service activities is carried out through four stages, includes the extension (socialization, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of results. Results devotion shows that primary school Demakan 02 Sukoharjo related to green school in the school can be taken several conclusions are: 1 There is the awareness and responsibility of environmental awareness green in SD N Demakan 02 Sukoharjo. 2 Farming with students of all ages to encourage their interest in nature and enthusiasm early in life. 3 This devotion succeeded yield as much as 110 pot polybag. Keywords: green school, awareness, responsibility Abstract This devotion aims to instill awareness and responsibility towards the environment in elementary school students. This activity was conducted in 02 primary schools with class participants Demakan 3, 4, and 5 in groups. Service activities is carried out through four stages, includes the extension (socialization, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of results. Results devotion shows that primary school Demakan 02 Sukoharjo related to green school in the school can be taken several conclusions are: 1 There is the awareness and responsibility of environmental awareness green in SD N Demakan 02 Sukoharjo. 2 Farming with students of all ages to encourage their interest in nature and enthusiasm early in life. 3 This devotion succeeded yield as much as 110 pot polybag. Keywords: green school, awareness, responsibility

Physical Environmental Barriers to School Attendance among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

environment were the major barriers to school attendance. Conclusion: To ... Key words: Parents/caregivers, children with disabilities, barriers. Introduction .... It is not safe to walk ... feeling, learning, behaviour, and fits or convulsions. [19] The ...

Perception and environmental education about mangrove ecosystem improving sciences and biology subjects in public school at Recife, PE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauro Lopes Rodrigues

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This work was developed with the aim to identify the perceptions of the students from a school about the mangrove ecosystem, using didactic and natural elements available to do an environmental education action. The previous perception of the students on the ecosystem was evaluated by means of a questionnaire, followed of a theoretical exposition, complemented with a visit to a conserved mangrove (Paripe River, Itamaracá and another impacted (Jiquiá River, Recife, near to the school, being applied new questionnaires to evaluate their conceptions and the academic strategies. The students demonstrated a relative previous knowledge on the mangrove and the educative action showed effectiveness in the transference of the ecological concepts about the ecosystem, using the method of incorporate their daily knowledge to stimulate them to know the scientific side of the subject, ending with the development of ecologic conscience.

The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: a systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasberry, Catherine N; Lee, Sarah M; Robin, Leah; Laris, B A; Russell, Lisa A; Coyle, Karin K; Nihiser, Allison J

2011-06-01

The purpose of this review is to synthesize the scientific literature that has examined the association between school-based physical activity (including physical education) and academic performance (including indicators of cognitive skills and attitudes, academic behaviors, and academic achievement). Relevant research was identified through a search of nine electronic databases using both physical activity and academic-related search terms. Forty-three articles (reporting a total of 50 unique studies) met the inclusion criteria and were read, abstracted, and coded for this synthesis. Findings of the 50 studies were then summarized. Across all the studies, there were a total of 251 associations between physical activity and academic performance, representing measures of academic achievement, academic behavior, and cognitive skills and attitudes. Slightly more than half (50.5%) of all associations examined were positive, 48% were not significant, and 1.5% were negative. Examination of the findings by each physical activity context provides insights regarding specific relationships. Results suggest physical activity is either positively related to academic performance or that there is not a demonstrated relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Results have important implications for both policy and schools. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Nuestra Tierra Dinamica" Global Climate Change STEM Education Fostering Environmental Stewardship

Science.gov (United States)

La Grave, M.; de Valenzuela, M.; Russell, R.

2012-12-01

CLUB ECO LÓGICO is a democratic and participatory program that provides active citizenship in schools and community, placing climate change into context for the Latino Community. The program's objectives focus on: 1. The Environment. Reducing the school and community impact on the environment through environmental footprint through stewardship actions. 2. Empowerment. Engaging participants through project and service learning and make decisions about how to improve their schools, their homes and their community's environment. 3. Community and Research Partnerships. Fostering collaborations with local community, stakeholders, government, universities, research organizations, and businesses that have expertise in environmental research, management, education and climate change. 4. Awareness. Increasing environmental and climate science knowledge of participants through STEM activities and hands-on access to technology. 5. Research and evaluation. Assessing the relevance of program activities through the engagement of the Latino community in planning and the effectiveness and impact of STEM activities through formative and summative evaluation. To address these objectives, the program has several inter related components in an after school setting: SUN EARTH Connections: Elementary (grades K to 2) students learn the basic climate change concepts through inquiry and hands on STEM activities. Bilingual 8 facilitators adapt relevant NASA educational resources for use in inquiry based, hands on activities. Drama and the arts provide unique experiences as well as play a key role in learning, participation and facilitation. GREEN LABS: Elementary students (grades 3 to 5) participate in stations where each Lab is staffed by at least two professionals: a College level fully bilingual Latin American Professional and a stakeholder representing either a research organization or other relevant environmental organization. Our current Green Lab themes include: Air, Soils, Water

Active Living: development and quasi-experimental evaluation of a school-centered physical activity intervention for primary school children.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Kann, Dave H H; Jansen, M W J; de Vries, S I; de Vries, N K; Kremers, S P J

2015-12-29

The worldwide increase in the rates of childhood overweight and physical inactivity requires successful prevention and intervention programs for children. The aim of the Active Living project is to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behavior of Dutch primary school children by developing and implementing tailored, multicomponent interventions at and around schools. In this project, school-centered interventions have been developed at 10 schools in the south of the Netherlands, using a combined top-down and bottom-up approach in which a research unit and a practice unit continuously interact. The interventions consist of a combination of physical and social interventions tailored to local needs of intervention schools. The process and short- and long-term effectiveness of the interventions will be evaluated using a quasi-experimental study design in which 10 intervention schools are matched with 10 control schools. Baseline and follow-up measurements (after 12 and 24 months) have been conducted in grades 6 and 7 and included accelerometry, GPS, and questionnaires. Primary outcome of the Active Living study is the change in physical activity levels, i.e. sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and counts-per-minute (CPM). Multilevel regression analyses will be used to assess the effectiveness of isolated and combined physical and social interventions on children's PA levels. The current intervention study is unique in its combined approach of physical and social environmental PA interventions both at school(yard)s as well as in the local neighborhood around the schools. The strength of the study lies in the quasi-experimental design including objective measurement techniques, i.e. accelerometry and GPS, combined with more subjective techniques, i.e. questionnaires, implementation logbooks, and neighborhood observations. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25497687 (registration date 21

Immigrant Children Promoting Environmental Care: Enhancing Learning, Agency and Integration through Culturally-Responsive Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchet-Cohen, Natasha; Reilly, Rosemary C.

2017-01-01

This paper examines the potential of culturally-responsive environmental education to engage immigrant early adolescents. Our study suggests that environmental involvement can become a means and an end for children to bridge their school and home in agential ways. Drawing from a multi-phase study involving focus groups with children, parents, and…

Comparison between the Understanding Levels of Boys and Girls on the Concepts of Environmental Degradation, Meteorology and Climate Change in Tanzanian Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Kira, Ernest S.; Komba, Sotco C.

2015-01-01

The study aimed to determine whether there was any significant difference in understanding levels between secondary school boys and girls on the concepts of environmental degradation, meteorology and climate change. Both structured survey and focus group discussions were used to collect information from 480 students, sampled randomly from 12…

[Preschool familial environment and academic difficulties: A 10-year follow-up from kindergarten to middle school].

