A Philosophical Analysis of David Orr's Theory Of
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A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF DAVID ORR’S THEORY OF ECOLOGICAL LITERACY: BIOPHILIA, ECOJUSTICE AND MORAL EDUCATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING COMMUNITIES by DEBRA BAILEY MITCHELL (Under the Direction of Michael P. Mueller) ABSTRACT In his writings, David Orr claims that the U.S. is in ecological crisis and that this stems from a crisis of education. He outlines a theory of ecological literacy, a mode by which we may better learn the ecology of the Earth and thus learn to live in a sustainable manner. Although from an anthropocentric view the diagnosis of crisis may be correct, it is not motivational to the youth of our nation. In this analysis of Orr’s theory, it will be suggested that we move beyond the perspective of crisis. By extending Orr’s ecological literacy with biophilia and ecojustice and by recognizing the importance of experience in learning, science education can be shifted to incorporate values and morals in a more sustainable approach to educational reform. INDEX WORDS: biophilia, ecojustice, ecology, ecological literacy, ecosystem, experiential education, moral education, pragmatism, science education, values A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF DAVID ORR’S THEORY OF ECOLOGICAL LITERACY: BIOPHILIA, ECOJUSTICE AND MORAL EDUCATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING COMMUNITIES by DEBRA BAILEY MITCHELL B.S.,University of North Carolina, 1989 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS ATHENS, GEORGIA 2009 © 2009 Debra Bailey Mitchell All Rights Reserved A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF DAVID ORR’S THEORY OF ECOLOGICAL LITERACY: BIOPHILIA, ECOJUSTICE AND MORAL EDUCATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING COMMUNITIES by DEBRA BAILEY MITCHELL Major Professor: Michael P. Mueller Committee: Deborah Tippins Jay Shelton Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2009 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my family and my teachers. Thank you for your patience and support and for sharing your experiences. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Michael P. Mueller for his guidance, support and enthusiasm in completing this thesis. I would also like to thank the members of my committee, Dr. Deborah Tippins and Dr. Jay Shelton for their time and dialogue. In addition, I thank Dr. David Jackson for sharing his perspective. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 Introduction....................................................................................................................1 1.1 Why Ecological Literacy? ...................................................................................6 1.2 Why David Orr? ..................................................................................................9 1.3 Why Philosophical Research in Science Education? ........................................12 1.4 Why Pragmatism? .............................................................................................13 1.5 Roadmap............................................................................................................17 2 David Orr’s Theory of Ecological Literacy.................................................................19 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................19 2.2 Orr’s Developing Theory of Ecological Literacy..............................................19 2.3 Summary ...........................................................................................................22 3 Challenges of David Orr’s Theory of Ecological Literacy..........................................23 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................23 3.2 Limitations of Orr’s Theory ..............................................................................23 3.3 Summary ...........................................................................................................30 4 Modifications ...............................................................................................................31 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................31 4.2 Biophilia ............................................................................................................31 vi 4.3 Ecojustice ..........................................................................................................35 4.4 Counterarguments .............................................................................................40 4.5 Summary ...........................................................................................................46 5 Recommendations........................................................................................................47 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................47 5.2 Fruitful Directions for Scientific Educators ......................................................47 5.3 Summary ...........................................................................................................55 6 Final Remarks ..............................................................................................................56 7 Glossary .......................................................................................................................59 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................63 vii 1 Introduction Growing up, I was fortunate to have a pond in my backyard. Making mud pies and watching minnows provided me with memories that allow me to still see the sun on the water and smell the decomposing grasses at the pond’s edge. This is my earliest recollection of loving the outdoors. There have been many memories since that have contributed to the ongoing development of care for the environment within me. I care for the environment and I value it. Would I have developed this feeling of care without my experience at the pond? Perhaps. But I suspect it would have been more difficult to establish an emotional connection. Over time, this childhood experience has connected with other experiences in my life and has shaped my choices, such as the interest to study biology in college, and more recently, to study science education. I would like to help guide others towards experiences similar to mine at the pond. When and where does the development of care for the environment begin? Is it simply inherent in some individuals and not in others, or is it possible to create? Basically, is it nature or nurture? As each person has a unique genetic make up combined with a unique social and cultural background, it is feasible that care could grow from a balance of both, as a part of a continuum of nature and nurture. But there must be a seed. Asking myself about the connection between experience and care, that in turn translates to value of environment, has created this quest for me. 1 To gather more information during my student teaching, I gave a survey to a middle school life science class. The questions of this survey were geared at gauging the students’ awareness of their relationships within ecosystems. One of the questions inquired about the students’ development of care for the environment. Although these students had recently completed a unit on ecology covering this material, almost all of the 28 students responded with little sense of the “environment” and little recognition of human dependence on the health of ecosystems. For one student in this class and many of the students in this small town outside of a big city, the mental image of the outdoors is experienced for the most part from the inside a car window. To others, this experience with the outdoors extends to a playing field. But consider another group of students in a middle school of a more urban setting, where the weekly chance to go outside onto a playing field is used as a reward. For these students, an outdoor experience at school is beneficial to the behavioral issues that are keeping them inside. Instead of breathing fresh air and absorbing the omnipresent physical laws and ecological cycles of natural surroundings, these students continue to practice math and reading indoors to reach the appropriate academic achievement levels. At this school, many of the adolescents have left their neighborhood only on rare occasions. They are not shown the natural environment in a way that is nurturing and consequently; they show disregard. Many of these students drop out before graduation, understandably disliking academics and feeling unwelcome in and unworthy of the “outdoors.” As a relative novice in the field of classroom science education, I make note that good behavior often coincides with good grades. More parental figures at home and better paying jobs often coincide with time and resources that enhance the life experiences of children. 2 Considering yet another middle school, students develop a sense of care for the environment as members of a wildlife habitat club. This club, starting with the vision of a seventh grade life science teacher, evolves over five years from a barren field to a nationally certified wildlife habitat because of the hard work of students. Beginning