PS 69-126
Understanding youth perceptions of their environment
Friday, August 15, 2014
Exhibit Hall, Sacramento Convention Center
Sara O. Schwartz, Environmental Science, Allegheny College, Pittsburgh, PA
Kate J. Darby, Environmental Science, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Background/Question/Methods
Understanding youth perceptions of and interact with the environment is crucial for developing strong environmental education efforts. Especially in urban environments, little is known about how children understand the ecosystems around them. Gaining insights about children’s perceptions of the environment can inform environmental education efforts and help identify areas of environmental injustice. In this study we aim to better understand youth perceptions of environment in Western Pennsylvania. This pilot project focused on children living in a subsidized housing community in Meadville, PA, a small town situated on French Creek, the most biodiverse waterway in Pennsylvania. To understand how children understand their surrounding environment, we worked with a group of fourteen youth, ages 8-17. Using a technique called photovoice, we elicited youth perceptions by asking them to take us on a tour of their neighborhood and take photographs. After conducting these tours, we held a focus group to gather more data about why youth value particular aspects of their environment. We used a qualitative data analysis approach called grounded theory to analyze the photographs, guided tour narrations, and focus group transcripts.
Results/Conclusions
Our experiences demonstrate that photovoice is an effective tool for understanding youth perceptions of the environment. Our results revealed participants’ interest in the natural environment within their neighborhood and concern for hazards to their health and safety. Youth participants consistently photographed green spaces, including a pathway to a nearby park, and expressed strong connections to these spaces. Some of the photographs showed how highly the children value natural aspects of where they live by depicting elements of local ecology, including one participant who named a plant a “seed popper” after the noise it makes when its touched. In focus groups and during the tours kids emphasized the playgrounds as being vital to their outdoor experiences, and expressed concern about any limitations on their ability to use outdoor space (e.g. vandalism, broken equipment). A few students expressed interest in using a neighborhood vegetable garden; they were intrigued by the idea of eating vegetables they could pick themselves. These results suggest the importance of developing environmental education practices that build on children’s experiences around their homes and build from their interest in ecological systems “nearby” as opposed to ecosystems that might not be as relatable.