Science.gov (United States)

Câmara-Costa, H; Pulgar, S; Cusin, F; Dellatolas, G

2016-02-01

The persistence of academic difficulties from childhood through adulthood has led researchers to focus on the identification of the early factors influencing children's subsequent achievement in order to improve the efficient screening of children who might be at risk of school failure. The foundations of academic achievement can be accurately traced back to the preschool years prior to children's entry in formal schooling and are largely influenced by environmental determinants. Importantly, some environmental conditions act as early risk factors undermining children's later academic achievement due to the well-established relation between underachievement and exposure to moderate to high levels of environmental risk. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal effects of environment-level factors (sociodemographic and family characteristics) and early risk exposure at kindergarten on children's subsequent academic achievement at the end of middle school (grade 9). The sample of analysis comprised 654 kindergarteners aged 5-6 years (2001-2002 school year) followed through the end of middle school when they were aged 14-15 years (2010-2011 school year). At kindergarten, assessment included questionnaire-based measures of sociodemographic and family background characteristics. These included an original set of information pertaining to family background including parental nationality, education level, history of reading difficulties, type of early childcare, family situation, family size, and language-based bedtime routines, as well as individual-level factors such as children's first language, medical history, language delay, birth weight, age of walking onset, and gestation period. At grade 9, outcome measures were composed of children's results in the national evaluations performed at the end of middle school ("Diplôme National du Brevet"), or history of repetition for a second year of the same class. The results indicated that all family

Environmental education targeted at school children as part of Radon's public relations campaign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shmelev, Sergey; Stonogina, Julia

1998-01-01

In the former Soviet Union, environmental problems as well as other negative social and political phenomena were hushed up. Under environmental transparency, the public was shocked by the disclosed facts, and the reason for this was the wrong presentation of the information. 'Radon' (the company engaged in collection, transportation and disposal of Moscow and Moscow Region radwaste) was also severely criticized. The thing is that Radon has the word 'radioactive' in its full name. That was enough for the prejudice to be formed. The public perceived Radon as the company polluting the environment instead of protecting it. The transfer from full secrecy to public information proved to be a serious test for Radon specialists. A huge effort was needed. We started to organize shows and conferences, to write articles, to make radio- and TV programs and video films, though we were well aware how difficult it was to reverse the unfavorable public opinion. That is why three years ago we decided to develop large-scale information campaign targeted at young people. Such work cannot bring positive results in the near future, it is a long-term effort. To implement the program, the first step should have been the teachers' training. It turned out that most of them had quite limited ideas about radiation, the use of nuclear power in Russia, and they had not heard about Radon. We organized teachers' training seminars and tours to the test ground. Our funds are scarce, as Radon still does not have a special budget for public information campaign. In the course of training, the following topics were raised: 1. What is radiation as physical phenomenon? 2. Natural character of radiation; 3 Scientific and technical progress and radwaste emergency; 4. Radwaste immobilization; 5. Radwaste storage. Graphic materials were prepared to present the complicated technical issues in an easier, visual form. To raise their interest in environmental protection, we organized a contest between school

Determinants of healthy eating: motivation, abilities and environmental opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Brug, Johannes

2008-12-01

In order to promote healthful nutrition, insight is needed in the behavioural determinants of nutrition behaviours. Most research on behavioural determinants has been restricted to individual-level motivational factors. However, health behaviour is influenced by individual motivation and abilities, as well as environmental opportunities. To provide an overview of motivation, ability and opportunity-related potential determinants of nutrition behaviours and of the evidence for associations of potential environmental determinants with nutrition behaviour. A narrative review informed by a series of six systematic reviews including more than 400 original studies and recent original studies on associations of environmental factors with nutrition behaviours. Although the number of studies on potential environmental determinants of nutrition as well as physical activity behaviour has increased steeply over the last decades, these include only few well-designed studies with validated measures. Preliminary evidence from the available systematic reviews indicates that social support and modelling, availability and accessibility of healthy and less healthy foods as well as socio-economic status are important for nutrition behaviours; schools and worksites offer good settings for improving healthful nutrition opportunities. Although the evidence to date is inconclusive due to lack of well-designed studies, specific social-cultural, physical and economical environmental factors appear of importance for healthful nutrition.

Sustaining an Environmental Ethic: Outdoor and Environmental Education Graduates' Negotiation of School Spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Lou

2011-01-01

In this article, I draw on interviews with graduates from an Outdoor and Environmental Education course to explore the ways in which their environmental ethics changed since leaving university. I do this in relation to the graduates' personal and professional experiences, particularly in the context of teaching Outdoor Education and Physical…

Using a Physical Education Environmental Survey to Identify Areas of Concern and Improve Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Grant; Hulbert, George

2007-01-01

School environmental conditions can impact learning in physical educational classes. It is important for schools to control environmental health hazards, not only to promote a conducive school learning environment, but to also reduce associated health risks. To help physical education leaders determine the quality of physical education facilities…

Calculations of environmental benefits from using geothermal energy must include the rebound effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atlason, Reynir Smari; Unnthorsson, Runar

2017-01-01

and energy production patterns are simulated using data from countries with similar environmental conditions but do not use geothermal or hydropower to the same extent as Iceland. Because of the rapid shift towards renewable energy and exclusion of external energy provision, the country is considered......When considering the environmental benefits from converting to renewable energy sources, the rebound effect is often omitted. In this study, the aim is to investigate greenhouse gas emission reduction inclusive of the rebound effect. We use Iceland as a case study where alternative consumption...

Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project: Financing Options for Solar Installations on K-12 Schools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coughlin, J.; Kandt, A.

2011-10-01

This report focuses on financial options developed specifically for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in three California public school districts. Solar energy systems installed on public schools have a number of benefits that include utility bill savings, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and other toxic air contaminants, job creation, demonstrating environmental leadership, and creating learning opportunities for students. In the 2011 economic environment, the ability to generate general-fund savings as a result of reducing utility bills has become a primary motivator for school districts trying to cut costs. To achieve meaningful savings, the size of the photovoltaic (PV) systems installed (both individually on any one school and collectively across a district) becomes much more important; larger systems are required to have a material impact on savings. Larger PV systems require a significant financial commitment and financing therefore becomes a critical element in the transaction. In simple terms, school districts can use two primary types of ownership models to obtain solar installations and cost savings across a school district. The PV installations can be financed and owned directly by the districts themselves. Alternatively, there are financing structures whereby another entity, such as a solar developer or its investors, actually own and operate the PV systems on behalf of the school district. This is commonly referred to as the 'third-party ownership model.' Both methods have advantages and disadvantages that should be weighed carefully.

