Sustaining the river: A grounded theory exploration of the bridges and barriers to environmental education in British Columbia.

摘要

This study explores the current state of environmental education in British Columbia. Gathering and examining data through a survey of 85 practicing educators and a focus group of 12 survey participants, this study analyses the bridges and barriers to creating and sustaining our capacity to nurture ecological literacy and enable ecoaction across educational contexts. Using a grounded theory methodology, educator participants provided their insights and perspectives substantiating bridges and barriers across personal, curricular, programmatic, institutional, community, and policy system levels. From the data emerged a concentric, nested model of bridges and barriers and a substantive theory of environmental education in BC presented as a metaphorical river. Action strategies are recommended to enhance and expand our educational practices around ecoliteracy and ecoaction in BC's learning communities.