Pathways to nature connection? A photo-elicitation exploration on how children engage with a nature connection programme.

Junker, Magie, Hobson, Kersty ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4200-9081, Poortinga, Wouter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6926-8545, Reeves, Jonathan P., Newth, Julia, Stead, Mark, Marshall, Morgan and Gattis, Merideth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8665-7577 2025. Pathways to nature connection? A photo-elicitation exploration on how children engage with a nature connection programme. Environmental Education Research Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

While environmental education programmes have been shown to be effective in increasing knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour, it is not clear what characteristics of the intervention contribute to these outcomes. Detailed evaluations are needed to assess intermediary outcomes of such programmes to clarify the pathways to change. In this study, primary school children were asked to take photos while participating in a nature connection programme and later interviewed about those photos (N=14). This photo-elicitation method explored which parts of the programme drew their situational interest, how they connected to nature, and how they felt while participating. Results indicated that the participating children were most interested in animals and connected to nature in a variety of ways, with emotional and sensory experiences being most important. Children mostly experienced positive emotions during programme participation. These results can inform the design of environmental education programmes to more effectively foster children’s interest and nature connection

Item Type:	Article
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Geography and Planning (GEOPL) Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	1350-4622
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	3 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	2 December 2025
Last Modified:	04 Dec 2025 11:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182854

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