Abstract: When we think of environmental education, we often remember summer camps and scouting. This ongoing study examines childhood experiences and the potential impact of those experiences on fostering a caring concern for the environment. Results, obtained using mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative techniques), indicate trends present in graphic and narrative data. Data were collected in surveys from 178 participants, ages 20 to 67, including responses that indicate the importance of simply getting children out into the natural world. One troubling aspect of this line of inquiry is the role of recent efforts to legislate and standardize environmental education. This session will discuss the findings of the Early Outdoor Experiences Study while posing key questions about the prior and future directions of environmental education. (Contains 2 tables.)
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