A Multidisciplinary Research Framework on Green Schools: Infrastructure, Social Environment, Occupant Health, and Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Magzamen, Sheryl; Mayer, Adam P; Barr, Stephanie; Bohren, Lenora; Dunbar, Brian; Manning, Dale; Reynolds, Stephen J; Schaeffer, Joshua W; Suter, Jordan; Cross, Jennifer E

2017-05-01

Sustainable school buildings hold much promise to reducing operating costs, improve occupant well-being and, ultimately, teacher and student performance. However, there is a scarcity of evidence on the effects of sustainable school buildings on health and performance indicators. We sought to create a framework for a multidisciplinary research agenda that links school facilities, health, and educational outcomes. We conducted a nonsystematic review of peer review publications, government documents, organizational documents, and school climate measurement instruments. We found that studies on the impact of physical environmental factors (air, lighting, and thermal comfort) on health and occupant performance are largely independent of research on the social climate. The current literature precludes the formation of understanding the causal relation among school facilities, social climate, occupant health, and occupant performance. Given the average age of current school facilities in the United States, construction of new school facilities or retrofits of older facilities will be a major infrastructure investment for many municipalities over the next several decades. Multidisciplinary research that seeks to understand the impact of sustainable design on the health and performance of occupants will need to include both an environmental science and social science perspective to inform best practices and quantification of benefits that go beyond general measures of costs savings from energy efficiencies. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Environmental attitudes towards wine tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Taylor

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Christopher Taylor1, Nelson Barber2, Cynthia Deale31School of Business, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, Roosevelt County, NM, USA; 2Whittemore School of Business, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA; 3Department of Hospitality Management, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC , USAAbstract: Wine tourism marketers frequently seek new ways to promote destinations, often executing ecologically sustainable practices. As consumer environmental knowledge of a wine tourism destination increases, consumer attitudes change, influencing perceptions of the environmental policies of a wine region. In this consumer-driven economy, it is therefore important to search for effective ways to market destinations, and one approach is selective marketing. By focusing on consumers in this manner, it is possible to understand better their concerns and motivations, which should aid in marketing and advertising efforts. This study investigated wine consumers environmental concerns and attitudes about wine regions. Results suggest environmental attitudes differed by demographics regarding the impact of wine tourism, providing ideas on further marketing efforts for those involved in wine tourism.Keywords: sustainable wine tourism, green products, wine marketing, consumers

Development of ACTION! Wellness Program for Elementary School Personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Webber, Larry S; Johnson, Carolyn C; Rose, Donald; Rice, Janet C

2007-11-01

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased dramatically in the adult population over the past 2 decades. Almost two-thirds of the adult population works outside the home; thus, interventions implemented at the worksite are viable for obesity reduction. Elementary schools are worksites that have a number of resources that can encourage a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this paper is to describe the formative research activities and how these were used to design the ACTION! Wellness Program for Elementary School Personnel. Formative data were collected using focus groups, a school survey, and an environmental audit. Focus groups were conducted in three elementary schools, whereas the school survey and environmental audit were collected in 24 elementary schools. The intervention was then tested as a pilot study in one school to determine feasibility and receptivity and refine its components. Participants in the focus groups indicated that most had experience with trying to lose weight, some had positive social support, and most had little free time at school; however, most were very receptive to having a weight control intervention program at their school. Eighteen (75%) of the schools had snack vending machines on the school site, and all had cold drink machines. All 24 schools had at least one indoor site that could be used for physical activity programs. All schools were in neighborhoods conducive for walking. ACTION! will take advantage of the school resources in implementing an environmental intervention to reduce overweight and obesity. This paper describes the progression of events that led to the final trial.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs in Conventional and High Performance School Buildings in the U.S.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lexuan Zhong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs has been an indoor environmental quality (IEQ concern in schools and other buildings for many years. Newer designs, construction practices and building materials for “green” buildings and the use of “environmentally friendly” products have the promise of lowering chemical exposure. This study examines VOCs and IEQ parameters in 144 classrooms in 37 conventional and high performance elementary schools in the U.S. with the objectives of providing a comprehensive analysis and updating the literature. Tested schools were built or renovated in the past 15 years, and included comparable numbers of conventional, Energy Star, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED-certified buildings. Indoor and outdoor VOC samples were collected and analyzed by thermal desorption, gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy for 94 compounds. Aromatics, alkanes and terpenes were the major compound groups detected. Most VOCs had mean concentrations below 5 µg/m3, and most indoor/outdoor concentration ratios ranged from one to 10. For 16 VOCs, the within-school variance of concentrations exceeded that between schools and, overall, no major differences in VOC concentrations were found between conventional and high performance buildings. While VOC concentrations have declined from levels measured in earlier decades, opportunities remain to improve indoor air quality (IAQ by limiting emissions from building-related sources and by increasing ventilation rates.

The school environment and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour: a mixed-studies systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Morton, K L; Atkin, A J; Corder, K; Suhrcke, M; van Sluijs, E M F

2016-02-01

There is increasing academic and policy interest in interventions aiming to promote young people's health by ensuring that the school environment supports healthy behaviours. The purpose of this review was to summarize the current evidence on school-based policy, physical and social-environmental influences on adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Electronic databases were searched to identify studies that (1) involved healthy adolescents (11-18 years old), (2) investigated school-environmental influences and (3) reported a physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour outcome or theme. Findings were synthesized using a non-quantitative synthesis and thematic analysis. Ninety-three papers of mixed methodological quality were included. A range of school-based policy (e.g. break time length), physical (e.g. facilities) and social-environmental (e.g. teacher behaviours) factors were associated with adolescent physical activity, with limited research on sedentary behaviour. The mixed-studies synthesis revealed the importance of specific activity settings (type and location) and intramural sport opportunities for all students. Important physical education-related factors were a mastery-oriented motivational climate and autonomy supportive teaching behaviours. Qualitative evidence highlighted the influence of the wider school climate and shed light on complexities of the associations observed in the quantitative literature. This review identifies future research needs and discusses potential intervention approaches to be considered. © 2015 World Obesity.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Conventional and High Performance School Buildings in the U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Lexuan; Su, Feng-Chiao; Batterman, Stuart

2017-01-21

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been an indoor environmental quality (IEQ) concern in schools and other buildings for many years. Newer designs, construction practices and building materials for "green" buildings and the use of "environmentally friendly" products have the promise of lowering chemical exposure. This study examines VOCs and IEQ parameters in 144 classrooms in 37 conventional and high performance elementary schools in the U.S. with the objectives of providing a comprehensive analysis and updating the literature. Tested schools were built or renovated in the past 15 years, and included comparable numbers of conventional, Energy Star, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings. Indoor and outdoor VOC samples were collected and analyzed by thermal desorption, gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy for 94 compounds. Aromatics, alkanes and terpenes were the major compound groups detected. Most VOCs had mean concentrations below 5 µg/m³, and most indoor/outdoor concentration ratios ranged from one to 10. For 16 VOCs, the within-school variance of concentrations exceeded that between schools and, overall, no major differences in VOC concentrations were found between conventional and high performance buildings. While VOC concentrations have declined from levels measured in earlier decades, opportunities remain to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by limiting emissions from building-related sources and by increasing ventilation rates.

Including Migrant Worker Children in the Learning and Social Context of the Rural Primary School

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Paula

2013-01-01

Many of the larger towns and cities within the UK have long experienced a cosmopolitan mix of cultures, resulting in ethnically and linguistically diverse schools. However, the wider expansion of the European Union in 2004 has brought about significant changes and challenges for many schools, particularly for those in more rural areas. This…

Environmental impact assessment including indirect effects--a case study using input-output analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenzen, Manfred; Murray, Shauna A.; Korte, Britta; Dey, Christopher J.

