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.
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, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and United States. IEE is currently working with colleagues to bring the Earthkeepers program to Mexico and Slovenia.
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; Principal Investigator of the Tucson Regional Educator Collaborative (TREC), building a network for educator professional learning; and Co-Investigator of Promoting Behavioral & Value Change through Outdoor Environmental Education, funded by the Czech Republic’s Science Foundation. In addition, he was also a founding Co-Director of the University of Arizona STEM Learning Center from 2012-17.
