Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene

Irida Tsevreni; Kostas Magos

doi:10.29333/ijese/14365

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Irida Tsevreni ¹ ^* , Kostas Magos ¹

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¹ Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Thessaly, Volos, GREECE^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The study reflects on the encounter of young people with trees, focusing on a holistic and ecocentric approach to ecological knowledge and awareness. A small group of students of an environmental education course at a university pedagogical department participated in experiential activities that took place at a treescape, where different kinds and ages of trees grow. The participants interacted with trees through a pedagogical methodology of three stages (silent walk among trees, holistic approach to a tree, and exercising empathy for trees) and reflected on their experiences. The study’s findings capture the different ways that young people experienced trees: (a) trees as friends, (b) trees as self, and (c) the mindfulness of connecting with trees. Encounters among humans and trees have the potential to create places for contemplation on human-nature organic bond and communities for ecocentric learning and action for environmental change.

Keywords

trees
experiential learning
environmental education
ecocentrism
mindfulness
Anthropocene

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED, 2024, Volume 20, Issue 2, Article No: e2404

https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

Publication date: 01 Apr 2024

Online publication date: 14 Mar 2024

Article Views: 511

Article Downloads: 380

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How to cite this article

APA

Tsevreni, I., & Magos, K. (2024). Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 20(2), e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

Vancouver

Tsevreni I, Magos K. Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene. INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED. 2024;20(2):e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

AMA

Tsevreni I, Magos K. Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene. INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED. 2024;20(2), e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

Chicago

Tsevreni, Irida, and Kostas Magos. "Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education 2024 20 no. 2 (2024): e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

Harvard

Tsevreni, I., and Magos, K. (2024). Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 20(2), e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365

MLA

Tsevreni, Irida et al. "Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, vol. 20, no. 2, 2024, e2404. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/14365