Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature

Kathryn Blair Downs; Callie Schultz; Paul Stonehouse; Brad Faircloth

doi:10.29333/ijese/13723

Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature

Full Text (PDF)

Kathryn Blair Downs ¹ ^* , Callie Schultz ¹ , Paul Stonehouse ¹ , Brad Faircloth ²

More Detail

¹ Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA² University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC, USA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Climate change is a growing threat to human life. As future generations of youth are the most at risk for adverse effects of climate change, encouraging the development of pro-environmental behaviors in young people is of growing importance. Adolescents are in an ideal age range to develop connection to nature (CTN). During these years, experiences in the outdoors are more likely to impact how youth will value nature, and thus the future development of pro-environmental behaviors. In order to effectively encourage the adoption and development of pro-environmental behaviors, an emotional affinity for the environment should be established during childhood. Utilizing nature documentaries to develop connections to nature in adolescents could be a valuable means of combatting climate change for future generations. This study explored how watching a nature documentary can impact adolescents’ CTN. The episode had notable short-term impacts on CTN in adolescents, though long-term effects warrant future study.

Keywords

pro-environmental behavior
climate change
nature documentary
television

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED, 2023, Volume 19, Issue 4, Article No: e2316

https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

Publication date: 25 Sep 2023

Article Views: 930

Article Downloads: 507

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Althoff, T. White, R. W., & Horvitz, E. (2016). Influence of Pokémon Go on physical activity: Study and implications. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(12), 315-329. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6759
Andre, E. K. (2016). The need to talk about despair. In A. T. Brei (Ed.), Ecology, ethics, and hope (pp. 1-12). Rowman & Littlefield.
Angell, C., Alexander, J., & Hunt, J. A. (2014). ‘Draw, write and tell’: A literature review and methodological development on the ‘draw and write’ research method. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 13(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X14538592
Arendt, F., & Matthes, J. (2016). Nature documentaries, connectedness to nature, and pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Communication, 10(4), 453-472. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.993415
Azuma, R. T. (1997). A survey of augmented reality. Presence, 6(4), 355. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres.1997.6.4.355
Bandura, A., & Cherry, L. (2020). Enlisting the power of youth for climate change. American Psychologist, 75(7), 945-951. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000512
Baur, J. W. R., Ries, P., & Rosenberger, R. S. (2019). A relationship between emotional connection to nature and attitudes about urban forest management. Wetlands: Ecology, Conservation and Management, 23, 187-197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-019-00905-2
Bertling, J. G. (2020). Expanding and sustaining arts-based educational research as practitioner inquiry. Educational Action Research, 28(4), 626-645. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2019.1643752
Berto, R., Barbiero, G., Barbiero, P., & Senes, G. (2018). An individual’s connection to nature can affect perceived restorativeness of natural environments. Some observations about biophilia. Behavioral Sciences, 8(3), 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8030034
Blaisdell, C., Arnott, L., Wall, K., & Robinson, C. (2018). Look who’s talking: Using creative, playful arts-based methods in research with young children. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(1), 14-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X18808816
Bonett, D. G., & Wright, T. A. (2015). Cronbach’s alpha reliability: Interval estimation, hypothesis testing, and sample size planning. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36, 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1960
Bragg, R., Wood, C., Barton, J., & Pretty, J. (2013). Measuring connection to nature in children aged 8-12: A robust methodology for RSPB. RSPB. https://www.rspb.org.uk/
Braun, T., & Dierkes, P. (2017). Connecting students to nature–how intensity of nature experience and student age influence the success of outdoor education programs. Environmental Education Research, 23(7), 937-949. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2016.1214866
Brocato, E. D., Gentile, D. A., Laczniak, R. N., Maier, J. A., & Ji-Song, M. (2010). Television commercial violence: Potential effects on children. Journal of Advertising, 39(4), 95-107. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367390407
Bruni, C. M., & Schultz, P. W. (2010). Implicit beliefs about self and nature: Evidence from an IAT game. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(1), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.10.004
Campos, D., Hernandez-Torres, J. J., Agil, A., Comino, M., Lopez, J. C., Macias, V., & Campoy, C. (2016). Analysis of food advertising to children on Spanish television: Probing exposure to television marketing. Archives of Medical Science, 12(4), 799-807. https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2016.60969
CDC. (n. d.). Screen time vs. lean time. Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html
Cheng, J. C., & Monroe, M. C. (2012). Connection to nature: Children’s affective attitude toward nature. Environment and Behavior, 44, 31-49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916510385082
Coyle, K. J. (2010). Back to school: Back outside. National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Reports/2010/09-01-2010-Back-to-School-Back-Outside
