Exploring Human-Animal Relationships Through Environmental Education: Collaborating with the Namibian Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Courtney Van Dijk, Master of Education Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Photo courtesy of the CCF (2007)

Context of my Study The CCF’s Education Center is located in the Waterberg plateau region of Namibia, near Otjiwarongo. Founded in 1990, the CCF aims to assist in the survival of cheetahs by researching cheetah ecology, biology and relationships with humans. Such research has enabled the development of context-specific, environmental education programs for Namibian children in farming communities. CCF Education Center (2007)Slide One of CCF online Educational Tour (2007)

My Study My upcoming research, beginning in September to October 2007, will focus on the lived experiences between children and cheetahs in farming communities, as well as experiences with the CCF’s environmental education programs. Using phenomenology, I will ask children to tell stories about their relationships with cheetahs prior to and following interactions with the CCF. I aim to explore if or how children's relevant learning experiences in environmental education may encourage knowledge to be (re)constructed in ways meaningful to daily life. Photos courtesy of the CCF (2007)

I think telling stories is an effective way for children to illustrate their lived experiences because stories are generally familiar and comfortable ways for children to express their thoughts, feelings and actions. I will explore possibilities that relevant learning experiences can encourage spaces to emerge for critically, reflectively and practically considering what “environmental ethics” means, as a way of knowing and valuing human relationships with cheetahs. High School students participating in the CCF’s educational program (2007) CCF health check on a sedated cheetah (2007)

Through phenomenology I will investigate how children negotiate an understanding of “environmental ethics.” Questions I will consider: What are the tacit meanings inherent in the ways children conceptualize and value relationships with cheetahs? What are the tacit meanings inherent in the ways children conceptualize and value relationships with cheetahs? How do relevant learning experiences encourage children to conceptualize “environmental ethics”? How do relevant learning experiences encourage children to conceptualize “environmental ethics”? Are the CCF’s environmental education programs considered relevant to farming life, and how so? Are the CCF’s environmental education programs considered relevant to farming life, and how so? How, if at all, does the CCF’s programs provide the spaces necessary for critically, reflectively and practically considering what “environmental ethics” means? How, if at all, does the CCF’s programs provide the spaces necessary for critically, reflectively and practically considering what “environmental ethics” means? How might my or the CCF’s understanding of “environmental ethics” affect the ways children conceptualize and enact this term? How might my or the CCF’s understanding of “environmental ethics” affect the ways children conceptualize and enact this term? How does my role as a researcher affect children’s experiences with cheetahs, the CCF, and considerations of “environmental ethics?” How does my role as a researcher affect children’s experiences with cheetahs, the CCF, and considerations of “environmental ethics?” How do my values affect my research journey? How do my values affect my research journey? How do the values of others affect my research journey? How do the values of others affect my research journey? Photo courtesy of the CCF (2007)

I hope children’s stories will illustrate how environmentally sensitive actions may be (re)constructed through context-specific environmental education, to potentially assist in human-cheetah co-existence in shared habitats. However, I hope children’s stories will illustrate how environmentally sensitive actions may be (re)constructed through context-specific environmental education, to potentially assist in human-cheetah co-existence in shared habitats. However, I acknowledge that educational programs provided by the CCF may not be considered relevant to daily life, and may or may not be received in the ways I or the CCF anticipates. Furthermore, I acknowledge that stories and conceptions of “environmental ethics” may be influenced by the CCF, family, community, individual, or researcher values, assumptions, and judgments about human-animal relationships, and thus may skew the research findings. Photo courtesy of the CCF (2007) Slide 75 of CCF online Educational Tour (2007)

Overall, I am eager and excited to begin my research journey, to enrich my understanding of how context-specific environmental education may affect the relationships between humans and the natural world, through critically, reflectively and practically considering environmental ethics. CCF Teacher Resource Guide cover, CCF (2007) Dr Laurie Marker, Founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund

References Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). (2007). Retrieved on April 15, 2007 from Evernden, N. (1992). The Social Creation of Nature. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins University Press. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). (2006). Retrieved on October 28, 2006 from Jickling, B. (2003). Environmental ecducation and advocacy: revisited. The Journal of Environmental Education, 34(2), Jickling, B. & Paquet, P. C. (2005). Wolf stories: Reflections on science, ethics and epistemologies. Environmental Ethics, 27, Marker, L. (2000). Aspects of the ecology of the cheetah on North central Namibian farmlands. Journal 48, Marker, L. (2003). Aspects of cheetah (acinonyx jubats) biology, ecology and conservation strategies on Namibian farmlands. PhD thesis, University of Oxford. Marker, L. (2006). Conservation strategy for the long-term survival of the cheetah. Namibia: Cheetah Conservation Fund. Weintraub, B. A. (1995). Defining a fulfilling and relevant environmental education. Urban Education, 3(30), Photo courtesy of the CCF (2007)