| This study is concerned with the determination of the current status of conservation education in colleges and universities of Southeastern United States and the nature of change in status since 1954. A second concern is with the predictions of a group of generalist conservation instructors regarding the future thrust of conservation education.;The methodologies employed include replication of a study conducted three decades ago, the review of the pertinent conservation literature of the last three decades, and the use of the Delphi procedure to predict the status of conservation education in the next 20 to 25 years.;Following the method of the original study, generalist conservation instructors were selected from eleven southeastern states for personal interviews and to complete questionnaires. Interviews and questionnaires were devised to determine the status of conservation education in these institutions at the present time and the nature of changes since 1954. Key issues that were pursued included: (a) conservation problems of the area, (b) topic emphasis, (c) level of emphasis, (d) class size, (e) textbooks and materials used, (f) methods of presentation, (g) use of audio-visuals, (h) teacher preparation, (i) use of agencies in classroom work, and (j) instructor cooperation with outside agencies.;It was found that the focus of conservation has shifted during the past three decades. A review of the literature and the results of interviews and questionnaires reveal a different emphasis in conservation education in each of the decades. In the 1950s the emphasis was on inventory and assessment of resources, and in the 1960s on environmental quality and the quality of life. Today, in contrast, the emphasis is on air and water pollution and ecological relationships. The emphasis is not longer on conservation, per se, but on the ecological impact of man upon the natural environment.;The same instructors who were interviewed in the replication study also participated in the Delphi project to forecast and predict the future status of conservation education. The predictions of these instructors, supported by the general findings of the study, are the basis for recommendations concerning issues to be considered in the planning for conservation education in the future. |
