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Initially an elementary and high school science teacher and then a junior high school principal, Harold was recruited by Southern Illinois University to teach junior high and high school science in its laboratory school. At SIU, Harold completed a doctoral degree in 1970 and was appointed to lead the science education program in the College of Education, where he expanded its scope to include environmental education. Dr. Harold R. Hungerford, Professor Emeritus at Southern Illinois University, died in Carbondale, IL on February 26, 2022. [Extracted from the article]

This study examined the effects of an extensive inquiry-based field experience on pre service elementary teachers’ personal agency beliefs, a composite measure of context beliefs and capability beliefs related to teaching science. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approaches and included an experimental group that utilized the inquiry method and a control group that used traditional teaching methods. Pre- and post-test scores for the experimental and control groups were compared. The context beliefs of both groups showed no significant change as a result of the experience. However, the control group’s capability belief scores, lower than those of the experimental group to start with, declined significantly; the experimental group’s scores remained unchanged. Thus, the inquiry-based field experience led to an increase in personal agency beliefs. The qualitative data suggested a new hypothesis that there is a spiral relationship among teachers’ ability to establish communicative relationships with students, desire for personal growth and improvement, ability to implement multiple instructional strategies, and possession of substantive content knowledge. The study concludes that inquiry-based student teaching should be encouraged in the training of elementary school science teachers. However, the meaning and practice of the inquiry method should be clearly delineated to ensure its correct implementation in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interviews four environmental education classroom teachers, Marie Marrs, Barb Pietrucha, Vicki Newberry and Dara Lukonen, about the environmental education in their classrooms. Brief background of the teachers; Reason they became environmental educators; Proudest moments as an environmental educator.

This study evaluated the impact of an environmental education program on students, parents, and the community. The program, in place for 5 years in 5th and 6th grade classes, was designed to help learners take an in-depth look at environmental issues in their community, make data-based decisions about those issues, and participate in resolving those issues. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were employed (including student, parent, school personnel, and community member interviews). The authors discuss program connections to students' critical thinking, environmental literacy, and participation in the community; reading, writing, and speaking skills; student and teacher characteristics; and parent and community viewpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interviews Harold Hungerford, an environmental educator. Relevance of the goals for the curriculum development in environmental education; Persons who inspired him within the field of environmental education; People who have made the most significant contributions to the field.

The authors compared a qualitative study of teacher decision making during the 1st year of implementation of an environmental education curriculum. The authors examined perceptions of training, the program, of administrative and peer support, and the manner in which the program was implemented in each classroom. Administrators were perceived as supporting the program because it helped to facilitate other school goals. Participants perceived that others did not understand the program. Initially, participants found the training difficult because the program was different from what they were accustomed to doing. The researchers found that teachers' perceptions stemmed from cognitive changes that the program stimulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors focus on quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the training model for Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions (IEEIA). The authors examined (a) the relationship between IEEIA implementation rates and type of training; (b) workshop participants' perceptions of support for their use of IEEIA and the relationship between those perceptions and implementation; and (c) workshop participants' perceptions about the impact of the instructional approach on themselves, students, administrators, colleagues, parents, and the community. A direct-mailed questionnaire was used to collect data from 132 teachers who had participated in IEEIA training between 1990 and 1999. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 8 workshop participants. More than half of the teachers used the approach. Participants of extended or multiple trainings tended to use IEEIA more than their counterparts. Support after the workshop was important to implementation; IEEIA teachers perceived that it had positive impacts on themselves, students, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The authors assessed the effects of an extended case study that focused on wetland issues with 7th and 8th graders. The extended case study is an instructional method that incorporates the issue investigation-evaluation and action training model. A modified pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design was used with 15 intact classes from Illinois and Missouri. Posttest data were collected on the following variables: overt environmental behavior, knowledge of ecological foundations, individual locus of control, group locus of control, knowledge of citizenship action skills, and perceived skill in use of citizenship action skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about Project Synthesis, a comprehensive research effort on science and technology in the U.S. After the launching of Sputnik in 1957, Americans regarded technological supremacy as an important national goal. To prepare all their students to deal successfully with science and technology in their own, the government developed the research effort funded by the National Science Foundation. Norris Harms of the University of Colorado led a nationwide team of science educators to synthesize and interpret the combined data of four comprehensive studies.

Discusses environmental interpretation, which can and should influence a person's attitude toward the use of natural resources. Information on the development of goals for environmental interpretation; Listing of the six principles of interpretation; Reference to the link between environmental interpretation and environmental education.

Discusses ways to meet the challenges facing the environmental education community. Skills that workshop leaders should possess to help educators meet such challenges; Components in curriculum design that professionals should consider to help learners become responsible environmental citizens; Recommendations for program implementation and evaluation.