{"id":{"repo_id":"vu-aus","oai_identifier":"oai:eprints.vu.edu.au:15365"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vu-aus/oai:eprints.vu.edu.au:15365","repository":{"repo_id":"vu-aus","name":"Victoria University (Australia)","base_url":"https://vuir.vu.edu.au/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"Adult environmental education : a community psychology perspective","abstract":"Environmental education (EE) research has identified factors affecting people's environmental understanding and personal behaviours. However, it has been criticized for its largely individualistic, apolitical focus on school children. The present research used an action research (AR) approach to develop and test a model of community adult EE drawn from empowerment theory and practice, and health promotion in particular. Participants in two locations in Melbourne, Australia, engaged in skills training in peer leadership, grassroots group development, advocacy, and AR. Using adult education methods of guided discussion and peer interaction, participants were encouraged to establish and lead a group around an issue of personal and local concern, with the researcher acting as consultant. Empowerment-oriented activities and outcomes were documented. The research identified that the adult EE program, and the AR methodology used, was instrumental in fostering personal and collective environmental advocacy and empowerment. The research also highlighted the important sponsoring role in promoting environmental advocacy played by empowering community organizations with members of high local standing. Thirdly, the effort to protect urban heritage and amenity was recognized as a direct environmental issue. An EE incorporating environmental psychology principles could enhance residents' understanding about the meaning and sense of community they derive from their relationship with their urban environment, and inform their advocacy efforts.","abstract_html":"Environmental education (EE) research has identified factors affecting people's environmental understanding and personal behaviours. However, it has been criticized for its largely individualistic, apolitical focus on school children. The present research used an action research (AR) approach to develop and test a model of community adult EE drawn from empowerment theory and practice, and health promotion in particular. Participants in two locations in Melbourne, Australia, engaged in skills training in peer leadership, grassroots group development, advocacy, and AR. Using adult education methods of guided discussion and peer interaction, participants were encouraged to establish and lead a group around an issue of personal and local concern, with the researcher acting as consultant. Empowerment-oriented activities and outcomes were documented. The research identified that the adult EE program, and the AR methodology used, was instrumental in fostering personal and collective environmental advocacy and empowerment. The research also highlighted the important sponsoring role in promoting environmental advocacy played by empowering community organizations with members of high local standing. Thirdly, the effort to protect urban heritage and amenity was recognized as a direct environmental issue. An EE incorporating environmental psychology principles could enhance residents' understanding about the meaning and sense of community they derive from their relationship with their urban environment, and inform their advocacy efforts.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Butterworth, Iain Mark"],"institution":"Victoria University of Technology","degree_name":"phd","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1999,"date_issued":"1999","date_published":"1999","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:33:09Z","subjects":["1301 Education Systems","1701 Psychology","School of Social Sciences and Psychology"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Butterworth, Iain Mark"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["1999"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1999"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["Victoria University of Technology"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15365/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["phd"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["1301 Education Systems","1701 Psychology","School of Social Sciences and Psychology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15365/1/Butterworth_1999_compressed.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Environmental education (EE) research has identified factors affecting people's environmental understanding and personal behaviours. However, it has been criticized for its largely individualistic, apolitical focus on school children. The present research used an action research (AR) approach to develop and test a model of community adult EE drawn from empowerment theory and practice, and health promotion in particular. Participants in two locations in Melbourne, Australia, engaged in skills training in peer leadership, grassroots group development, advocacy, and AR. Using adult education methods of guided discussion and peer interaction, participants were encouraged to establish and lead a group around an issue of personal and local concern, with the researcher acting as consultant. Empowerment-oriented activities and outcomes were documented. The research identified that the adult EE program, and the AR methodology used, was instrumental in fostering personal and collective environmental advocacy and empowerment. The research also highlighted the important sponsoring role in promoting environmental advocacy played by empowering community organizations with members of high local standing. Thirdly, the effort to protect urban heritage and amenity was recognized as a direct environmental issue. An EE incorporating environmental psychology principles could enhance residents' understanding about the meaning and sense of community they derive from their relationship with their urban environment, and inform their advocacy efforts."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Adult environmental education : a community psychology perspective"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Butterworth, Iain Mark"],"dc:date":["1999"],"dc:date.issued":["1999"],"dc:description.abstract":["Environmental education (EE) research has identified factors affecting people's environmental understanding and personal behaviours. However, it has been criticized for its largely individualistic, apolitical focus on school children. The present research used an action research (AR) approach to develop and test a model of community adult EE drawn from empowerment theory and practice, and health promotion in particular. Participants in two locations in Melbourne, Australia, engaged in skills training in peer leadership, grassroots group development, advocacy, and AR. Using adult education methods of guided discussion and peer interaction, participants were encouraged to establish and lead a group around an issue of personal and local concern, with the researcher acting as consultant. Empowerment-oriented activities and outcomes were documented. The research identified that the adult EE program, and the AR methodology used, was instrumental in fostering personal and collective environmental advocacy and empowerment. The research also highlighted the important sponsoring role in promoting environmental advocacy played by empowering community organizations with members of high local standing. Thirdly, the effort to protect urban heritage and amenity was recognized as a direct environmental issue. An EE incorporating environmental psychology principles could enhance residents' understanding about the meaning and sense of community they derive from their relationship with their urban environment, and inform their advocacy efforts."],"dc:format":["text"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15365/1/Butterworth_1999_compressed.pdf"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Psychology"],"dc:publisher.institution":["Victoria University of Technology"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15365/"],"dc:subject":["1301 Education Systems","1701 Psychology","School of Social Sciences and Psychology"],"dc:title":["Adult environmental education : a community psychology perspective"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["phd"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:33:09Z"}