Bruce Johnson

Bruce Johnson
Professor of Environmental Learning and Science Education
Department of Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, University of Arizona, USA
Dean of the College of Education, Paul L. Lindsey & Kathy J. Alexander Chair at the University of Arizona, International Program Coordinator for The Institute for Earth Education (IEE)

Keynote Speech: Why Do I Need to Learn This? Learning for Real Life

Bruce Johnson is Professor of Environmental Learning and Science Education in the department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies, Dean of the College of Education, and Paul L. Lindsey and Kathy J. Alexander Chair at the University of Arizona. Dr. Johnson has a PhD in Education Psychology with a minor in Science Education, an MS in Environmental Education, and a BS in Elementary Education. He was previously an elementary and middle school teacher in Arizona and New Mexico and director of outdoor schools in New Mexico and Australia.
Dr. Johnson’s research includes the teaching and learning of ecological concepts, development of environmental values/attitudes and actions, and curriculum development, and teacher preparation and development. Dr. Johnson teaches in graduate programs in environmental learning and science education and also teaches courses in research design and elementary science methods. He also serves as Director of the Earth Education Research and Evaluation (EERE) Team, which has conducts research on children’s ecological understandings, environmental values/attitudes, and environmental actions and has provided evaluation services to centers and schools throughout the United States and in Australia, Bolivia, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Nepal, and Spain. Currently, the EERE Team is also evaluating education programs for NASA and is preparing to conduct an evaluation of a dietary treatment for Type II diabetes.
As International Program Coordinator for The Institute for Earth Education (IEE), Dr. Johnson oversees the development and implementation of earth education programs and leads sessions on earth education around the world. IEE is an international, not-for-profit, educational organization that develops and disseminates earth education programs that are designed to help people live more harmoniously and joyously with the natural world. Earth education programs, including Earthkeepers, Sunship Earth, Sunship III, Lost Treasures, and Rangers of the Earth, have been offered at dozens of centers in Australia, Bolivia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States. IEE is currently working with colleagues to bring the Earthkeepers program to Slovenia and Taiwan.
Dr. Johnson is currently Principal Investigator of the Teachers in Industry program, focused on keeping the best teachers in the profession while enhancing their ability to prepare their students for how science and math are used in the real world; Co-Investigator of Promoting Behavioral & Value Change through Outdoor Environmental Education, funded by the Czech Republic’s Grantova Agentura; Partner in the European Network for Environmental Citizenship, funded by the European Commission (COST Action CA16229); Partner in Stories of Tomorrow: Students’ Visions on the Future of Space Travel, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program (grant agreement #731872); and a member of the Collaborative Around Research Experiences for Teachers (CARET) research group. In addition, he was also a founding Co-Director of the University of Arizona STEM Learning Center from 2012-17.