Developing nature-connectedness among students in Singapore

This chapter describes an empirical study investigating an environmental sustainability-focused outdoor learning curriculum and associated students’ learning experiences. Conceptual ideas related to tropical coastal ecosystems, the biotic and abiotic interactions therein, and the importance of environmental conservation and management were infused into a three-day non-residential camp at St John’s Island Complex (SJIC) in Singapore. Using a quasi-experimental design consisting of pretest and posttest and an interview, we examined changes in students’ connection to the nature index (CNI) and considered the reasons for these changes. Using paired samples t-tests, students’ responses to the nature-connectedness questionnaire were compared before and after visiting SJIC. The reasons for changes in students’ attitudes were distilled from content analysis of interview transcripts. Comparing the mean CNI before attending the camp (M = 4.00) and after (M = 4.17, p<0.05), we observed that there was a significant increase in students’ connection to nature after experiencing the activities on SJIC. Reasons cited for a greater interest in nature include students’ intimate interaction with the environment that exposed them to flora and fauna about which they had previously been unaware. The realization of various nature restorative efforts is also motivating for students, as it gives them a sense of agency with which they can make a difference to their environment.