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Early environmental adult education: an oral history of citizen researchers' learning in the Appalachian land ownership study, 1979-1881

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Date Issued:
2013
Summary:
The Appalachian Land Ownership Study was a participatory action research project in one of our nation’s poorest regions suffering from absenteeism, poverty, powerlessness, and improper taxation. In discovering who owned the region’s land, the participants sought to organize against the social, economic and environmental injustices imposed on the Appalachian land and people. Most sociological and historical accounts of the Land Study focus on the process of participatory action research and the work of the project’s Task Force. However, over 50 citizen researchers also participated in the study. These citizen researchers encountered rich learning experiences as they struggled against scientific, corporate, and governmental power. The purpose of this oral history study was to discover the learning and experiences of citizen researchers involved with the Appalachian Land Ownership Study of 1979-1981. Significant themes emerged which contribute to understanding the complex personal, cultural, and social framework for environmental adult education. First, the Appalachian backdrop was a critical context for informal and experiential learning from the land and its people. Second, the Appalachian Ownership Task Force leaders were critical environmental adult educators who facilitated the learning of citizen researchers through dialogue. Third, agency was fostered as citizen researchers were moved to act in defense of a threatened lifeworld, and thus also became critical environmental adult educators.
Title: Early environmental adult education: an oral history of citizen researchers' learning in the Appalachian land ownership study, 1979-1881.
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Name(s): Sodano, Keara, author
Bryan, Valerie, Thesis advisor
College of Education, Degree grantor
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2013
Date Issued: 2013
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 280 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The Appalachian Land Ownership Study was a participatory action research project in one of our nation’s poorest regions suffering from absenteeism, poverty, powerlessness, and improper taxation. In discovering who owned the region’s land, the participants sought to organize against the social, economic and environmental injustices imposed on the Appalachian land and people. Most sociological and historical accounts of the Land Study focus on the process of participatory action research and the work of the project’s Task Force. However, over 50 citizen researchers also participated in the study. These citizen researchers encountered rich learning experiences as they struggled against scientific, corporate, and governmental power. The purpose of this oral history study was to discover the learning and experiences of citizen researchers involved with the Appalachian Land Ownership Study of 1979-1981. Significant themes emerged which contribute to understanding the complex personal, cultural, and social framework for environmental adult education. First, the Appalachian backdrop was a critical context for informal and experiential learning from the land and its people. Second, the Appalachian Ownership Task Force leaders were critical environmental adult educators who facilitated the learning of citizen researchers through dialogue. Third, agency was fostered as citizen researchers were moved to act in defense of a threatened lifeworld, and thus also became critical environmental adult educators.
Identifier: FA0004062 (IID)
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.
Subject(s): Adult education
Appalachian Region -- Environmental aspects
Environmental education
Human beings -- Influence of environment
Land tenure -- Appalachian Region
Appalachian Land Ownership Task Force
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library
Sublocation: Boca Raton, Fla.
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004062
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Host Institution: FAU