The Intergroup Context of Environmental Education and Approaches to Facilitate Collaboration

An exploratory qualitative study examined how collaborations are fostered between newly formed small groups, comprised of individuals holding distinct in-group identities and differing in status. The study context was the environmental education (EE) field known to represent subgroups of educators using unique practices. Participants were environmental educators in a small group in each of three U.S. states, aiming to create inclusive collaborative partnerships. Insights from social identity theory and intergroup contact theory guided the analytical framework. Results highlighted the collaborative potential between professionals representing two subgroups: established EE and a relatively unknown community-focused EE. Insights on the process suggested employing strategies that respected subgroup differences in EE approaches and discussed them openly, enabled understanding of complementary ways to achieve a shared goal. Status differences between the subgroups seemed to influence how members of each group a...