本研究探討如何適當結合環境教育與鄉土教育的理念以進行鄉土教學活動課程之規劃與實施，其主要目的在探究課程編製的過程與內容特點，並調查課程實施後，對教師與學生之影響性。
本研究根據實際的課程研發歷程，歸納出一個鄉土環境教學活動課程設計模式，此模式涵蓋對鄉土資料的搜集、鄉土課程的編輯與實地教學、到最後針對於整個課程所實施的評鑑等八個步驟。而此種課程設計模式與其他教育課程設計模式的最大不同點，在於為發展出具有地方特色的鄉土教材，特別強調對鄉土風俗民情資料的搜集；此外，為使學生對鄉土環境有正確的認知，則格外注重鄉土教育與環境教育理念上的相結合，以使學生不僅能熟知一般的鄉土知識外，也能對鄉土環境有更深層的認識。為因應新的鄉土資料之發現或鄉土環境的變動，此設計模式強調修訂與回饋的循環性。
本研究也深入探討編制鄉土課程內容應具備的理念，並依照本研究實際的研究情形，歸納出教材編撰、教學進行、教學資源等三方面分別加以探討，有關教材的編撰方面，則強調課程內容要求真、課程內容要多元化、課程內容要生活化、課程內容要結構化、課程內容要配合學生的身心程度、課程內容要配合各科、課程內容要趣味化等七項理念；在教學的進行方面，則強調學生為學習的主體、教學進行方式宜多樣化、教學宜強調感官的接觸等四項理念；在教學的資源方面，則強調社會資源的利用、教學媒體的利用、生活用具的使用、義工媽媽的協助、當地資源的使用等五項的理念。最後，並採用問卷及訪談方式，瞭解學生在學習過本課程後，所獲得有關對鄉土的覺知、知識、態度等三方面的成長；及教師在參與本鄉土課程研究後，對有關鄉土的知識、鄉土的感情及自我成長的改變。

This study intended to integrate local resources and the goals of environmental education to design and implement local environmental education activities. Its purposes were to explore the designing process and content features of the local environmental education activities, and to investigate its influences on participating teachers and students.
A model of designing local environmental education activities was proposed. It contained 8 steps, which were collecting local resources, designing activities, instruction, evaluation.... There were two distinctive features of this model: one was homeland study oriented which highlighted in local resources collection, and the other one was the emphases on environmental awareness and attitudes. In addition, this model allowed continuous modification if new information or problems of local environment were found.
The study concluded that the curriculum design of local environmental education should choose correct instructional materials carefully, include multiple perspectives, be life experience oriented, be well structured, be suitable to students' development, well connect to other subjects, and be interesting. Its instruction should emphasize on the students who were the center of learning, be activity oriented, apply various instructional methods, and have more experiences of direct sense contacts. Its educational resources should emphasize the utilization of community resources, media, daily life tools, school voluntary parents, and local resources. This study also discussed the influences of the local environmental education activities on students' awareness, knowledge and attitudes toward local environment, and on teachers' local environmental knowledge and feeling, and self development.