How Environmental Values Predict Acquisition of Different Cognitive Knowledge Types with Regard to Forest Conservation

Abstract

Abstract:We describe a student-centered, hands-on conservational program designed to alter adolescent environmental values and cognitive knowledge. The values (defined as sets of attitudes towards nature conservation) were measured using the 2-MEV scale (Two Major Environmental Values: Preservation, Utilization). Pre-existing knowledge levels and subsequent cognitive learning (short-, medium-and long-term) were scored on the basis of the three knowledge dimensions (system knowledge: Sys, action-related knowledge: Act and effectiveness knowledge: Eff ). Two hundred and seventy-one 6th to 8th graders, unaware of the testing schedules, completed our questionnaires two weeks before (T0), immediately after (T1), six weeks after (T2) and six months (T3) after participation in our nature and wildlife conservation program module. The linear mixed effects model (LMM) was used to analyze the relationships of cognitive knowledge with Preservation and Utilization: high Preservation scores predicted high overall pre-knowledge for all three knowledge types. High Utilization scores correlated with low pre-knowledge scores for all knowledge types. For Preservation, this positive relationship remained constant at all testing schedules. Utilization and knowledge acquisition correlated negatively in both the short (six weeks) and long terms (six months). Students scoring high on Preservation knew more, learned more, and forgot less in the short term than the low scorers. Students scoring high on Utilization briefly added cognitive knowledge immediately after the intervention, though this disappeared again in the short term. Educators are advised to build upon existing values and adjust their teaching on nature conservation issues accordingly.

The Knowledge and Value Basis of Private Forest Management in Sweden: Actual Knowledge, Confidence, and Value Priorities

“…SE-ST self-enhancement versus self-transcendence, PROD VALUE production forest values, BIO VALUE biodiversity forest values, REC VALUE recreation forest values. PROD PRIVATE FOI production/ private forest owner identity, CON PUBLIC FOI consumption/public forest owner identity, SOCIAL FOI social forest owner identity, DISTANT FOI distant forest owner identity, CENTRAL FOI central forest owner identity *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 be important for the acquisition of knowledge) (Thorn and Bogner 2018). In addition, to determine the generality of the results, there is a need to explore how different types of knowledge (including local and traditional knowledge) and value priorities, as well as different indicators of management behaviors, are related in diverse samples and contexts.…”

Environmental Values (2-MEV) and Appreciation of Nature

“…Without any doubt from a pedagogical perspective, the positive message of appreciation is expected to provide a valuable trigger for convincingly showing change of individual behaviors (see introduction) [29,59]. The adolescents' age group expects positive approaches to be more meaningful, not because this cohort is not responsible at all for any environmental implementation, but because this age-group has a more optimistic view of the world.…”

The Relation between Knowledge Acquisition and Environmental Values within the Scope of a Biodiversity Learning Module

“…Fremerey and Bogner [59] examined the cognitive achievement of 12-year-old students within an educational outreach-module on the topic of drinking water and reported a positive correlation between the pro-environmental value preservation and students' knowledge scores, while utilization showed no relation to knowledge acquisition. Additionally, Thorn and Bogner [60] reported a positive relation of preservation and a negative relation of utilization with the cognitive achievement of 13-year-old students within an environmental learning module on forest conservation.…”