International Collaboration Matters Studying EE Researchers across nations
International Collaboration Matters: Studying EE Researchers across nations Researching EE researchers among Taiwan, Korea and Japan The 47 th Annual NAAEE Conference Spokane October 12 th 2018 TO Kimiharu Aomori University NINOMIYA-LIM Sachi Tokai University CHANG T. C. National Taiwan Normal University FURIHATA Shinichi Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology LEE Sun-kyung Cheongju National University of Education KIM Chankook Korea National University of Education
Aims of our presentation • To introduce and to share our international survey project among EE researchers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan • We are also seeking inputs from EE professionals and researchers toward preparing our upcoming survey
Background • Emergence of cosmopolitan norm in EE research Calling for “greater openness to new cultures” for the next 30 years (Scott 2009, p. 155).
Background Influence of global terms such as SD, ESD, biodiversity, and SDGs upon local practices Local, individual practices are implicitly connected across nations and cultures.
Background: Inquiring into “EE in Asia” • Collaborative momentum toward publishing Special Issue of the Japanese Journal of Environmental Education: EE in Asia (Vol. 26(2017) No. 4 ) • 13 articles contributed by 27 researchers from 5 academic EE societies (Japan, Taiwan, Korea, North America, and Australia) • Free Access https: //www. jstage. jst. go. jp/browse/jsoee/ 26/4/_contents/-char/ja
JJEE-EEA: Emerged Issues for Further Studies • Formal EE o Status, impact, issues of institutionalizing EE in schools o Roles of EE in improving the quality of school education o Marginalization of EE in schools oriented towards college entrance • Non-formal EE o Limited impacts non-formal EE has made on society o Impacts of governmental institutionalization on characteristics, contents, and qualities of non-formal EE – to avoid weakening its diversity and autonomy • EE Research o Transformation of EE practices into EE research o Enhancement of the field of EE as an academic discipline
JJEE-EEA: Insights from outside Asia o The importance of understanding EE in relation to biogeography, sociocultural and socioecological history o Possible collaboration in cross-cultural EE exchanges, “posthumanist” EE development, and EE for Asian migrants in the other regions o The need to envision futures for EE raising critical questions in relation to the roles of EE … reflect on values, controversies, and dilemmas, to critically face the ‘post-truth’ era, and to take necessary action…
Studies paying attention to EE research 1) Comprehensive review → Overviews of various EE research 2) Geographically oriented review → Research trends in particular nation according to particular categories. 3) Surveying among researchers Thematic aspects → Uncovering emerging themes and topics Practical aspects → Uncovering trends concerning research practices
Surveying among EE researchers Internationalized EE Such a cross-national survey enables: 1. to facilitate evidence-based analysis, possibly recommendations, to improve current interpretations of policies and practices, in an effort “to take account of cross-national differences and inconsistencies that could never be uncovered in single-national research” (Kohn 1987, 713). 2. to uncover research tendency in my country, your/her country and our countries 3. to incorporate a variety of concerns and interests that have been raised in previous studies. High Potentialities but many hurdles
Pilot Survey Purpose: 1) To illuminate how environmental education professionals are engaging in his/her research activities across the three different nations; 2) to Identify common agenda and issues related to EE research Language: English Questions: 33 (including attribute) Capacity building, international collaboration, research practice Data Collection: Survey. Monkey (Dec 2017 -Jan 2018) Participants: n=51 (Japanese 15, Korean 20, Taiwanese 12, and 4 unknown) • Female (47%) Male (51%) Output: Japanese Journal of Environmental Education in Asia in June 2019
Notable tendencies Environmental Education researchers Japan, Korea and Taiwan appears to: among 1. Share high interest in participating training and education opportunities to increase his/her research skills 2. Be interested in increasing his/her research skills related to quantitative approach 3. Share high interests in ESD (even for future international collaborative studies) However, their frames of understanding about the relationship between EE and ESD are incongruous.