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE.
Dangor, G. (2021). Pokémon Go players threaten boycott over update making the game less accessible, they say. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/graisondangor/2021/08/05/pokemon-go-players-threaten-boycott-update-makes-the-game-less-physically-accessible-they-say/?sh=11f7c208307f
De Lannoy, L., Rhodes, R. E., Moore, S. A., Faulkner, G., & Tremblay, M. S. (2020). Regional differences in access to the outdoors and outdoor play of Canadian children and youth during the COVID-19 outbreak. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 111(6), 988-994. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00412-4
Dietz, W. H. (2001). The obesity epidemic in young children: Reduce television viewing and promote playing. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 322(7282), 313-314. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.322.7282.313
Dorward, L. J., Mittermeier, J. C., Sandbrook, C., & Spooner, F. (2016). Pokémon Go: Benefits, costs, and lessons for the conservation movement. Conservation Letters, 10(1), 160-165. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12326
Downs, K. B. (2023). Teaching through the screen: How watching Our Planet impacts adolescents' connection to nature. [Master's thesis, Western Carolina University].
Duerden, M. D., & Witt, P. A. (2010). The impact of direct and indirect experiences on the development of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 379-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.03.007
Dunn, M. E., Mills, M., & Verissimo, D. (2020). Evaluating the impact of the documentary series Blue Planet II on viewers’ plastic consumption behaviors. Conservation Science and Practice, 2(10), e280. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.280
Ebi, K. L., & Paulson, J. A. (2007). Climate change and children. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 54(2), 213-226. https://doi.org/10/1016/j.pcl.2007.01.004
Gianfredi, V., Rabica, F., Dallagiacoma, G., Fatigoni, C., Moretti, M., & Nucci, D. (2020). Television marketing of food and beverage targeted to children, Italy. European Journal of Public Health, 30(5), 331. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.899
Goldschmidt, K. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic: Technology use to support the wellbeing of children. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 53, 88-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2020.04.013
Greenwood, J. (2012). Arts-based research: Weaving magic and meaning. International Journal of Education and the Arts, 13(1), 1-21.
Grenno, F. E., Martinez, R. A., & Profice, C. C. (2021). Experience in a protected area of the Atlantic Forest changed the way children and teenagers described nature. Ecopsychology, 13(3), 174-185. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2020.0055
Hipes, P. (2019). Netflix releases viewer data for ‘Our planet’, ‘Dead to me’, ‘Always be my maybe’, more. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2019/07/netflix-our-planet-viewer-numbers-dead-to-me-always-be-my-maybe-when-they-see-us-1202648047/
Hwang, J., & Borah, P. (2022). Anxiety disorder and smoking behavior: The moderating effects of entertainment and informational television viewing. Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 91-60. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159160
Hynes, S., Ankamah-Yeboah, I., O’Neill, S., Needham, K., Xuan, B. B., & Armstrong, C. (2020). The impact of nature documentaries on public environmental preferences and willingness to pay: Entropy balancing and the Blue Planet II effect. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 64(8), 1428-1456. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2020.1828840
Janes, B. T. (1987). History and structure of public access television. Journal of Film and Video, 39(3), 14-23.
Kaarakainen, M., & Saikkonen, L. (2021). Multilevel analysis of the educational use of technology: Quantity and versatility of digital technology usage in Finnish basic education schools. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(4), 953-965. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12534
Kearney, M. S., & Levine, P. B. (2019). Early childhood education by television: Lessons from Sesame Street. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 11(1), 318-350. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20170300
Khashe, S., Heydarian, A., Gerber, D., Becerik-Gerber, B., Hayes, T., & Wood, W. (2015). Influence of LEED branding on building occupants’ pro-environmental behavior. Building and Environment, 94(2), 477-488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.10.005
Kimbell-Lopez, K., Cummins, C., & Manning, E. (2016). Developing digital literacy in the middle school classroom. Computers in the Schools, 33(4), 211-226. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2016.1249731
Kirkorian, H. L., Pempek, T. A., Murphy, L. A., Schmidt, M. E., & Anderson, D. R. (2009). The impact of background television on parent-child interaction. Child Development, 80(5), 1350-1359. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01337.x
Koblin, J. (2020). Nature shows are hot again. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/business/media/hot-nature-shows.html
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, N. R., & Simpson, A. (2017). The relationship between television exposure and children’s cognition and behavior: A systematic review. Developmental Review, 44, 19-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2016.12.002
Krettenauer, T. (2017). Pro-environmental behavior and adolescent moral development. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 27(3), 581-593. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12300
Layland, E. K., Stone, G. A., Mueller, J. T., & Hodge, C. J. (2018). Injustice in mobile leisure: A conceptual exploration of Pokémon Go. Leisure Sciences, 40(4), 288-306. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2018.1426064
