The Effects of Environmental and Adventure Education Program Using River Environment toward Environmental Attitude of Early Adolescence

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of environmental education (EE) and adventure education (AE) program using river environment on participants' environmental attitude toward water. Thirty-four students (CA: 10-13 years) enrolled in five-day resident camp including EE and AE program using river environment. They participated in 1-day trip walking along a mountain stream and 2-day canoe expedition through the middle and lower area of the river as AE program. Otherwise, they investigated a difference of aquatic ecosystem comparing among upper, middle and lower area of the river as EE program. Wilderness Cognitive and Affective Attitude Test developed by Okamura (2000) and Free Association Method were administered by pre-and post-test design and one month after the camp as follow-up test. The result showed significant increase in affective attitude and image toward water after the camp and the latter maintained one month after the camp. The result suggested that AE program was more powerful experience to develop the environmental attitude rather than EE program. Implication to design the EE program separating from AE program was obtained