Arthropods and the Current Great Mass Extinction: Effective Themes to Decrease Arthropod Fear and Disgust and Increase Positive Environmental Beliefs in Children?

Autor/inn/en	Wagler, Amy; Wagler, Ron
Titel	Arthropods and the Current Great Mass Extinction: Effective Themes to Decrease Arthropod Fear and Disgust and Increase Positive Environmental Beliefs in Children?
Quelle	In: International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 9 (2014) 2, S.197-214 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1306 3065
Schlagwörter	Elementary School Science; Environmental Education; Animals; Fear; Positive Attitudes; Elementary School Students; Biodiversity; Wildlife; Beliefs; Student Attitudes; Learning Activities; Attitude Change; Structural Equation Models; Science Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Umweltbildung; Umwelterziehung; Umweltpädagogik; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Furcht; Biodiversität; Belief; Glaube; Schülerverhalten; Lernaktivität; Attitudinal change; Einstellungsänderung; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Unterrichtserfolg
Abstract	Earth is experiencing a great mass extinction (GME) that has been caused by the environmentally destructive activities of humans. This GME is having and will have profound effects on Earth's biodiversity if environmental sustainability is not reached. Activities and curriculum tools have been developed to assist teachers in integrating the current GME theme into their existing curriculum. There has also been a recent appeal to incorporate the current GME theme into science and environmental education research but this research has yet to be conducted. This study presents the first time the current GME theme has been assessed in a research setting. This study analyzed the effect living "Poecilotheria" spider activities had on United States children. The variables measured included 1) human fear toward the Poecilotheria spiders; 2) human disgust toward the "Poecilotheria" spiders; and 3) human environmental beliefs associated with the current GMEs impact on the "Poecilotheria" spiders. New to this study is the finding that the use of living spiders in a positive educational setting that addresses the current GME are effective tools in decreasing fear and disgust and increasing positive environmental beliefs toward "Poecilotheria" spiders in children. Teachers of elementary children should consider arthropods, arthropod information and the current GME as effective themes to decrease arthropod fear and disgust and increase positive environmental beliefs in children. Lastly, this study presents a structural equation model showing that the reduction of fear and disgust towards specific animals can increase positive environmental beliefs in children when focused on the current GME. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	International Consortium for the Advancement of Academic Publication. Abant Izzet Baysal University, Faculty of Education, 14280 Golkoy-Bolu, Turkey. e-mail: editorijese@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.ijese.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10