2003-01-01

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process covered by several international standards, dictating that as many environmental aspects as possible should be identified in a project appraisal. While the ISO 14011 standard stipulates a broad-ranging study, off-site, indirect impacts are not specifically required for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The reasons for this may relate to the perceived difficulty of measuring off-site impacts, or the assumption that these are a relatively insignificant component of the total impact. In this work, we describe a method that uses input-output analysis to calculate the indirect effects of a development proposal in terms of several indicator variables. The results of our case study of a Second Sydney Airport show that the total impacts are considerably higher than the on-site impacts for the indicators land disturbance, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, emissions of NO x and SO 2 , and employment. We conclude that employing input-output analysis enhances conventional EIA, as it allows for national and international effects to be taken into account in the decision-making process

Wine consumers’ environmental knowledge and attitudes: Influence on willingness to purchase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson Barber

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Nelson Barber1, Christopher Taylor2, Sandy Strick31College of Human Sciences, Box 41240 Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA; 2School of Business, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, USA; 3School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USAAbstract: The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in environmental consciousness worldwide. Consumers are now changing their behavior to integrate environmental considerations into lifestyle choices. This change includes consumers’ purchasing decisions based upon how well products satisfy their needs and how these products affect the natural environment. In some cases, consumers are willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products. Marketing professes to serve the benefit of the public by informing them of the availability of goods and services that will advance their quality of life. However, this is only true if marketing’s communication approach and methods of promotion aid in informing, educating, and channeling the needs of current and future consumers toward “green” products and services. Using wine as the product, the purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of a consumer’s involvement with a product and the environment, their knowledge of environmental issues and attitudes toward the environment, and their willingness to purchase the product. The results suggest personality segmentation, through selective marketing and redirecting of consumers needs and wants toward environmentally friendly wine products. For example, what wine consumers actually know about environmental wine issues is associated with their involvement with environmental issues more than what they self-assess they know about wine.Keywords: environmental knowledge, green products, wine

Facilitating Lasting Changes at an Elementary School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurie JAMES

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine how to minimize waste in a school setting by reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting waste products. Specifically, the desire was to identify what steps could be taken to decrease waste practices at a Title I elementary school. Through the Washington Green Schools certification process, a Waste and Recycling Assessment and Characterization Audit allowed for the collection of data. The assessment examined how much and what types of waste products were disposed of at the school. Based on the audit, 93% of waste products in the cafeteria were recyclable or compostable. The results provided ways for the students and staff to take action resulting in behavioral changes that taught and modeled environmental conservation. This study can help revolutionize school communities by serving as a prototype for environmental sustainability enhancing an eco-friendly citizenry.

Facilitating lasting changes at an elementary school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurie James

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine how to minimize waste in a school setting by reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting waste products. Specifically, the desire was to identify what steps could be taken to decrease waste practices at a Title I elementary school. Through the Washington Green Schools certification process, a Waste and Recycling Assessment and Characterization Audit allowed for the collection of data. The assessment examined how much and what types of waste products were disposed of at the school. Based on the audit, 93% of waste products in the cafeteria were recyclable or compostable. The results provided ways for the students and staff to take action resulting in behavioral changes that taught and modeled environmental conservation. This study can help revolutionize school communities by serving as a prototype for environmental sustainability enhancing an eco-friendly citizenry.

Individual, social and environmental determinants of smokeless tobacco and betel quid use amongst adolescents of Karachi: a school-based cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Azmina; Zaheer, Sidra; Shafique, Kashif

2017-11-28

With 600 million people using betel quid (BQ) globally, and smokeless tobacco (SLT) use being more wide-spread; the duo is an uphill public health concern in South Asian countries. SLT and/or BQ use increases the risk for morbidity and mortality from oral cancer. Because SLT and/or BQ use is initiated during adolescence, it renders this group more vulnerable; and particular attention is needed to curb SLT and/or BQ use to reduce related disease burden. We aimed to observe the differential individual, social and environmental features amongst SLT and/or BQ users to determine the key influencers of its use in adolescents. This study was a cross-sectional survey of 2140 adolescents from secondary schools of Karachi, Pakistan. The main outcome measure was SLT and/or BQ use based on their consumption in the past 30 days. Univariate and multivariate regression binary logistic analyses were employed while reporting results in both crude form and adjusted odds ratio (after adjusting for all remaining individual, social and environmental level variables) with 95% confidence level. A p-value of co-education schools. Students whose peers (OR = 6.79, 95% CI 4.67-9.87, p-value co-education, parents and peers use, lack of knowledge based sessions on harmful health effects of SLT and/or BQ, and easy availability of the product from hawkers outside school all contribute towards enhanced risk of SLT and/or BQ use in adolescents.

DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION BASED ON AN URBAN COASTAL LAGOON SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMATICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Silveira

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was the development of environmental education activities focused on two public school classes at Florianópolis, SC, such activities were based on socio-environmental issues related to an urban coastal lagoon. Field trips, the built of a clay mockup and classroom dynamics were conducted from June to December 2006. Students were able to reflect about the problems and they also tried to suggest solutions.

School nutritional capacity, resources and practices are associated with availability of food/beverage items in schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Mâsse, Louise C; de Niet, Judith E

2013-02-19

The school food environment is important to target as less healthful food and beverages are widely available at schools. This study examined whether the availability of specific food/beverage items was associated with a number of school environmental factors. Principals from elementary (n=369) and middle/high schools (n=118) in British Columbia (BC), Canada completed a survey measuring characteristics of the school environment. Our measurement framework integrated constructs from the Theories of Organizational Change and elements from Stillman's Tobacco Policy Framework adapted for obesity prevention. Our measurement framework included assessment of policy institutionalization of nutritional guidelines at the district and school levels, climate, nutritional capacity and resources (nutritional resources and participation in nutritional programs), nutritional practices, and school community support for enacting stricter nutritional guidelines. We used hierarchical mixed-effects logistic regression analyses to examine associations with the availability of fruit, vegetables, pizza/hamburgers/hot dogs, chocolate candy, sugar-sweetened beverages, and french fried potatoes. In elementary schools, fruit and vegetable availability was more likely among schools that have more nutritional resources (OR=6.74 and 5.23, respectively). In addition, fruit availability in elementary schools was highest in schools that participated in the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program and the BC Milk program (OR=4.54 and OR=3.05, respectively). In middle/high schools, having more nutritional resources was associated with vegetable availability only (OR=5.78). Finally, middle/high schools that have healthier nutritional practices (i.e., which align with upcoming provincial/state guidelines) were less likely to have the following food/beverage items available at school: chocolate candy (OR= .80) and sugar-sweetened beverages (OR= .76). School nutritional capacity, resources

Indoor air quality : Tools for schools action kits for Canadian schools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-03-01

Few people realize that indoor air pollution can contribute to health effects like asthma. Several agencies, notably the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have indicated that levels of indoor pollutants can be significantly higher than those found outside. As such, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) could impact the health of students and staff, as well as the educational process and costs. Many factors can influence IAQ, including building materials, furnishings, cleaning agents, pesticides, printing and copying devices, and more. Reduction in IAQ can also result from tighter buildings and reduced ventilation. This kit was developed by Health Canada in collaboration with the Indoor Air Quality Working Group of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health (CEOH) to provide school officials with the tools to prevent, identify, assess, and address most indoor air problems while minimizing cost and involvement. It was suggested that trained professionals should perform the limited and well-defined set of operations and maintenance activities described in the kit.

Medications at School: Disposing of Pharmaceutical Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Taras, Howard; Haste, Nina M.; Berry, Angela T.; Tran, Jennifer; Singh, Renu F.

2014-01-01

Background: This project quantified and categorized medications left unclaimed by students at the end of the school year. It determined the feasibility of a model medication disposal program and assessed school nurses' perceptions of environmentally responsible medication disposal. Methods: At a large urban school district all unclaimed…

Self-reported health and comfort of school children in 54 classrooms of 21 Dutch school buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bluyssen, Philomena; Zhang, Dadi; Kurvers, Stanley; Overtoom, Marjolein; Ortiz Sanchez, Marco

2018-01-01

Background While the indoor environmental quality of classrooms is a potential issue because it may affect the wellbeing of school children, the relations are still poorly studied. This study aimed to investigate the relations between classroom characteristics and health and comfort of school

Environmental policy is a joint task of all European countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pag-Kuhn, S.; Schmuck, O.

