| Nature Photography and the Ecological Self: An Exploration of College Students' Experience of an Environmental Photography Assignment by Barbara Dawn Drake This mixed-methods, 2-phase study explored the experiences of undergraduate students (N = 7) who engaged in nature photography over a 6-week period for an environmentally themed photojournalism class assignment. Pre- and post-surveys and thematic analysis were used to explore whether participants experienced changes in nature consciousness (awareness) or feelings of nature connectedness, factors that influenced their experiences, and meanings they attributed to their experiences. A modified version of the Nature Relatedness Scale was used for pre- and post-measures of nature relatedness. The Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scale and researcher-developed questionnaires provided demographic and descriptive information about factors that might have influenced participants' perceptions. A deductive approach was used for semantic thematic analysis of participants' photo shoot log entries and follow-up interview transcripts. A semi-structured approach and auto-driven photo elicitation were used in the interviews. The researcher also used creative expression (collage, using participants' photographs) to deepen her understanding of the participants' experiences. Although nonparametric analysis of survey results did not show a statistically significant change, the qualitative analysis did show meaningful results. The themes that emerged, by category, were Attitudes: Appreciation, Desire to Experience Nature, Desire to Retreat From Nature, and No Change; Consciousness : Emotions, Empathy, and Spiritual/Transcendent Feelings of Unity; Awareness: Heightened Attention and Environmental Awareness; Supporting Influencers: Seeing With a Camera, the Assignment, Solitude, and New/Unusual Experiences; Inhibiting Influencers: Distractions and Lack of Motivation; and Meaning: Beauty, Serenity, and Environmental Caring. Studying activities that influence feelings of nature-consciousness and relatedness can assist in developing effective programs that foster a sense of nature-connectedness and ecological self, and may ultimately promote pro-environmental choices in personal actions and societal policies. The researcher concluded that there appears to be potential for nature photography to foster feelings of nature connectedness and development of the ecological self. Recommendations are provided for further research. |
