Teacher Persistence in Implementing EE: Implications for the Interpretive Community

Abstract

There are a variety of barriers that deter teachers from using environmental education (EE), including state curriculum standards and testing, lack of funding and transportation, lack of training, and misconceptions about what EE is. Despite these barriers, some teachers persist in using EE. Because teachers and students in the formal educational setting often are a key audience for interpretive centers, it would be useful to understand teachers’ motivations for using EE and what helps them overcome barriers to integrating EE into their curriculum. Survey research was conducted with 70 K–12 teachers to investigate what they perceive as the strongest influences on their decisions to implement EE and their abilities to do so. Results indicated personal environmental literacy knowledge and skills, environmental sensitivity, and teaching context as key influences on teachers’ use of EE. Implications for the interpretive community related to providing teacher training and marketing school-based programs are discussed.