1987-01-01

The volume presents material illustrating European environmental policy and the situation in the various countries, and is intended among others for use as a teaching aid at school or in adult courses. A documentation of newspaper articles and other material is the center piece of the volume, arranged by environmental problems and cases, covering also basic text parts from the fields of law and politics. The six main subjects dealt with include: Pollution of the Rhine river, the Sandoz accident; - Nuclear power, Chernobyl and Cattenom; - Forest decline, acid rain and motor vehicle off-gas; - Toxic waste, Seveso and no end to be seen; - Agriculture and ecology; - Environmental impact statement, an EC Directive. The documentation has been selected so as to reflect a broad spectrum of political opinions. (orig./HSCH) [de

Development of a web geoservices platform for School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India

Science.gov (United States)

Satheendran, S.; John, C. M.; Fasalul, F. K.; Aanisa, K. M.

2014-11-01

Web geoservices is the obvious graduation of Geographic Information System in a distributed environment through a simple browser. It enables organizations to share domain-specific rich and dynamic spatial information over the web. The present study attempted to design and develop a web enabled GIS application for the School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India to publish various geographical databases to the public through its website. The development of this project is based upon the open source tools and techniques. The output portal site is platform independent. The premier webgis frame work `Geomoose' is utilized. Apache server is used as the Web Server and the UMN Map Server is used as the map server for this project. It provides various customised tools to query the geographical database in different ways and search for various facilities in the geographical area like banks, attractive places, hospitals, hotels etc. The portal site was tested with the output geographical database of 2 projects of the School such as 1) the Tourism Information System for the Malabar region of Kerala State consisting of 5 northern districts 2) the geoenvironmental appraisal of the Athirappilly Hydroelectric Project covering the entire Chalakkudy river basin.

Knowing the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest in childhood: a contribution of the theory of multiple intelligence for environmental education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valerie Nicollier

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This study is grounded in the cognitive sciences and represents a comprehensive inquiry into children's environmental knowledge. It started with an investigation of a specific situation: studying an urban population – stigmatized by a history of local environmental destruction, unconsciously wrought upon an area that is nowadays acknowledged as a natural biodiversity hotspot, the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory (MIT, that describes the presence of several intelligences in human beings, including a naturalist intelligence, this study aimed at improving the understanding of abilities related to environmental knowledge and the differentiation of such abilities from other ways of knowing usually valued in mainstream education. Forty-five (45 students of a primary school located in south Bahia, Brazil, their teachers, and their parents participated in this investigation between 2002 to 2004. Results suggest that the cognitive domains which are subjacent to environmental knowledge are place specific and need to be stimulated in primary schools by formulating more attractive, efficient, and innovative environmental educational methodologies.

Zero Waste: A Realistic Sustainability Program for Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Schumpert, Kary; Dietz, Cyndra

2012-01-01

Eco-Cycle, one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit recycling organizations, has coordinated recycling services and environmental education programs for the two Boulder area public school districts (80 schools) since 1987. In 2005, Eco-Cycle launched the Green Star Schools program in four pilot elementary schools with the goal of moving…

Building beyond the Evaluation Of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development in African Schools and Communities: The Women Global Green Action Network (WGGAN) Africa Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Enie, Rosemary Olive Mbone

2006-01-01

This article describes the Community Health Education and School Sanitation (CHESS) Project, an initiative by the Women Global Green Action Network International to support community-based environmental projects in Africa. The CHESS Project uses women, children and youth to develop more sustainable health and sanitation systems in urban and rural…

Experential Learning Group Investigation as Effort to Developt Environmental Literacy Ability at 5th Grade Students of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah

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Yuswa Istikomayanti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The development of learning tools for Environmental Education to develop students' environmental literacy skills are indispensable. Methods of research and development using 4-D Thiagarajan (Define, Design, Develop and Disseminate. The result of the development of the device include syllabi, lesson plans, modules, and assessment instruments tested in class IV A Lesson Study by performing well. The trial results actually (validation testing with pre-experiment (class IV B can improve the literacy skills of students include aspects of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and skills and habituation. The trial results actually (class IV B obtained N-Score Gain knowledge and attitude tests of 0.64 (medium, and N-Gain Score of the attitude scale questionnaire 0.67 (moderate. While aspects of the student's skills include practical activities seed, move into the growing medium, and the practice of making compost with N-Gain Score of 0.54 (medium and 0.69 (moderate. Activity habituation maintain plants and credible form of checks compost with N-Gain Score of 0.48 (moderate. The results of research and development is expected to be utilized by the school and can be distributed to other schools

Charter Schools, Civil Rights and School Discipline: A Comprehensive Review

Science.gov (United States)

Losen, Daniel J.; Keith, Michael A., II; Hodson, Cheri L.; Martinez, Tia E.

2016-01-01

This report, along with the companion spreadsheet, provides the first comprehensive description ever compiled of charter school discipline. In 2011-12, every one of the nation's 95,000 public schools was required to report its school discipline data, including charter schools. This analysis, which includes more than 5,250 charter schools, focuses…

School Environment Handbook Part I: Overview and Workshop Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Judith; And Others

This handbook, produced by the School Environmental Impact Program (Indiana) was developed to improve school environments and to create more positive attitudes and behaviors in school participants (all those involved in the school and its environment). It is designed to help in the assessment of school conditions by individuals, groups, or school…

Correlates of walking to school and implications for public policies: survey results from parents of elementary school children in Austin, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xuemei; Lee, Chanam

2009-01-01

Walking can be a healthy, sustainable, and equitable mode of transportation, but is not widely used for children's school travel. This study identifies multi-level correlates of walking to/from school and relevant policy implications. We surveyed parents/guardians of 2,695 students from 19 elementary schools in Austin, Texas, which featured diverse sociodemographic and environmental characteristics. Among the personal and social factors, negative correlates were parents' education, car ownership, personal barriers, and school bus availability; positive correlates were parents' and children's positive attitude and regular walking behavior, and supportive peer influences. Of physical environmental factors, the strongest negative correlates were distance and safety concerns, followed by the presence of highways/freeways, convenience stores, office buildings, and bus stops en route. Our findings suggest that society should give high priority to lower socioeconomic status populations and to multi-agency policy interventions that facilitate environmental changes, safety improvements, and educational programs targeting both parents and children.

The development and implementation of a teacher education model in environmental science education for Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) schools

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Anuradha

This research study is concerned with the teaching of Environmental Science in the ninth and tenth grades of ICSE schools in Mumbai, India and the development and implementation of a new teacher education model. The instructional strategies practiced by the teachers were investigated using a questionnaire, semi-structured interview schedule and classroom observation. Based on these data, a new model of teacher education was developed with the help of a small cohort of teachers. The rationale for the model was that it should be a non-prescriptive framework that provided a coherently organized, concise guide for environmental education teachers that incorporated modern perspectives on content knowledge, effective pedagogical practices including constructivist approaches and active learning, and a set of guidelines for effectively integrating pedagogy with science content knowledge. The model was in the form of a two-way matrix, with the columns providing the pedagogy and the rows indicating the content knowledge. The intersections of the columns and rows to form individual cells of the matrix yielded a synthesis of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The model was discussed with the participating teachers, who prepared revised lesson plans using the model and delivered the lessons, which were observed by the researcher. On using the model, the teaching became more student-centered, as the teachers strove to include constructive and inquiry-based approaches. The use of technology enhanced the effectiveness of the lessons and teachers evaluated the students on all three domains of learning (i.e., affective, cognitive, and psychomotor). Most teachers agreed that it was possible to use the model to plan their lesson and implement it in the classroom; however, they needed to put in more time and effort to get used to a change in their teaching methodology. There is no doubt that teacher professional development is a long process and change does not occur immediately

Self-reported health and comfort of school children in 54 classrooms of 21 Dutch school buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bluijssen, P.M.; Zhang, D.; Kurvers, S.R.; Overtoom, M.E.; Ortiz Sanchez, M.A.

