The Effects of a Summer Camp Program in China on Children's Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Toward Animals: A Model for Conservation Education

Abstract

This summative evaluation, conducted in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, studied whether participation in a conservation education camp positively changed 8-12-year-old children's (a) knowledge of how to protect animals, (b) care about animals, (c) propensity for environmental and wildlife stewardship, and (d) compassionate behavior toward animals and nature. Influenced by conservation psychology, social learning theory, empathy and moral development, constructivism, and conservation biology, 5-day overnight camps were conducted at 2 zoological institutions. Activities were designed to help children form bonds with animals and care enough to positively change their behavior toward animals and nature. Mixed methods, using pre-and post-visit surveys, researcher field notes, vignettes, student journals, an end of camp questionnaire, and a camper behavior ethogram, revealed significant increases in knowledge, care, and propensity for action, and an additional theme, empathy. This study identified effective strategies to promote positive behavior toward animals, empathy, and conservation behavior.

Rapid, experience-related changes in the organization of children’s semantic knowledge

“…First, these results both add to evidence from the small number of prior studies that have shown knowledge organization change prompted by a brief intervention, and expand upon this evidence by demonstrating knowledge organization change following a real-world, naturalistic learning experience. Second, these results also expand upon evidence about the effects of similar real-world, naturalistic learning experiences, such as a field trip to a museum or zoo (Bexell et al, 2013;Farmer et al, 2007;Gottfried, 1980;Prokop et al, 2007;Randler et al, 2007;Randler et al, 2012;Stronck, 1983). Specifically, this body of research has provided evidence that such experiences can prompt the acquisition of knowledge for individual facts or principles.…”

“…Therefore, beyond expanding upon this small body of prior research, it is important to investigate whether naturalistic learning experiences can prompt changes in knowledge organization, and do so over relatively brief timescales. However, prior studies that investigated the effects of naturalistic learning experiences such as a field trip to a museum or zoo (Bexell, Jarrett, & Ping, 2013;Farmer, Knapp, & Benton, 2007;Gottfried, 1980;Prokop, Tuncer, & Kvasničák, 2007;Randler, Baumgärtner, Eisele, & Kienzle, 2007;Randler, Kummer, & Wilhelm, 2012;Stronck, 1983) largely focused on evaluating learning of specific facts (e.g., "Kangaroo rats have giant feet", (p. 172, Gottfried, 1980) rather than changes in in the way that knowledge is organized according to relations among different concepts.…”

Effect of science camp for enhancing STEM skills of gifted young scientists

“…There are suggestions for the inclusion of more hands-on experiments and field trips in future camps. This corroborates previous findings which showed that learning science by doing enhanced students' positive attitude towards science and nature (Birinci Konura, Şeyihoğlu, Sezen, & Tekbiyik, 2011), had positive impact on students' interests toward biology, their career decision and perception concerning biology and daily life (Sezen Vekli, 2013), and promoted positive behaviour toward animals, empathy, and conservation behaviour (Bexell, Jarrett, & Ping, 2013).…”

A Residential Camp’s Impact on Youths’ Leadership Skills and Natural Resource Knowledge

“…Knowledge and leadership increase when participants are given time to consider their experiences and contemplate how their lessons fit into the natural world (Bexell, Jarrett, & Ping, 2013). CCNRC incorporates journaling into the camp itinerary to expand campers' writing experiences and allow time for contemplation.…”