Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that EE is vital in imparting an inherent respect for nature among society and in enhancing public environmental awareness. UNESCO emphasises the role of EE in safeguarding future global developments of societal quality of life (QOL), through the protection of the environment, eradication of poverty, minimization of inequalities and insurance of sustainable development.

The term often implies education within the school system, from primary to post-secondary. However, it sometimes includes all efforts to educate the public and other audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc.. There are also ways that environmental education is taught outside the traditional classroom. Aquariums, zoos, parks, and nature centers all have ways of teaching the public about the environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is;
• Be able to identify relevant curriculum links to ESD activities;
• Understand how to engage and motivate young people to learn about the environment within different curriculum frameworks;
• Learn teaching methods and approaches of EE;
• Explore a range of thematic approaches to EE and be able to draw on these in the compilation of a program of EE;
• Take part in experiential environmental education activities;