Using existing educational tools to support and enhance environmental education: utilizing ecoliterary texts, gamifying education, and integrating technology

Abstract

Raising the next generation of environmental stewards is essential to addressing growing environmental degradation, and therefore, effective and accessible environmental education is more important than ever. However, research shows that there are many barriers facing educators when implementing environmental education in their practice. As such, this portfolio asked: how can teachers use existing educational tools and techniques to improve and support environmental education for students, specifically through the use of children’s literature, technology integration, and gamification. An extensive literature review uncovered many common themes in answering this inquiry, including known barriers to educators, best practices in environmental education, and how ecoliterary texts, technology, and gamification practices can be used to enhance environmental education for all. A website, 3Eguide.com, was developed for teachers to help them in their quest to implement environmental education, and includes lesson plans, videos and other resources, available to teachers who seek to better their practice and the world. The following document includes an introduction, my personal positioning within the research, a literature review, methods, and of course, links to the website.