SYNTHESIZING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FRAMEWORKS TO TEACH FEW-NEXUS EFFECTIVELY: A STUDY OF FRAMEWORKS SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO

A growing concern for the continuance of civilization is the ability to use the Earth’s resources sustainably. Specifically, the Food, Energy and Water (FEW)-nexus contains the most pertinent resources to sustain our future. However, many people are not aware of their consumption habits and their impacts on the FEW-nexus. In this presentation, we will explore Environmental Education (EE) theoretical frameworks and their applications in teaching the FEW-nexus. We conducted a literature search to compile EE theoretical frameworks to inform the development of FEW-nexus curricula. Historical theoretical frameworks of EE focus on behavior modification. Originally, the argument was that environmental knowledge leads to awareness, which leads to changes in behavior. However, Hungerford and colleagues later suggested that a EE theoretical framework of behavior change should consider multiple factors from three categories (entry-level, ownership, and empowerment) and how they influence behaviors. After a historical discussion of EE frameworks, we suggest how they might be combined to consider factors that influence behavior and to build EE curriculum that helps students develop abilities to act by critically and innovatively considering their specific environment. The field of FEW-nexus teaching and learning is growing. In order to have our findings build upon each other, it will be necessary to base our research on relevant theoretical frameworks. We have begun this work through this literature search. We conclude by suggesting how further research might assess the application of these frameworks and determine the effectiveness of their use and highlight our next steps in contributing to this work.