Date of Award
Winter 2-3-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Educational Leadership
Committee Chair
Dr. Holly Gould
Committee Member
Dr. Lucinda Spaulding
Committee Member
Dr. Cheryl Lindeman
Abstract
Urban nature centers across the United States provide access to outdoor education and safe places to explore the natural environment. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to analyze programs, events, and services in response to emerging needs identified by urban nature center administrators in the southeastern United States. This study addressed the central research question, “How have urban nature center administrators in the southeastern United States identified emerging needs and wants of stakeholders, responded to these emerging needs and wants through changes in programming, events, and services offered, and to what extent it has affected their mission?” The participants in this study were key nature center administrators from two urban nature centers in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through questionnaires, observations, interviews, documents, and program artifacts. Categorical aggregation was used to analyze the data found in the literature into themes: nature connectedness; outdoor education; conservation and stewardship; programming; well-being; inclusivity; and accessibility. The case study themes were: developing programs, services, and events; engaging stakeholders; and establishing needs assessments and evaluations. Nature center case study themes were analyzed with the literature review to offer nature center administrators a foundation for developing an annual operations review.
Recommended Citation
Bonnette, Amy C., "A Multiple-Case Study of Nature Center Programs, Events, and Service Adaptations in Response to Emerging Community Needs" (2025). Graduate Dissertations and Theses. 59.
https://digitalshowcase.lynchburg.edu/etd/59