Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1-18 |
Journal | Journal of Biological Education |
Early online date | 28 Jan 2025 |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 28 Jan 2025 |
Abstract
Several studies have shown how first-hand experiences with living animals can foster students’ connectedness to nature, even if there have been no studies on topic-specific emotions and sustainable behaviour. Using a retrospective questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative data from a cross-sectional sample of 211 school students, we investigated (1) predictors and (2) qualitative causes for experiencing enjoyment or fear when working with bees, (3) predictors of inclusion of nature in self (INS) and (4) predictors of attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. A subgroup of the students took part in an extracurricular activity focused on learning about honey bees (Apis mellifera) in a bee club. While the attendance in the bee club and individual demographic factors predicted the INS, the students reported different causes for these emotions. Furthermore, INS and enjoyment were predictors of students’ attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. Using a mediation model, we found that the bee club also fostered sustainable behaviour through INS as a mediator. Even when further studies are needed to clarify the causality and further antecedents of students’ emotions such as values, the results show how primary nature experiences from working with bees are connected to sustainable behaviour by fostering connectedness to nature and positive emotions.
Keywords
- bee education, emotions, extracurricular activities, informal learning, nature connection, sustainability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Journal of Biological Education, 28.01.2025, p. 1-18.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Emotions, connectedness to nature and sustainable behaviour
T2 - Investigating the effects of students’ engagement in extracurricular activities with living animals
AU - Büssing, Alexander Georg
AU - Wülfing, Milan-Kevin
AU - Bruckermann, Till
PY - 2025/1/28
Y1 - 2025/1/28
N2 - Several studies have shown how first-hand experiences with living animals can foster students’ connectedness to nature, even if there have been no studies on topic-specific emotions and sustainable behaviour. Using a retrospective questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative data from a cross-sectional sample of 211 school students, we investigated (1) predictors and (2) qualitative causes for experiencing enjoyment or fear when working with bees, (3) predictors of inclusion of nature in self (INS) and (4) predictors of attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. A subgroup of the students took part in an extracurricular activity focused on learning about honey bees (Apis mellifera) in a bee club. While the attendance in the bee club and individual demographic factors predicted the INS, the students reported different causes for these emotions. Furthermore, INS and enjoyment were predictors of students’ attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. Using a mediation model, we found that the bee club also fostered sustainable behaviour through INS as a mediator. Even when further studies are needed to clarify the causality and further antecedents of students’ emotions such as values, the results show how primary nature experiences from working with bees are connected to sustainable behaviour by fostering connectedness to nature and positive emotions.
AB - Several studies have shown how first-hand experiences with living animals can foster students’ connectedness to nature, even if there have been no studies on topic-specific emotions and sustainable behaviour. Using a retrospective questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative data from a cross-sectional sample of 211 school students, we investigated (1) predictors and (2) qualitative causes for experiencing enjoyment or fear when working with bees, (3) predictors of inclusion of nature in self (INS) and (4) predictors of attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. A subgroup of the students took part in an extracurricular activity focused on learning about honey bees (Apis mellifera) in a bee club. While the attendance in the bee club and individual demographic factors predicted the INS, the students reported different causes for these emotions. Furthermore, INS and enjoyment were predictors of students’ attitudes towards sustainable behaviour. Using a mediation model, we found that the bee club also fostered sustainable behaviour through INS as a mediator. Even when further studies are needed to clarify the causality and further antecedents of students’ emotions such as values, the results show how primary nature experiences from working with bees are connected to sustainable behaviour by fostering connectedness to nature and positive emotions.
KW - bee education
KW - emotions
KW - extracurricular activities
KW - informal learning
KW - nature connection
KW - sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85216218457&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00219266.2025.2452191
DO - 10.1080/00219266.2025.2452191
M3 - Article
SP - 1
EP - 18
JO - Journal of Biological Education
JF - Journal of Biological Education
SN - 0021-9266
ER -