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Environmental Education as the Mountain – Exploring Chinese-ness of Environmental Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2012

Xia Ji
Xia Ji*
Affiliation:
University of Regina
*
†Address for correspondence: Dr. Xia Ji, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada. Email: xia.ji@uregina.ca
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Abstract

What experiences have infuenced Chinese educators' environmental consciousness and their involvement in environmental education work? Using the autobiographical inquiry approach the author explored this question with fourteen master environmental educators from various regions of China and examined in depth their signifcant life experiences (SLE). Participants described several paths to become involved in environmental education work. Multiple factors impacted their environmental consciousness. Out of ten main categories of SLE three themes emerged: serendipity, , and a strong sense of responsibility toward the environment and toward environmental education work. This study illuminates the Chinese-ness of environmental education from the angle of life experiences and reflections of environmental educators in mainland China, which also has relevance to and implications for the wider international environmental education community.

Keywords

environmental educationChinese environmental educatorsignifcant life experiencesChinese-ness of environmental educationenvironmental consciousnessteacher educatorEnvironmental Educators' Initiative
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 27 , Issue 1: Special Issue: The “ness” of Environmental Education , 2011 , pp. 109 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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