What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore the long-term effects of experiential learning on teachers' professional growth and their role as environmental change agents.

April 12, 2026

Preparing Teachers as Environmental Change Agents: A Longitudinal Study of Experiential Learning in a Master’s Program

Key Points

The aim is to explore the long-term effects of experiential learning on teachers' professional growth and their role as environmental change agents.
Conducted in-depth interviews with 24 alumni eight years post-graduation.
Employed qualitative phenomenological design to gather retrospective accounts.
Utilized a two-stage coding process for data analysis.
Identified five key themes related to personal and professional growth.
Graduates reported increased self-efficacy and connection to nature.
Integration of environmental values into teaching practices was common.
Participants expressed emotional bonding and a sense of collective belonging.
Challenges faced were acknowledged, but optimism about impact remained strong.

Abstract

This study examines how graduates of a Master’s degree program in Environmental Education describe the long-term impact of experiential learning on their professional development, educational identity formation, and willingness to act as social–environmental change agents. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, involving in-depth interviews with 24 alumni (17 women and 7 men), conducted on average 8 years after graduation. Data were analyzed using a two-stage coding process to identify emergent themes. Findings indicate five central themes: personal growth and professional self-efficacy, practical environmental engagement and connection to nature, integration of environmental values into educational practice, emotional bonding and collective belonging, and systemic challenges tempered by enduring optimism. The study is distinctive in tracing the impact of a longitudinal, 2-year program through retrospective accounts gathered years after graduation, focusing on professional identity and change agency, dimensions still underexplored in environmental education research.

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