Fostering Children's Connection to Nature Through Authentic Situations: The Case of Saving Salamanders at School.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to explore how children learn to form new relationships with nature. It draws on a longitudinal case study of children participating in a stewardship project involving the conservation of salamanders during the school day in Stockholm, Sweden. The qualitative method includes two waves of data collection: when a group of 10-year-old children participated in the project (2015) and 2 years after they participated (2017). We conducted 49 interviews with children as well as using participant observations and questionnaires. We found indications that children developed sympathy for salamanders and increased concern and care for nature, and that such relationships persisted 2 years after participation. Our rich qualitative data suggest that whole situations of sufficient

SUBMITTER: Barthel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6002744 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature