Developing Habits of Environmental Thoughtfulness Through the In-Depth Study of Select Environmental Issues

As the range and complexity of global environmental issues has broadened, and the scope of environmental education has expanded, demands have increased to cover more environmental topics and concepts in the school curriculum. However, if students are to develop enduring habits of environmental thoughtfulness, then a focus is needed, not on the broad coverage of many topics, but on the in-depth and authentic study of a few environmental issues. In this paper, after offering a rationale for in-depth study, I examine the problems and possibilities of constructing curricular and pedagogy with such a focus by describing the beliefs and practices of teachers who have emphasized in-depth study as a means to promoting student thoughtfulness.