Establishing environmental attitudes: An ethnographic study of ecocentrism in a Michigan Green School

摘要

The last century has been marked by significant growth of the human population and increased consumption of world resources, resulting in unsustainable demands on the natural environment. Specifically, current generations have witnessed increased pollution, land cultivation, declining habitats, and species extinction. As anthropocentric, or human-centered, attitudes have largely influenced the world ecological portrait, this alarming trend calls for a response which improves human behaviors, thereby improving environmental conditions as well. A shift to ecocentrism, or a world-view attitude, is capable of minimizing the human footprint on the natural world.;Educational institutions are poised to deliver one of the most effective and expedient responses to environmental challenges. Through the implementation of environmental education initiatives, such as the Michigan Green School Act, schools already aim to produce young environmental advocates and problem solvers, equipped with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills to secure sustainable futures for all. While peer-reviewed research with adult participants suggests programs designed to increase environmental concern should focus on ecocentric attitudes, little research has been conducted to see if childhood ecocentrism exists within specific education settings such as a certified Michigan Green School. To determine the presence of ecocentrism, an ethnographic study was employed with data sources including interviews, vignette responses, observation and archival document review. The interviews were conducted with students aged nine to eleven, with all participants enrolled in the school for at least three years. Through data analysis, themes were revealed and a story emerged of a culture-sharing group within a top-rated Michigan Green School setting. Two overarching themes arose from the data: conservancy and ecotopic character, both connected to ecocentrism.;The major findings of this study were: (a) Administrative support contributed to the cultural mindset of ecocentrism; (b) Shared leadership increased the students' ecological autonomy, contributing to overall student ecocentrism; (c) Community involvement was essential in carrying out ecocentric practices; and (d) Ecological proficiency or knowledge was central to an ecocentric perspective. The research results suggested that while ecocentrism does exist in certified Michigan Green Schools, targeted revisions of the environmental initiative may result in greater ecological proficiency and overall ecocentrism.