Mentoring from a synecological perspective: a research path for sustainable education

Guido Scarano, Angelina Vivona, Lucia Martiniello

Abstract


How can the educational relationship integrate the “place” as a central actor in situated learning and, furthermore, how can a synecological approach to education in nature facilitate the integrated development of emotional, social and cognitive skills? The reflection proposed in this contribution identifies eco-mentoring as a promising avenue of research capable of enhancing a triadic configuration between mentor, mentee and place, aimed at bringing together situated knowledge, skills and responsibilities. By reworking educational mentoring and place-based education, we translate these principles into operational postures and gestures within a synecological framework; eco-mentoring guides experiments consistent with Agenda 2030, strengthening links between people, places and knowledge (Crisp & Cruz, 2009; Sobel, 2004; Paparella, 2023; United Nations, 2015).


Keywords


Eco-mentoring; Situated learning; place-based education;

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aloisio, J. M., Roberts, S.-J., Becker-Klein, R., Dunifon, S., Lewis, J. D., Clark, J. A., Munshi-South, J., & Tingley, K. (2022). Impacts of a near-peer urban ecology research mentoring program on undergraduate mentors. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10, 803210. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.803210

Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., & Gaillard, E. (2020). Environmental education outcomes for conservation: A systematic review. Biological Conservation, 241, 108224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108224

Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., Roth, N. W., & Holthuis, N. (2018). Environmental education and K–12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research. The Journal of Environmental Education, 49(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155

Ballard, H. L., Dixon, C. G. H., & Harris, E. M. (2017). Youth-focused community and citizen science: Examining the role of evaluation and reflection to support learning. Biological Conservation, 208, 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.05.024

Ballard, H. L., Lindell, A. J., & Jadallah, C. C. (2024). Environmental education outcomes of community and citizen science: A systematic review of empirical research. Environmental Education Research, 30(6), 1007–1040. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2024.2348702

Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual review of psychology, 52(1), 1-26.

Benware, C. A., & Deci, E. L. (1984). Quality of learning with an active versus passive motivational set. American Educational Research Journal, 21(4), 755–765. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312021004755

Chawla, L. (1998). Significant life experiences revisited: A review of research on sources of environmental sensitivity. Environmental Education Research, 4(4), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350462980040402

Clutterbuck, D. (2014). Everyone needs a mentor. Kogan Page Publishers.

Crisp, G., & Cruz, I. (2009). Mentoring college students: A critical review of the literature between 1990 and 2007. Research in Higher Education, 50(6), 525–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-009-9130-2

Eby, L. T., Allen, T. D., Evans, S. C., Ng, T., & DuBois, D. L. (2008). Does mentoring matter? A multidisciplinary meta-analysis comparing mentored and non-mentored individuals. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 72(2), 254–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.04.005

Fleming, M., House, S., Hanson, V. S., Yu, L., Garbutt, J., McGee, R., Kroenke, K., Abedin, Z., & Rubio, D. M. (2013). The Mentoring Competency Assessment: Validation of a new instrument to evaluate skills of research mentors. Academic Medicine, 88(7), 1002–1008. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318295e298

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111

Friedman, S., Imrie, S., Fink, E., Gedikoglu, M., & Hughes, C. (2022). Understanding changes to children’s connection to nature during the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for child well-being. People and Nature, 4(1), 155–165.

Garvey, B., Stokes, P., & Megginson, D. (2018). Coaching and mentoring: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Hackett, K. A., Ziegler, M. C., Olson, J. A., Bizub, J., Stolley, M., Szabo, A., Heller, E., & Beyer, K. M. M. (2021). Nature Mentors: A program to encourage outdoor activity and nature engagement among urban youth and families. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 21(1), 35–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2020.1730203

Jacobi, M. (1991). Mentoring and undergraduate academic success: A literature review. Review of Educational Research, 61(4), 505–532. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543061004505

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.

Kram, K. E. (1985). Mentoring at work: Developmental relationships in organizational life. Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman.

Louv, R. (2016). Vitamin N: The essential guide to a nature-rich life. Algonquin Books.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Learning through citizen science: Enhancing opportunities by design. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25183

National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K–12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165

Odum, E. P. (1969). The Strategy of Ecosystem Development: An understanding of ecological succession provides a basis for resolving man's conflict with nature. science, 164(3877), 262-270.

Paparella, N., & Del Gottardo, E. (2023). Bambini intraprendenti. La scuola in campagna. Franco Angeli.

Pfund, C., Spencer, K. C., Asquith, P., House, S. C., Miller, S., & Sorkness, C. A. (2015). Building national capacity for research mentor training: an evidence-based approach to training the trainers. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 14(2), ar24.. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.14-10-0184

Rosa, H. (2015). Accelerazione e alienazione. Giulio Einaudi Editore.

Schultz, P. W. (2002). Inclusion with nature: The psychology of human-nature relations. In Psychology of sustainable development (pp. 61-78). Boston, MA: Springer US.

Smith, G. A. (2002). Place-based education: Learning to be where we are. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(8), 584–594. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172170208300806

Sobel, D. (2004). Place-based education: Connecting classrooms and communities. Education for meaning and social justice, 17(3), 63-64.

Stevenson, K. T., Peterson, M. N., Carrier, S. J., Strnad, R. L., Bondell, H. D., Kirby-Hathaway, T., & Moore, S. E. (2014). Role of significant life experiences in building environmental knowledge and behavior among middle school students. The Journal of Environmental Education, 45(3), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2014.901935

Tansley, A. G. (1935). The use and abuse of vegetational concepts and terms. Ecology, 16(3), 284-307.

UNESCO. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning objectives. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000247444

United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1). United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

van de Wetering, J., Hovdhaugen, E., & Vindenes, M. (2022). Does environmental education benefit environmental behaviour? Studies in Educational Evaluation, 74, 101121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101782

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.

Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning as a social system. Systems thinker, 9(5), 2-3.

Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business Press.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v9i3.1591

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 ITALIAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION, SPORT AND INCLUSIVE DIDACTICS

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics 

ISSN printed: 2532-3296

E- ISSN: 3103-5744