Thomas Beery

Teaching

Tom's teaching background includes a broad diversity of formal and nonformal environmental and outdoor education settings including formal classroom teaching, outdoor adventure/expeditionary programming, residential environmental education, and environmental/outdoor education outreach.

Tom teaches classes in the Landscape Science program, Preschool Teacher Training program, and Fritidshem Teacher Training program. 

Sustainability and Agenda 2030 in higher education

An ongoing effort is underway to support the alignment of the Kristianstad University curriculum with the SDGs or Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030. Interested in a workshop on this topic!? Contact Tom.

Here are two introductory films introducing the Sustainable Agenda Goals of Agenda 2030:

Introduction 1

Introduction 2

(Photos by Aleksandra Pawlikowska)

Research

Tom's research is broadly referred to as environmental social science. Tom is interested in questions that contribute to environmental problem solving from educational science and interdisciplinary perspectives. One key idea running through much of Tom's research is connectedness to nature. This link provides a full list of recent research (climate adaptation, early childhood environmental education, ecosystem services, environmental and outdoor education, outdoor recreation/friluftsliv). 

Recent open access articles (2020/2021)

The following links are open access articles featuring recent research: 

• Metrics for environmental compensation: A  comparative analysis of Swedish municipalities

• What Drives Climate Action in Canada’s Provincial North? Exploring the Role of Connectedness to Nature, Climate Worry, and Talking with Friends and Family

• Nature’s Services and Contributions: The Relational Value of Childhood Nature Experience and the Importance of Reciprocity.
• Being and becoming in nature: Defining and measuring connection to nature in young children.

• Improving Assessments of Connection to Nature: A Participatory Approach.

• Pre-Service Early Childhood Educator Experience in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

• Exploring Access to Nature Play in Urban Parks: Resilience, Sustainability, and Early Childhood.

• What We Can Learn from Environmental and Outdoor Education during COVID-19: A Lesson in Participatory Risk Management.

T. Beery Publication List

Topic Editor

Tom is currently the topic editor for two publications:

Popular scientific article about Connectedness to nature in Dansk Friluftsliv (in English):

Coming in early  September 2021!

Upcoming keynote presentation at the Danish conference: Vores Natur Kalder

Link to the conference, here.

Upcoming conference presentations:

• North American Association for Environmental Education, Oct. 7, 2021: Nature's Services and Contributions: The Relational Value of Childhood Nature Experience, Live Research Roundtable (Thursday, Oct. 7, 11:30 AM–12:15 PM EDT). Link to the conference here.
• Wilderness Risk Management Conference: Participatory Risk Management, October 15, 2021. Link to the conference here.

Educational research

Much of Tom's work is aimed at how environmental social science research can support the important work of educational practitioners. It is imperative that the institution of higher education contributes to meeting the needs of society. Here is an example of a recent project that beings research and practice together! Check out this Practitioner Guide to Assessing Connection to Nature!

Doctoral Study Project In Fritidshem

A project is underway at HKR  to explore the potential for friluftsliv and environmental education within afterschool programming in  Skåne (Fritidshem). More information is forthcoming under autumn 2021!

Award for Post Covid-19 planning

Thomas is one of the winners in the Post Covid-19 City Challenge. Tom's entry pits a focus on the urban youth experience of nature. More information can be found via these links: 

Post Covid-19 City Challenge 1

Pandemic Response CoLab

Other T. Beery  research projects underway

• The educational potential of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Project with Dr. Ingemar Jönsson,  underway 2021 with results expected in Spring 2022.
• Disconnection from nature: Project with the Social-Ecological Club, Copenhagen, Autumn 2021.
• Connection to nature in Swedish preschools: Project with Dr. Marie  Fridberg.  Research to be submitted for publication, September 2021.
• Friluftsliv, Food, and Sustainability:  Project with Dr. Karin Wendin and Anna Calvén. Publication under review.

Important links

These links provide website links to groups and organizations important to my work:

• Children and Nature Network
• Friluftsforskning Friluftsliv research site
• IPBES The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
• IPCC  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change