Lee, J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Takayama, N., Park, B. J., Li, Q., Song, C., Komatsu, M., Ikei, H., Tyrvainen, L., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2014). Influence of forest therapy on cardiovascular relaxation in young adults. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, 834360. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/834360
Limone, P., & Toto, G. A. (2021). Psychological and emotional effects of digital technology on children in COVID-19 pandemic. Brain Sciences, 11(9), 1126-1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11091126
Linebarger, D. L., & Walker, D. (2005). Infants’ and toddlers’ television viewing and language outcomes. The American Behavioral Scientist, 48(5), 624-645. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764204271505
Lumber, R., Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Beyond knowing nature: Contact, emotion, compassion, meaning, and beauty are pathways to nature connection. PLoS ONE, 12(5), e0177186. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177186
Mares, M., & Pan, Z. (2013). Effects of Sesame Street: A meta-analysis of children’s learning in 15 countries. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 34(3), 140-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2013.01.011
Marshall, C., Rossman, G. B., &Blanco, G. L. (2022). Designing qualitative research. SAGE.
McDevitt-Garand, M. (2022). The impacts of the North Carolina Arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE program on children’s connection to nature [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Western Carolina University.
McKim, C. A. (2015). The value of mixed methods research: A mixed methods study. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 11(2), 202-222.https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689815607096
McVeigh, J., Smith, A., Howie, E., & Straker, L. (2016). Trajectories of television watching from childhood to early adulthood and their association with body composition and mental health outcomes in young adults. PLoS ONE, 11(4), e0152879. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152879
Michaelson, V., King, N., Janssen, I., Lawal, S., & Pickett, W. (2020). Electronic screen technology use and connection to nature in Canadian adolescents: A mixed methods study. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 111(4), 502-514. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-019-00289-y
Muhr, M. M. (2020). Beyond words–The potential of arts-based research on human-nature connectedness. Ecosystems and People, 16(1), 249-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2020.1811379
Nagata, J. M., Magid, H. S. A., & Gabriel, K. P. (2020). Screen time for children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Obesity, 28(9), 1582-1583. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22917
National Geographic. (n. d.). Siberian tiger. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/siberian-tiger
National Park Service. (n. d.). Eastern deciduous forest. https://www.nps.gov/im/ncrn/eastern-deciduous-forest.htm
Neilson. (2022). Streaming hits all-time weekly high in December, according to the Gauge. https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2022/streaming-hits-all-time-weekly-high-in-december-according-to-the-gauge/
Netflix. (2019). Our planet. https://www.netflix.com/title/80049832
Olofsson, A. D., Fransson, G., & Lindberg, J. O. (2019). A study of the use of digital technology and its conditions with a view to understanding what ‘adequate digital competence’ may mean in a national policy initiative. Educational Studies, 46(6), 727-743. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2019.1651694
Our Planet. (n. d.). About our planet. https://www.ourplanet.com/en/about-our-planet/
Pacheco, S. (2020). Catastrophic effects of climate change on children’s health start before birth. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(2), 562-564. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI135005
Panno, A., De Cristofaro, V., Oliveti, C., Carrus, G., & Donati, M. A. (2021). Personality and environmental outcomes: The role of moral anger in channeling climate change action and pro-environmental behavior. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 21, 853-873. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12254
Park, B. J., Furuya, K., Kasetani, T., Takayama, N., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011). Relationship between psychological responses and physical environments in forest settings. Landscape and Urban Planning, 102(1), 24-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.03.005
Prinstein, M. J., Nesi, J., & Telzer, E. H. (2020). Commentary: An updated agenda for the study of digital media use and adolescent development–future directions following Odgers & Jensen (2020). The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 349-352. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13190
Rausch, J. R., Maxwell, S. E., & Kelley, K. (2003). Analytic methods for questions pertaining to a randomized pretest, posttest, follow-up design. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32(3), 467-486. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15374424JCCP3203_15
Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., & Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year olds: A Kaiser family foundation study. https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/8010.pdf
Rufo, D. (2012). Building forts and drawing on walls: Fostering student-initiated creativity inside and outside the elementary classroom. Art Education, 65(3), 40-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043125.2012.11519175
Rusticus, S. A., & Lovato, C. Y. (2014). Impact of sample size and variability on the power and type 1 error rates of equivalence tests: A simulation study. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 19(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.7275/4s9m-4e81