1. Self-evaluation of research skills 17 different stages of research activity Subtle Differences. . . Respondents tend to be more skillful in Qualitative research design and Qualitative data analysis than Quantitative ones. Relatively low: 1. 2. 3. Sharing research findings with international audiences Designing international comparative research Designing quantitative research Relatively high 1. 2. 3. Generating research idea Developing a research proposal Collecting data/negotiating access to participants
2. Methodologies being used often Japanese Korean 29 (61. 7%) 25 (53. 1%) 17 (36. 1%) 15 (31. 9%) 14 (29. 7%) 13 (27. 6%) Taiwanese
3. Interest in participating training opportunities
4. Areas for improving research skill
For those who selected ‘Yes’ in Question 5, in which of the following areas are you more interested? (Choose three) 20(46. 5%) 16 (37. 2%) 14(32. 5%) 13(30. 2%) Japanese Korean Taiwanese 13(30. 2%) 12(27. 9%) 10(23. 2%) Higher interests in quantitative research skills 47 responses
5. Trends in Research practice
What is your main professional involvement in environmental education research? (Choose up to three) Main Professional Involvement # of Respondents (% of Responses) Formal Education (K-12) 23 (47. 9%) Formal Education (Teacher Education) 16 (33. 3%) Non-formal Education (Local Community or others) 16 (33. 3%) Formal education (Env. Studies at Higher Education) 15 (31. 3%) Non-formal education (Nature or Env. Centers) 11 (22. 9%) Formal education (Other Higher Education) 6 (12. 5%) Non-formal education (State/Provincial Sites) 5 (10. 4%) Non-formal education (National Sites) 5 (10. 4%) Non-formal education (Outdoor Programs) 4 (8. 3%) Informal education (Internet) 4 (8. 3%) Total Respondents: 48 (Choose up to three)
Topical Emphasis in EE Research High Interests in ESD 1. ESD 2. Sustainability or SDGs 3. Community Development 4. Climate Change 5. Curriculum Development
Topical Emphasis in EE Research # of respondents (% of responses) 35 30 Respondents 25 30 (62. 5%) 6 18 (37. 5%) 20 15 13 13 (27. 1%) 3 10 5 5 8 5 10 5 5 Sustainability or SDGs Community Development 0 ESD Japan Korea Taiwan 10 (20. 8%) 9 (18. 8%) 3 2 5 4 2 3 Climate Change Curriculum Development Total Respondents: 47
Four different types of the EE-ESD relationships EE ESD EE is larger than ESD (EE>ESD) EE = ESD EE EE is less than ESD (EE<ESD) EE ESD EE is equal to ESD (EE=ESD) ESD is an evolved form of EE (EE ESD) Hesselink, F. , van Kempen, P. P. , Wals, A. , (Ed. S). (2000). ESDebate International debate on education for sustainable development. IUCN
Conceptual relationships between EE and ESD 16 (34. 0%) 13 (27. 6%) 8 (17. 0%) Japanese Korean 6 (12. 7%) Taiwanese 47 responses
6. Interests in international collaboration 1. Institutions tend to have a higher interest in internationalization (Q 17, Q 18) 2. Obstacles for engaging international collaboration are language issue, time availability and research funding(Q 21) 3. Educational Areas of Interests for International Collaboration (Q 22) Subtle difference 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-formal education (Nature or Env. Centers) Non-formal education (Local Community or other types) Formal education (Teacher Education) Formal education (Adult or Continuing Education) Non-formal education (National and International Sites)
Does your institution have a keen interest in an internationalization of research activity? 30(64. 8%) 6(12. 7%) Japanese 11(23. 4%) Korean Taiwanese 47 responses
In what kind of international collaboration activities are you interested? 23 (50. 0%) 22 (47. 8%) 18 (39. 1%) 16 (34. 7%) 5 (10. 8%) 47 responses
Topical Areas of Interests for International Collaboration (Q 23) 1. ESD 2. Sustainability or SDGs 3. Social Change 4. Community Development 5. Curriculum Development
Topical Areas of Interests for International Collaboration # of respondents “I am Interested” (% of responses) 40 35 30 35 (79. 6%) 35 (77. 8%) 10 29 (65. 9%) 11 Respondents 25 20 15 12 16 29 (65. 9%) 29 (64. 4%) 6 5 14 14 10 9 10 11 Social Change Community Development Curriculum Development 8 10 5 12 9 0 ESD Sustainability or SDGs Japan Korea Taiwan Total Respondents: 46
Thoughts: Better research, better EE 1. Where to go from the result? 1. 2. 3. 4. Survey with more participants in winter 2019 Refining some questions that indicated clear tendencies Cooperation among participating countries (any additional countries? ) Language issue (translating the questionnaire to get more people)
• Mc. Hugh, P. , & Byrne, M. (2014). Survey of the research activity, skills and training needs of Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs) in Ireland 2013.
Interest in ESD ③ Evaluation of the notion of sustainable development )Q 16( Positive acceptance
• Insight into ways in which civic engagements and participation are studies • Community change, transformation • Critical thinking • Education on IT, what kids are reading and playing
- Slides: 31