2018-01-01

Background
While the indoor environmental quality of classrooms is a potential issue because it may affect the wellbeing of school children, the relations are still poorly studied. This study aimed to investigate the relations between classroom characteristics and health and comfort of school

Teen Advocates for Community and Environmental Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Wunar, B.

2017-12-01

The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) is in the early stages of a NOAA supported Environmental Literacy Grant project that aims to engage high school age youth in the exploration of climate and Earth systems science. Participating youth are positioned as teen advocates for establishing resilient communities in the Midwest. The project utilizes a variety of resources, including NOAA Science On a Sphere® (SOS) technology and datasets, Great Lakes and local climate assets, and local municipal resiliency planning guides to develop museum-based youth programming. Teen participants in the project will share their learning through regular facilitated interactions with public visitors in the Museum and will bring learning experiences to Chicago Public Library sites throughout the city's neighborhoods. Project content will also be adapted for use in 100+ after-school science clubs to engage younger students from diverse communities across the Chicago area. Current strategies for supporting teen facilitation of public experiences, linkages to out of school time and summer learning programs, and connections to local resiliency planning agencies will be explored.

Evidence-based development of school-based and family-involved prevention of overweight across Europe: The ENERGY-project's design and conceptual framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klepp Knut

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is an urgent need for more carefully developed public health measures in order to curb the obesity epidemic among youth. The overall aim of the "EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth" (ENERGY-project is the development and formative evaluation of a theory-informed and evidence-based multi-component school-based and family-involved intervention program ready to be implemented and evaluated for effectiveness across Europe. This program aims at promoting the adoption or continuation of health behaviors that contribute to a healthy energy balance among school-aged children. Earlier studies have indicated that school and family environments are key determinants of energy-balance behaviors in schoolchildren. Schools are an important setting for health promotion in this age group, but school-based interventions mostly fail to target and involve the family environment. Methods Led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from eleven European countries and supported by a team of Australian experts, the ENERGY-project is informed by the Environmental Research Framework for Weight gain Prevention, and comprises a comprehensive epidemiological analysis including 1 systematic reviews of the literature, 2 secondary analyses of existing data, 3 focus group research, and 4 a cross European school-based survey. Results and discussion The theoretical framework and the epidemiological analysis will subsequently inform stepwise intervention development targeting the most relevant energy balance-related behaviors and their personal, family-environmental and school-environmental determinants applying the Intervention Mapping protocol. The intervention scheme will undergo formative and pilot evaluation in five countries. The results of ENERGY will be disseminated among key stakeholders including researchers, policy makers and the general population. Conclusions The ENERGY-project is an international

Educational Impact on the Relationship of Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Liefländer, A. K.; Bogner, F. X.

2018-01-01

This study examines the relationships between the environmental attitudes and environmental knowledge of school children within the framework of an environmental intervention. We employed questions from the 2-MEV model to monitor students' environmental attitudes in terms of the model factors Preservation and Utilisation while concurrently…

Personal and Environmental Resources Mediate the Positivity-Emotional Dysfunction Relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehrer, H Matthew; Janus, Katherine C; Gloria, Christian T; Steinhardt, Mary A

2017-03-01

We investigated the relationships among positivity, perceived personal and environmental resources, and emotional dysfunction in adolescent girls. We hypothesized that perceived resources would mediate the relationship between positivity and emotional dysfunction. Participants (N = 510) attending an all-girls public school completed a survey assessing emotional dysfunction (depressive symptoms and perceived stress), positivity (positive/negative emotions), and personal/ environmental resources (resilience, hope, percent adaptive coping, community connectedness, social support, and school connectedness). Perceived resources were combined into one latent variable, and structural equation modeling tested the mediating effect of perceived resources on the relationship between positivity and emotional dysfunction. The model accounted for 63% of the variance in emotional dysfunction. Positivity exerted a significant direct effect on emotional dysfunction (β = -.14, p emotional dysfunction is primarily but not entirely mediated by perceived personal and environmental resources. Schools should consider strategies to enhance experiences of positive emotions and/or decrease experiences of negative emotions, in conjunction with encouraging student awareness and development of personal and environmental resources.

Teaching Strategies for Strengthening Environmental Values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marilin del Carmen González Castillo

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study aims to apply teaching strategies for strengthening the environmental values in the teachers of School Children's House "Linda Barinas" located in the Carmen parish, municipality Barinas, Barinas state. The nature of the study was inserted into the qualitative paradigm, the kind of research in an action research based on a field study. Key informants were five (05 teachers working in the aforementioned institution. The technique for collecting information through an in-depth interview. The technique and data analysis was performed by means of categorization, triangulation and theorizing. The study led to the conclusion: teachers are unaware of employed teaching strategies, learning strategies in addressing environmental education. In addition, the institution lacks the promotion of educational activities that contribute to improving the environment. Similarly, the absence of a positive attitude towards the environment in which every member of the institution appropriates the existing environmental problems at school. In implementing the action plan training workshops conducted for teachers regarding teaching strategies, environmental values and environmental education, produced a motivation and interest of how to implement that knowledge, when planning, organizing and controlling.

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Sources, Emissions and Environmental Levels in School Buildings

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Characterize levels of PCBs in air, dust, soil and on surfaces at six schoolsApply an exposure model for estimating children’s exposures to PCBs in schoolsEvaluate which routes of exposure are likely to be the most importantProvide information relevant for developing manage...

Radiation education in medical and Co-medical schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koga, Sukehiko

2005-01-01

In the medical field, ionizing radiation is very widely in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, Around 60% of environmental radiation, including natural background and man-made sources of radiation, is caused from medical exposure in Japan. Education of radiation in medical ad co-medical schools are mainly aimed to how effectively use the radiation, and the time shared to fundamental physics, biology and safety or protection of radiation is not so much. (author)

Environmental Mapping Framework and Childhood Obesity in Selangor, Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Hayati Adilin; Ajau Danis; Siti Khuzaimah Ahmad Sharoni; Mastura Khalid

2016-01-01

The schools environment might be one of the factors that contribute to childhood obesity since children spent most of their time at school. This study aimed to identify the compliance of selected schools in Selangor, Malaysia with whole-school mapping framework and prevalence of obesity among primary school children in rural and urban environmental settings. A total of 1200 children aged 10-11 years from 60 schools in rural and urban area in Selangor involved in this study and their BMI was c...

A questionnaire for teachers to improve training activity and students on environmental science in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

Science.gov (United States)

D'Addezio, Giuliana; Marsili, Antonella; Beranzoli, Laura

2017-04-01

ENVRIplus is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures, projects and networks together with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research. One of the aims of this project is to disseminate knowledge on environmental topics, focusing attention on European secondary schools. We elaborated actions to design an e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of an appealing and usable portal/digital repository, to stimulate learning of STEM topics and which also includes opportunities to develop original content. To better project the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international school audience to collect input directly from the potential users. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigates subjective teacher experiences, views and proposals on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

78 FR 44933 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement to the July 2011 Environmental Impact Statement for the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-25

... and local units of government. The other partnering agencies include: U.S. Environmental Protection... Resources; and the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Merger process provides a forum for... travel lanes between a previously proposed interchange south of the Topsail High School and the...

COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CED STUDIO IN TWO ARCHITECTURE SCHOOLS IN KARACHI: EVOLUTION, PROCESS AND IMPACTS

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Noman Ahmed

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Since 1979, a studio module was introduced in the final year studies of Bachelor of Architecture programme at the Dawood College of Engineering and Technology, Karachi which was the only architecture school in the city at that time. A key objective of this studio module was to sensitize the ‘architects in making’ about context of the built environment, the process through which it was shaped and the forces that contributed in its shaping. The students were assigned to study a micro urban area for indepth investigation and analysis. At the conclusion, analytical presentations followed that also included basic proposals for addressing problems that were identified in the studio exercise. Begun in Dawood College, the studio was adopted by many schools of architecture in the country including the NED University, Karachi. This studio had multiple impacts. Understanding the realities behind creation of urban built environment, realization of multiple roles for professional contribution to ongoing metamorphosis and appreciation of diverse fields of studies within the domain of architectural education and practice were some of the vital aspects. The objectives of this paper are to document the evolution and process of CED studio work. The paper also aims to study the affects of CED work on the perception, understandings and professional orientation of architects who graduated from the schools where CED studio was conducted.

Private Schools, California, 2009, California Department of Education

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — California law (California Education Code Section 33190) requires private schools offering or conducting a full-time elementary or secondary level day school for...

Predicting functional communication ability in children with cerebral palsy at school entry.

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Coleman, Andrea; Weir, Kelly; Ware, Robert S; Boyd, Roslyn

2015-03-01

To explore the value of demographic, environmental, and early clinical characteristics in predicting functional communication in children with cerebral palsy (CP) at school entry. Data are from an Australian prospective longitudinal study of children with CP. Children assessed at 18 to 24 and 48 to 60 months corrected age were included in the study. Functional communication was classified at 48 to 60 months using the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS). Predictive variables included communication skills at 18 to 24 months, evaluated using the Communication and Symbolic Behavioural Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP) Infant-Toddler Checklist. Early Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System, and motor type and distribution were evaluated by two physiotherapists. Demographic and comorbid variables were obtained through parent interview with a paediatrician or rehabilitation specialist. A total of 114 children (76 males, 38 females) were included in the study. At 18 to 24 months the mean CSBS-DP was 84.9 (SD 19.0). The CFCS distribution at 48 to 60 months was I=36(32%), II=25(22%), III=20(18%), IV=19(17%), and V=14(12%). In multivariable regression analysis, only CSBS-DP (pcommunication at school entry. Body structure and function and not environmental factors impact functional communication at school entry in children with CP. This provides valuable guidance for early screening, parent education, and future planning of intervention programs to improve functional communication. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Environmental attitudes towards wine tourism

OpenAIRE

Nelson Barber, Nelson; Taylor,Chris; Deale,Cynthia

2010-01-01

Christopher Taylor1, Nelson Barber2, Cynthia Deale31School of Business, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, Roosevelt County, NM, USA; 2Whittemore School of Business, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA; 3Department of Hospitality Management, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC , USAAbstract: Wine tourism marketers frequently seek new ways to promote destinations, often executing ecologically sustainable practices. As consumer environmental knowledge of a wine tourism desti...

Public involvement in environmental surveillance at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanf, R.W. Jr.; Patton, G.W.; Woodruff, R.K.; Poston, T.M.

1994-08-01

Environmental surveillance at the Hanford Site began during the mid-1940s following the construction and start-up of the nation's first plutonium production reactor. Over the past approximately 45 years, surveillance operations on and off the Site have continued, with virtually all sampling being conducted by Hanford Site workers. Recently, the US Department of Energy Richland Operations Office directed that public involvement in Hanford environmental surveillance operations be initiated. Accordingly, three special radiological air monitoring stations were constructed offsite, near hanford's perimeter. Each station is managed and operated by two local school teaches. These three stations are the beginning of a community-operated environmental surveillance program that will ultimately involve the public in most surveillance operations around the Site. The program was designed to stimulate interest in Hanford environmental surveillance operations, and to help the public better understand surveillance results. The program has also been used to enhance educational opportunities at local schools

Understanding the process of greening of Brazilian business schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jabbour, C.J.C.; Sarkis, J.; De Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L.

2013-01-01

activities; (d) paradoxically, the analyzed business schools can be considered academic leaders in the field, but have had difficulties in adopting environmental management practices internally; (e) there is a "path dependence" effect in this process; (f) there are barriers to organizational change towards...... conducted at Brazilian business schools. The results were analyzed using the conceptual background of barriers to organizational change, transition to a more sustainable society, and path dependence. The main findings indicate that: (a) the incorporation of environmental management issues tends to begin......This study analyses business schools' incorporating environmental management issues into their core activities, defined through teaching, research, outreach and management. Taking into account the relative lack of literature on this theme, case study fieldwork is utilized. Two case studies were...

“We don’t know enough”: Environmental education and pro-environmental behaviour perceptions

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Sandra Ajaps

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study sought to understand environmental knowledge and attitudes among young people to explain the relationship between environmental education (EE and reported pro-environmental behaviours (PEB. A mixed-methods design was employed: 88 university students in the UK and Nigeria were surveyed and 6 were subsequently interviewed. The findings indicate that the participants believe humans are abusing the earth and are very concerned about the consequences but do not know enough about environmental problems, especially global warming. Also, those who had more environmental knowledge reported more PEB. Generally, participants want more EE content to be taught in schools and in more engaging ways such as field trips. These findings offer important insights for both theory and practice related to the use of education to develop PEB for a healthier environment.

Functional Assessment and Treatment of Migraine Reports and School Absences in an Adolescent with Asperger's Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Arvans, Rebecca K.; LeBlanc, Linda A.

2009-01-01

Psychological interventions for migraines typically include biofeedback training, stress-management training, or relaxation training and are implemented without consideration of environmental variables that might maintain migraines or complaints of migraines. An adolescent with daily reports of migraines that negatively impacted school attendance…

Preschool Drawing and School Mathematics: The Nature of the Association

Science.gov (United States)

Malanchini, M.; Tosto, M.G.; Garfield, V.; Czerwik, A.; Dirik, A.; Arden, R.; Malykh, S.

2016-01-01

The study examined the aetiology of individual differences in early drawing and of its longitudinal association with school mathematics. Participants (N = 14,760), members of the Twins Early Development Study, were assessed on their ability to draw a human figure, including number of features, symmetry and proportionality. Human figure drawing was moderately stable across six months (average r = .40). Individual differences in drawing at age 4½ were influenced by genetic (.21), shared environmental (.30) and non-shared environmental (.49) factors. Drawing was related to later (age 12) mathematical ability (average r = .24). This association was explained by genetic and shared environmental factors that also influenced general intelligence. Some genetic factors, unrelated to intelligence, also contributed to individual differences in drawing. PMID:27079561

Effect of Environmental Education Based on Transformational Learning Theory on Perceptions towards Environmental Problems and Permanency of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Uyanik, Gökhan

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to determine effect of environmental education based on transformational learning theory on primary school teacher candidates' perceptions towards environmental problems and permanency of learning. Pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design have been used in this study. The study group consists of 66 teacher candidates who…

Experiences and factors influencing a sample of teachers in New York state public elementary and middle schools to focus on environmental education in their teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Tooker, Gail Patricia

