Building bridges—the theme of the 2024 North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Research Symposium and Conference—was the hope of six students from Dr. Marijke Hecht’s Learning Ecologies Lab as they traveled to Pittsburgh, PA earlier in November to attend the NAAEE Research Symposium. While accompanied by two School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) faculty, these newcomers to NAAEE brought their different interests in environmental education in hopes to contribute to the building of bridges between pedagogy, pursuits, and practice.
SENR Representation at NAAEE Research Symposium Left to right: Nezzie O’Malley (third-year undergraduate student), Zion Streeter (first-year MS student), Kaleb Lee (second-year MS student), Haleigh Leonard (fourth-year undergraduate student), Casey Ortbahn (third-year PhD student), Sophia Roberts (first-year MS student), Dr. Marijke Hecht (Assistant Professor), and Dr. Kristina Slagle (ESS Research Associate).
Throughout the Symposium, they were able to connect and learn with environmental educators, both those in practice and in research, from across the nation, continent, and world. Such diverse attendance sparked inspiration and ideas for the students. As Haleigh Leonard, fourth-year NRM undergraduate, says, “Witnessing [environmental education] research across disciplines that is happening all over the world convene in Pittsburgh was inspiring.” Likewise, Kaleb Lee, second-year master’s student, was able to reconnect with people from his alma mater, driving home the community-centered force within environmental education.
Inspiring new ideas and approaches
Bridging between environmental education work and the Learning Ecologies students’ own interests, they were able to fully immerse themselves into current research and practice across a wide range of themes. They attended sessions on scholarly publication processes and career mentoring, as well as sessions exploring methods and theories relating to topics like early education interventions and diversity and inclusion. Such sessions inspired new ideas and approaches for their current work back at SENR. Nezzie O’Malley, third-year NRM undergraduate, says that the framework discussed in Michelle King’s keynote talk where King perceived teaching to rather be “the creation of the conditions for learning”, sparked reflections and ideas for her current honors thesis research project. Similarly, in a workshop, Casey Ortbahn, third-year PhD student, learned of approaches within embedded participatory methods that reflect the path he’s paving for his dissertation work.
Two of the graduate students presented their current working thesis/dissertation projects at research roundtable sessions. Lee and Ortbahn engaged with others in a collective brainstorming forum where outsider ideas were shared through activities and discussions. The roundtable experience, perspectives shared, and feedback received helped support the direction of their next steps in research.
Ortbahn, whose dissertation work explores the bridge between environmental education and positive youth development, prioritized co-design in his roundtable discussion in hopes to explore some of his burning questions. Through a collaborative activity using construction paper, glue, and a poster board, the roundtable team created and illustrated a theoretical model. After a fun activity and rich conversation, Ortbahn walked away with new inspiration to apply to his dissertation work.
Ortbahn’s roundtable: Theoretical model building activity
Lee, whose thesis work aims to bridge the arts, environmental and food justice, and environmental education, began his roundtable discussion by exploring possible ideas stemming from a set of lyrics. Connecting to his thesis work entitled “Deeper Than Roots”, Lee prompted the groups to explore the roots and leaves of the themes discussed – manifested through a posterboard with an empty tree to fill ideas with. Lee, too, brings back new inspiration to apply to his thesis work.
Lee’s roundtable: Roots and leaves activity
Outside of the many Symposium sessions, the lab explored the city and its beautiful surroundings, including the iconic skylines of Pittsburgh’s numerous bridges across the three local rivers. The Symposium even kicked off with a field trip to the Frick Environmental Center and Park, of which Dr. Hecht served many hats in its construction and operation just years ago. Atop enjoying the beauty of Frick Park, the students took great delight in seeing where their advisor’s research inspiration grew from.
Mid-day exploration of Pittsburgh’s rivers and bridges
Returning to Columbus, the students brought back lots of ideas, inspirations, connections, and a newfound love for Pittsburgh. Looking for the next bridge to cross together, the Learning Ecologies Lab will continue on to explore new environmental education endeavors.
Contributing author:
Sophia Mae Roberts
MS Student - ENR, Environmental Social Sciences
Graduate Research Assistant - Learning Ecologies Lab
School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University