An Intergenerational Approach for Enriching Children's Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge

Intergenerational programming, which brings children, youth, and older adults together for mutually beneficial interaction, represents a relatively new strategy for broadening the public's awareness and participation in environmental activities. To explore the potential benefits of involving older adults and young people in joint environmental education experiences, a study was conducted of an intergenerational outdoor education program in an environmental center in Central Pennsylvania. Senior adult volunteers were found to influence children to adopt an enriched sense of awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. Senior-student relations were influenced by staff facilitation styles, the roles taken by the seniors, and the intergenerational engagement format.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The research described in this article was conducted as part of the first author's dissertation research in the department of Agricultural and Extension Education in the Pennsylvania State University. The intergenerational program that was evaluated was developed as a partnership between Penn State Cooperative Extension and Shaver's Creek Environmental Center.

Notes

*Some senior volunteers participated in both intergenerational weeks.

*p ≤.05.