This study focuses on how fourteen elementary and middle level teachers in New York chose to teach environmental topics as part of their science curricula. Prior research suggested that factors influencing teachers to make curricular decisions are different from those that motivated them to become teachers in the first place (Espinet, et.al. 1992). This was supported by the results of this study, which found that most of these teachers made the decision to begin teaching environmental education (EE) well after deciding to become teachers and that the decision to teach EE was influenced by a variety of factors including participation in EE-oriented in-service programs, media coverage of environmental issues, encouragement from colleagues and school administrators to undertake EE, and personal experiences in childhood or early adulthood with the environment and/or with EE. Studies examining experiences that influence people to practice "environmentally responsible" behaviors (Chawla, 1995; McGarry, 1994; Tanner, 1994) suggested that positive childhood contacts with nature were important predictors for such behavior in adulthood. Findings of this study were largely consistent with these results, however, this sample of teachers viewed their childhood nature experiences as being mostly responsible for the development of their appreciation of the environment, while their actual decision to begin teaching EE was primarily influenced by other experiences, as discussed above. This study also examined how these teachers prepared themselves for teaching EE. The findings indicate that these teachers used a wide variety of preparation strategies. A minority reported becoming prepared for teaching EE through their pre-service teacher education programs. These results were in agreement with prior findings that most teacher education programs in this country do not include a focus on EE. Even where preparation for EE is included, it has been rated by the participants as

Outdoor Education and the Development of Environmental Responsibility Revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Yerkes, Rita; Biederman, Kobe

2003-01-01

Six research studies are reviewed that examine the ability of environmental education programs in schools and resident camps to positively affect the environmental awareness and attitudes of children and adolescents. Outdoor educators must enable students to develop internal locus of control, critical thinking, and environmental action skills.…

Public Schools, Hawaii, 2009, Hawaii Department of Education

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Locations represent Hawaii's public schools. List of schools was furnished by the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE). Locations were developed by the US EPA Region...

Goddard Space Flight Center: 1994 Maryland/GSFC Earth and Environmental Science Teacher Ambassador Program

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, James

1995-01-01

The Maryland/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Earth and Environmental Science Teacher Ambassador Program was designed to enhance classroom instruction in the Earth and environmental science programs in the secondary schools of the state of Maryland. In October 1992, more than 100 school system administrators from the 24 local Maryland school systems, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the University of Maryland met with NASA GSFC scientists and education officers to propose a cooperative state-wide secondary school science teaching enhancement initiative.

Formação de professores e cidadania: projetos escolares no estudo do ambiente Teacher education and citizenship: school projects in environmental studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vânia Maria Nunes dos Santos

2011-08-01

projects in environmental education developed as part of in-service teacher education, and their contributions to the constitution of new knowledges and didactic-pedagogical procedures for the study of the environment and for the exercise of citizenship. Aiming at the construction of the geo-scientific perspective at school, the environmental education projects made use of different field practices based on remote sensing (satellite images, aerial photography and maps to (recover knowledge from the place of study, with the purpose of building an integrated view of the socio-environmental reality based on the establishment of dialectic relations between the local and the global as a support to the analysis of problems, of their repercussions and implications on different scales of observation. The development of the projects created the opportunity to form teacher-researchers that are innovators, critical, and reflective before the school and socio-environmental realities. Besides, it gave students the conditions to observe and know their own environment and the place where they live, to reflect upon their real situations and, based on this process, propose actions and construct educative interventions in search of solutions for the problems investigated. By incorporating the socio-environmental issue to the pedagogical practice, the school projects attempted to insert school into reality, contributing to form critical citizens that participate in joint and collaborative actions (school, community, public authorities through social learning, aiming at the development of democratic and sustainable public policies to improve the quality of life.

Instructing high school students in forensic environmental science using Brownfield Action

Science.gov (United States)

Bower, Peter; Liddicoat, Joseph; Patterson, Angelica; Kelsey, Ryan; Cox, Alice; Tynes, Nicholas

2010-05-01

Barnard College and Columbia University's Center for New Media Teaching and Learning's Brownfield Action is a digital web-based, interactive simulation that combines lecture, laboratory exercises, and individual and collaborative out-of-classroom assignments. The objective of the instruction is to locate and define a subsurface plume of gasoline whose point source is a leaking underground storage tank (LUST) at a gas station. In the fall of 2009, fifteen pre-college high school students from the five boroughs of New York City used Brownfield Action in a 12-week after-school enrichment program at Barnard to investigate the gasoline plume using a variety of geophysical methods - excavation, ground penetrating radar, magnetic metal detection, soil gas, and drilling. The investigation resulted in individual Phase One Site Assessment Reports about the LUST. As coordinators and instructors of the program, we will share our experience teaching the students and the advantages and challenges of using a digital simulation as an instructional centerpiece. Such instruction is intended to include civic engagement and responsibility as part of science education and to create a curriculum that, instead of relying on fragmented and abstract instruction, provides students with a realistic, inquiry-based, and interdisciplinary construction of knowledge.

Narcissism, Materialism, and Environmental Ethics in Business Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Jacqueline Z.; Westerman, James W.; Bergman, Shawn M.; Westerman, Jennifer; Daly, Joseph P.

2014-01-01

We investigate the relationships between narcissism, materialism, and environmental ethics in undergraduate business students. Data were collected from business students (n = 405) at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business school at a comprehensive state university. Results indicate that narcissism has an…

Development of environmental education in the Korean kindergarten context

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Keum Ho

Many environmental educators insist that environmental education (EE) should be started from a young age. The Korean Ministry of Education (1999) has also emphasized the importance of environmental education in early childhood by including content and objectives regarding EE in the 1999 National Curriculum of Kindergarten. However, many Korean kindergarten teachers do not sufficiently implement environmental education in their teaching practice. To address this issue, this study aimed at investigating and overcoming barriers to fully implement EE in the Korean kindergarten context. Four experienced Korean kindergarten teachers were involved in a fourteen-week critical action research project that included weekly group meetings. At these group meetings, teachers reflected on the barriers preventing the full implementation of EE in their classrooms and discussed possible environmental education actions to be attempted in the following week. These actions, individually implemented in teachers' classrooms, were reviewed at subsequent group meetings. Data from group meetings and teacher lessons were used to analyze the effectiveness of this critical action research project for developing environmental education. At the beginning stages of this study, Korean kindergarten teachers felt strongly uncomfortable participating in group communication. However, through the continuous encouragement of the researcher and with the involvement of participants who have similar educational backgrounds, age, and working experiences, participants came to actively engage in group communication. Participants in this study identified the following barriers to fully implement EE in kindergartens: insufficient understandings and awareness of EE, reluctant attitudes towards the environment, lack of educational support and resources, low parental involvement, and discomfort about going on a field trip to environments. Teachers came to understand the importance, objectives, potential topics

Environmental health knowledge and practice survey among secondary schoolchildren in Zaria, Nigeria.

OpenAIRE

Ebong, R D

1994-01-01

Knowledge of environmental health was assessed in a sample of 192 students at Ja'afaru Secondary School, Zaria, Nigeria, by means of a questionnaire. A follow-up practice survey was also administered to assess the environmental sanitation of the school and the homes of a subsample of the students. Observations were recorded on the sources of water, the methods of refuse and sewage disposal, and the hygienic condition of the toilets in both the school and the homes surveyed. The findings indic...

Influences on Children's Environmental Cognition: A Comparative Analysis of New Zealand and Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Bielschowsky, Ikerne; Freeman, Claire; Vass, Eva

2012-01-01

This paper investigates Mexican and New Zealand children's conception of the environment and their understandings of environmental issues, focusing on how personal experiences, culture and school-based environmental education (EE) programmes influence their perspectives. Sixty Year 5 children (age 9-11) from three schools in Dunedin (New Zealand)…