CANADIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, 10(1), 61–78, 2010 Copyright C  OISE ISSN: 1492-6156 print / 1942-4051 online DOI: 10.1080/14926150903574320 Negotiating the Complexities of Environmental Education: A Study of Ontario Teachers Michael Tan and Erminia Pedretti Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Abstract: Arguments for a stronger emphasis on environmental education are numerous and com- pelling. However, environmental education is not without its tensions and complexities, nor does it hold the prominent place in formal education that might be expected. In this article, we review some of the challenges that stand in the way of implementation, and we discuss the results of a study con- ducted with teachers in Ontario. We set out to explore the current status of environmental education in Ontario classrooms. Specifically, we (a) investigate teachers’ reported beliefs and practices about the environment and environmental education and (b) identify challenges to implementing environ- mental education. For this study we carried out an Internet-based survey questionnaire, netting over 300 completed responses, and interviewed 24 teachers from across the province. Our findings suggest that there is a significant gap between teachers’ views of what environmental education should be and what they currently practice. Challenges and complexities identified by participants include over- crowded curriculum, lack of resources, lack of alignment between curriculum and existing ministry expectations, low priority of environmental education in schools, access to the outdoors, apathy, and the nature of sociopolitical action. R´ esum´ e: Il y a de nombreux arguments en faveur d’une plus grande place pour la formation environ- nementale. Cependant, la formation environnementale n’est pas priv´ ee de tensions et de complexit´ es, et elle n’occupe certainement pas la place ` a laquelle on pourrait s’attendre dans la formation sco- laire. Dans cet article, nous passons en revue certaines des questions qui posent probl` eme et nous analysons les r´ esultats d’une recherche en ce sens men´ ee aupr` es des enseignants ontariens. Nous nous proposons d’explorer la situation actuelle de la formation environnementale en Ontario, et plus pr´ ecis´ ement d’analyser les opinions et les pratiques des enseignants en mati` ere d’environnement et de p´ edagogie environnementale, afin de cerner les probl` emes qui entravent la mise sur pied d’une formation environnementale. Pour cette ´ etude, nous avons administr´ e un questionnaire par Internet grˆ ace auquel nous avons obtenu plus de 300 r´ eponses compl` etes, et nous avons interview´ e vingt- quatre enseignants de toute la province. Nos r´ esultats indiquent qu’il a une diff´ erence significative entre la formation environnementale souhait´ ee par les enseignants et les pratiques actuelles de ces mˆ emes enseignants. Parmi les probl` emes soulev´ es, mentionnons un curriculum surcharg´ e, le manque de ressources, un d´ es´ equilibre entre le curriculum et les attentes actuelles du minist` ere, le peu d’importance accord´ e aux questions environnementales dans les ´ ecoles, l’acc` es r´ eduit aux activit´ es ` a l’ext´ erieur, l’apathie et enfin la nature mˆ eme de l’action sociopolitique. Address correspondence to Erminia Pedretti, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, 252 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6. E-mail: epedretti@oise.utoronto.ca Downloaded By: [Canadian Research Knowledge Network] At: 17:49 20 February 2010