Second International Handbook of Lifelong Learning by David N. Aspin Judith Chapman Karen Evans & Richard Bagnall

Author:David N. Aspin, Judith Chapman, Karen Evans & Richard Bagnall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht

A Horizontal, Comparative and Interdisciplinary Approach Towards Defining Effective Ecopedagogy

The following approach was constructed from qualitative, comparative education research of 35 progressive adult environmental informal and non-formal educators (mostly social/environmental movement leaders) in Buenos Aires and Cordoba, Argentina; São Paulo, Brazil and Appalachia, USA. The overall research question was: How do adult ecopedagogy educators define effective characteristics for ecopedagogy programs within these regions? Subset questions included the following: (1) What pedagogical tools do ecopedagogy educators utilize to develop critical thought processes of the interconnections between environmental degradation and social justice? (2) How do ecopedagogy educators determine successful ecopedagogy ­ programs? and (3) What are ecopedagogy educators’ perceptions of the effects of processes of globalization on ecopedagogy? The research compared and contrasted the vertical relationships between The North and The South, within regions, nation-states and communities to critically determine oppressor/oppressed relationships. The constructed theoretical model emerged from the research participants’ voices. The resulting ecopedagogy developed within the theoretical underpinnings from the participants through horizontal discussions rather than through vertical interview methods with authority placed upon the interviewer. In other words, the interdisciplinary nature of the theoretical framework was developed from the participant educators themselves.

Although there always exists a vertical positionality between researcher and research participant, the interviews were as loosely structured as possible to ­encourage ­horizontal dialogue. Discussion topics were determined mostly by the participants, outside of two questions which, for most interviews, were addressed preemptively by the participants.10 There existed no pre-determined list of interview questions. Interviews began with a general question asking for the participant’s thoughts on, experiences with and background in environmental education. From these initial remarks, participants then guided the discussion and self-selected topics of importance.

This bottom-up approach to interviews is a reinvention of Freirean pedagogy. The participants, rather than the researcher, dictated the path of research, thus avoiding a highly structured format prone to limiting participants’ interests, context and space. As in Freirean pedagogy, this interview process is founded on ‘…love, humanity, and faith, dialogue becomes a horizontal relationship of which mutual trust between the dialoguers is the logical consequence’ (Freire 2005b, p. 91). Research methods are based on respect for the knowledge of participants. Participant knowledge and curiosities are considered essential to the definition of the research and its conclusions. If information is gathered without regard for the participant(s)’ voice(s), the process would turn data into something that would be ultimately flawed, by being consciously or unconsciously shaped by the researcher(s). If information is gathered by ignoring (or silencing) the voice of the people who stated it, the processes of the research itself as an entirety would be skewed towards the single perspective of the researcher. This research method allows for a better analysis of the topic selections because they are determined by participants; thus, what they identify as important in their discussion of ecopedagogy is what becomes significant. Freirean pedagogy emerged as the foundation of environmental education and research with the need for horizontal and democratic dialogue to read and re-read complex and often hidden links between environmental and social injustices.

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