Environmental attitudes, beliefs about social justice and intention to vote Green: lessons for the New Zealand Green Party?

Carroll, Penelope; Casswell, Sally; Huakau, John; Perry, Pamela; Chapman, Philippa

doi:10.1080/09644010802682635

Cited by 17 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Findings from this inquiry indicate that many students expressed strong feelings about the protection of wildlife and issues of justice and injustice in human power relationships. These findings are supported by literature indicating that biology lessons can affect students' attitudes toward wildlife (Adams, Thomas, Newgard & Cooper, 1987), and significant correlations between New Zealanders' reported levels of concern for environmental and social justice issues (Carroll, Casswell, Huakau, Perry & Chapman, 2009). …”

Section: Caring and Acting For The Environmentsupporting

confidence: 74%

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Lebo¹,

Eames²,

Coll³

et al. 2013

Aust. J. environ. educ.

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Environmental, economic, and social trends suggest the need for more sustainable ways of thinking and patterns of behaviour. Such a shift would require humanity to function at high levels of ecological literacy, which relies on a certain amount of scientific literacy. However, troubling evidence indicates an international pattern of student disengagement with science at the secondary level. Evidence also suggests that it is difficult to integrate environmental or sustainability education at this level, both within New Zealand and elsewhere. This research was aimed at examining the use of a novel approach, using permaculture, in junior secondary science (Years 9 and 10) to enhance students’ ecological and scientific literacy, as well as their attitudes toward studying science in school.Permaculture is an ecological design system based on science and ethics. A permaculture approach to science education involves eco-design thinking, as well as the use of local permaculture properties and practitioners, and the science behind common permaculture practices. The approach is also meant to be relevant and engaging, and to promote systems thinking. This study involved the design and delivery of an intervention based on permaculture principles to one Year 10 science class in New Zealand.Research took the form of a naturalistic, interpretive, mixed methods case study, which included the use of questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Data collection focused on the impacts of a permaculture approach on the teaching and learning of science, on students’ ecological literacy, and on students’ attitudes toward learning science in school. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires probed students’ opinions on the environment, science, and learning science in school, and tested their sustainable thinking and systems thinking with concept mapping and SOLO Taxonomy exercises. Classroom observations took place over the course of 12 weeks, on average 3 days per week, totalling 31 days. Before and after some classroom visits, I had informal conversations with the teacher, along with three formal interviews before, during and after the intervention. Three focus groups of students were interviewed immediately following the intervention.Findings show that a permaculture approach to junior secondary science can impact positively on students’ understanding of science and sustainability, and may impact on their attitudes toward studying science in school. It also appeared to impact positively on the science teacher'sattitude toward including sustainability in his teaching practice, and on his own sustainability learning. Regarding both students and teachers, a permaculture approach appears to have been effective to cultivate attitudes and trellis learning.The teacher and the students responded favourably to many aspects of the intervention, including the overall focus on the environment, the field trips, and some classroom learning activities. The teacher reported appreciating the way the intervention contextualised science with real world examples. Most students reported appreciating the experiential aspects of the intervention, as well as the relevance that a permaculture approach to science education provided. Findings indicate that advances in ecological and scientific literacy varied among students. Some students appeared to: improve their use of science and sustainability vocabulary; become more aware of select socio-scientific issues; better recognise scientific and ecological limits and possibilities. Some students also showed advances in sustainable thinking and systems thinking. Although many students expressed concern about issues such as pollution, wildlife, and genetic engineering — and prioritised protecting the environment over making money — there appeared to be a disconnect between these feelings and a sense of personal responsibility to act. Most students reported enjoying learning science with a focus on the environment, with one cohort indicating much greater enjoyment of the permaculture approach than their usual level of enjoyment of learning science in school.Trends in environmental degradation, population growth, energy inflation, and economic stagnation — especially pronounced since the beginning of this inquiry in 2008 — indicate that the world of the future will require ecologically literate citizens who can design and create truly sustainable systems for all human endeavors. Cultivating such citizens, and trellising their science and sustainability learning has implications for science education. This thesis identifies an innovative approach for junior secondary science in New Zealand that provides a way towards a more sustainable future.

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Section: Caring and Acting For The Environmentsupporting

confidence: 74%

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Lebo¹,

Eames²,

Coll³

et al. 2013

Aust. J. environ. educ.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Significant correlations can be found between willingness to pay increased taxes for social services and greater social equity, and a willingness to pay increased taxes to ensure environmental protection (Carroll et al 2009). Contrary to Batten (2005), Carroll and co-authors concluded that the Greens would not necessarily fare better electorally by confining themselves to environmental issues and taking a less committed position on social justice and inequality, arguing that the Greens' left-of-centre social policies might prove even more attractive to those for whom environment was a priority.…”

Section: The Green Party and The Issue Of Inequalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such values are common among Green parties globally (Ford 2015). Ecologism is central but supplemented with notions of respect and tolerance without violence, inclusivity, social justice and responsibility (Carroll et al 2009;Talshir 2002). In Ronald Inglehart's (1990) terms, Green Parties are 'postmaterialist'.…”

Section: Background and Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bark But No Bite: Inequality and the 2014 New Zealand General Election

Vowles¹,

Coffé²,

Curtin³

2017

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“…The 2011 campaign was successful in taking the more focused approach and linking environmental issues with wider social justice and economic interests, thereby providing an opportunity to broaden the support base (see Carroll et al 2009). The campaign placed an emphasis on economic development that did not come at the expense of the environment, 12 THE GREEN PARTY OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND AND THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION building on existing campaigns by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and interest groups (particularly 'Dirty Dairying' led by Fish and Game New Zealand and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society [Sharpe 2012]).…”

Section: Campaign Election and Future Prospectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Significantly for the Green Party, the 2011 election also saw a majority vote in a referendum supporting the retention of a mixed member proportional (MMP) system, which had benefited the party. In achieving this level of relative success the Green Party has been aided by factors specific to the social and political context of New Zealand (see Bale and Bergman, 2006;Carroll et al 2009). Bearing the importance of context in mind, this article argues that there are aspects of the performance of the New Zealand Green Party that may point to lessons for environmentally focused political parties elsewhere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Leaving the Minors: The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and the 2011 General Election

O’Brien¹

2013

Representation

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Environmental attitudes, beliefs about social justice and intention to vote Green: lessons for the New Zealand Green Party?

Cited by 17 publications

References 23 publications

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

Toward Ecological Literacy: A Permaculture Approach to Junior Secondary Science

A Bark But No Bite: Inequality and the 2014 New Zealand General Election

Leaving the Minors: The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and the 2011 General Election

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