Teachers' Perspectives on Environmental Education and Expectations for Learners' Changes : An Ethnographic Case Study in Two Korean Middle Schools

교사의 환경교육 해석과 학습자 변화에 대한 기대 -두 중학교에서의 문화기술적 사례 연구-

This study is an ethnographic case study aiming at understanding the environmental education (EE) classes of 'Discretionary Activity' which has recently been introduced into Korean middle school curricula. To show the characteristics of the classes, researcher described the phenomena unique to two schools. Two middle school teachers were included in this study as research participants. Qualitative approaches were used to understand the status quo of school environmental education, teachers's perspectives on EE and their expectations for learners' changes. Data were gathered using the methods of participant observation during two school terms and in-depth interview with two teachers and nine students. Ethnographic analysis/interpretation methods such as domain analysis were used to analyze the data. To verify the research methodology and conclusions, triangulation, members checking and peers debriefing were used. Research questions emerging through the circulative research process include 1) what are the teachers' perspectives on EE and how do the teachers' perspectives affect their EE teaching? 2) what are the teachers' expectations for learners' changes and how are teachers/researcher able to perceive learners' changes? Two research participants have different life experiences and perspectives on environment and EE. The perspectives had influence on the selection of the contents and the styles of their teaching. Teachers' expectations for learners' changes were also different according to the styles of the teaching.