Ryan, G. (2018). Introduction to positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory. Nurse Researcher, 25(4), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2018.e1466
Salazar, G., Kunkle, K., & Monroe, M. C. (2020). Practitioner guide to assessing connection to nature. North American Association for Environmental Education. https://cdn.naaee.org/sites/default/files/assessing_connection_to_nature.7.23.20.pdf
Sandifer, P. A., Sutton-Grier, A. E., & Ward, B. P. (2015). Exploring connections among nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health and well-being: Opportunities to enhance health and biodiversity conservation. Ecosystem Services, 12, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2014.12.007
Shin, W. S., Shin, C. S., Yeoun, P. S., & Kim, J. J. (2011). The influence of interaction with forest on cognitive function. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 26(6), 595-598. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2011.585996
Silk, M., Millington, B., Rich, E., & Bush, A. (2016). (Re-) thinking digital leisure. Leisure Studies, 35(6), 712-723. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2016.1240223
Smahel, D., Wright, M. F., & Cernikova, M. (2015). The impact of digital media on health: Children’s perspectives. International Journal of Public Health, 60, 131-137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0649-z
Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., Yamaura, Y., Kurisu, K., & Keisuke, H. (2016). Both direct and vicarious experiences of nature affect children’s willingness to conserve biodiversity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(6), 529-541. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13060529
Song, C., Ikei, H., Igarashi, M., Miwa, M., Takagaki, M., & Miyazaki, Y. (2014). Physiological and psychological responses of young males during spring-time walks in urban parks. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 33(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-6805-33-8
Ting, D. S. W., Carin, L., Dzau, V., & Wong, T. Y. (2020). Digital technology and COVID-19. Nature Medicine, 26(4), 459-461. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0824-5
Tsunetsugu, Y., Lee, J., Park, B. J., Tyrvainen, L., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2013). Physiological and psychological effects of viewing urban forest landscapes assessed by multiple measurements. Landscape and Urban Planning, 113, 90-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.01.014
Twohig-Bennett, C. (2018). The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environmental Research, 166, 628-637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.030
US News. (2021). Summit charter. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/north-carolina/summit-charter-231169#students-teachers
Victoria State Government. (n. d.). Teach with digital technology. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/
Warner, M. E. (2021). Paving the way for outdoor play: examining socio-environmental barriers to community-based outdoor play. Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3617. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073617
Webb, R. C. (2005). Tele-visionaries: The people behind the invention of television. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471743712
Wells, N. M, & Lekies, K. S. (2006). Nature and the life course: Pathways from childhood nature experiences to adult environmentalism. Children, Youth and Environments, 16(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1353/cye.2006.0031
Whitburn, J., Linklater, W. L., & Milfont, T. L. (2018). Exposure to urban nature and tree planting are related to pro-environmental behavior via connection to nature, the use of nature for psychological restoration, and environmental attitudes. Environment and Behavior, 51(7), 787-810. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916517751009
WHO. (n. d.). Adolescent health in the South-East Asia region. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/southeastasia/health-topics/adolescent-health
Winter, P. L., Crano, W. D., Basáñez, T., & Lamb, C. S. (2020). Equity in access to outdoor recreation–Informing a sustainable future. Sustainability, 12(1), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010124
World Wildlife Foundation UK. (n. d.). African elephant: strong, smart, but vulnerable species. https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/wildlife/africanelephants
WWF. (n. d.). Our planet. World Wildlife Foundation. https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/our-planet

How to cite this article

APA

Downs, K. B., Schultz, C., Stonehouse, P., & Faircloth, B. (2023). Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 19(4), e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

Vancouver

Downs KB, Schultz C, Stonehouse P, Faircloth B. Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature. INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED. 2023;19(4):e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

AMA

Downs KB, Schultz C, Stonehouse P, Faircloth B. Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature. INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED. 2023;19(4), e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

Chicago

Downs, Kathryn Blair, Callie Schultz, Paul Stonehouse, and Brad Faircloth. "Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education 2023 19 no. 4 (2023): e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

Harvard

Downs, K. B., Schultz, C., Stonehouse, P., and Faircloth, B. (2023). Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 19(4), e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723

MLA

Downs, Kathryn Blair et al. "Teaching through the screen: How Our planet impacts adolescents’ feelings of connection to nature". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, vol. 19, no. 4, 2023, e2316. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/13723