Identifying the Components of Environmental Education in Urban Families

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the components of environmental education within urban families, focusing on how Tehranian parents transmit environmental values, attitudes, and behaviors to their children. Using a qualitative design based on interpretive phenomenological analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 parents residing in Tehran with school-aged children. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure maximum diversity. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo software. Thematic analysis revealed three main categories: “Parents’ Attitudes and Beliefs,” “Parental Educational Practices and Behaviors,” and “Barriers and Challenges to Environmental Education.” Each category included multiple subthemes and codes, reflecting the layered and complex nature of environmental education in urban families. The results indicated that parents mainly rely on behavioral modeling, daily-life participation, dialogue, and digital tools to convey environmental concepts. Additionally, factors such as consumerist lifestyles, inadequate urban infrastructure, and lack of formal education were identified as key obstacles. Environmental education within urban families is a dynamic and context-dependent process shaped by parental value systems, environmental conditions, and socio-cultural structures. To enhance this process, strategies such as parent empowerment programs, improved urban infrastructure, and targeted educational content development are recommended.