Current Status and Perspective of Environmental Education Research in Japan

Abstract

  This paper reports the current status of and opinions on environmental education research in Japan taking into account researchers' discussion prior to publishing the 20^th anniversary issue of “Japanese Society for Environmental Education”. The introduction describes the context and purpose of this paper, and the 2^nd section looks back at the approaches considered at the 10^th anniversary academic conference. The 3^rd section details the aims and the methods of the 20^th anniversary special edition project. The goal is not only to develop each person's ideas on environmental education research but also to have a deeper discussion about environmental education. The proposed methods of achieving this were round table talks, general remarks and criticism by theme, the omnibus paper, and other source data. In the 4^th section, among the four approaches, the round table talk is reviewed and explained. Fragmentation of current research is pointed out, as is the need for systemizing environmental education. Pertaining to a method of systematization in the future, some suggested creating a world map of examples of environmental education, and making a database. The 5^th section covers the general remarks and criticism by theme and summarizes them. The following eight themes are also analyzed: nature conservation education, pollution education, environmental education as a part of school education, environmental education during early childhood, environmental education related to food-agriculture, environmental education with other countries, environmental education and education for sustainable development, and environmental education about lifestyle.
  In conclusion, the paper argues that currently environmental education research is continuous and discontinuous, and also that methods for environmental education research are in their draft phases, like a map made from individual case studies and general criticism. Also, it is possible to say that masters' theses could be case studies and doctoral theses could be drafts.