Greening Schools and Communities : The Challenges

1. Greening Schools and Communities: The Challenges Merle C. Tan Director National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development University of the Philippines 29 June 2006

2. A Brief Review

3. Greening Schools and Communities • is NOT just about planting trees • is NOT just about improving waste disposal techniques • is NOT just about keeping rivers, lakes, and seas clean and safe for humans and other organisms • is NOT just about keeping the air clean • is NOT just about protecting watersheds • is NOT just about using energy resources wisely • is NOT just about finding technologies that are more energy efficient It is about ALL of the ABOVE and MORE….

4. Greening Schools and Communities … is also aboutobeying ecological principles, using indigenous and local knowledge, practicing critical thinking and problems solving skills … is also about - raising levels of economy through sustainable consumption, - maintaining peace and observing human rights, - practicing good governance and citizenship, - improving human health and the environment It is an integrated and holistic program aligned with the UN ESD International Implementation Scheme

5. How do we promote greening schools and communities?

6. Knowledge Greening Schools and Communities Skills Values

7. Knowledge Component • based onwell-founded ecological principles* and concepts**, appropriate for the age, abilities, and skill level of learners. • an integral part of the formal and nonformal education curriculum, and relevant to the community and culture. • organized so that new learning is built on a foundation of students' previous knowledge and experiences.

8. Ecological Principles • Interconnectedness • Biodiversity • Change • Materials Cycle . • Balance of nature • Finiteness of Resources • Population growth and carrying capacity • Stewardship • Sustainable development

9. Other Themes • Biodiversity The variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms, creates the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we depend. Human impact threatens individual species and all those living things that depend on the interaction of life forms • Climate Change The harmful impact of climate change is of worldwide proportions. To limit damage to the atmosphere requires awareness and action from the individual to international levels.

10. Ecosystems The interaction of individual components of every ecosystem results in an effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts. All aspects of society and economy are dependent on ecosystems and their functions. • Energy Much of the world currently depends on inexpensive fossil fuels to heat homes, operate transportation systems and drive the economy. Significant portions of the world's residents do not have the luxury of a single light switch. Both ends of this energy use spectrum challenge the environment's capacity to absorb the results of human energy use.

11. Water Freshwater is a critical component of ecosystems and an essential human resource. Awareness and management challenges are critical environment and development issues.

12. Our Context: Population Growth and Carrying Capacity A farmer started with a few hyacinths in a pond 128 square meters in area. These hyacinths doubled in number daily. During the first Sunday, the water hyacinths covered less than 1% or 1/128 of the surface area. But the farmer does not worry. Still doubling in number, the hyacinths covered 1/62 of the water surface on Monday, 1/32 on Tuesday, 1/16 on Wednesday, 1/8 on Thursday and 1/4 onFriday.

13. The following Sunday, the pond was completely filled with hyacinths. The full capacity of the pond has been reached. Any further increase in number can no longer be accommodated by the pond. The hyacinths were rapidly using up the nutrients in the water. The increasing number of hyacinths is analogous to the exponential growth of people, not only n the Philippines but in the world over.

14. Knowledge Greening Schools and Communities Skills Values

15. Skills Component Students and community learners have opportunities to practice basic process skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, including investigation of controversial issues The skills also ensure safe learning.

16. observing comparing/ classifying communicating asking questions Basic Process skills making models measuring & recording data inferring

17. Applying findings to new situations Communicating results Statinga problem Integrated Thinking Skills Formulating hypothesis Drawing conclusion Designing a Procedure to test hypothesis Finding patterns Collecting data

18. Critical thinking Creative thinking Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Problem solving Decision making

19. Knowledge Greening Schools and Communities Skills Values

20. Values Component The programs promote increased sensitivityto and appreciation of the environment, cultures, and views of others and include an ethic of care, consensus building, and responsible citizen action. They support the personal and societal capacity to take action necessary for sustainability.

21. Strategies to Develop KSA

22. Main criterion for selecting teaching and learning strategies itencourages high level of learner engagement and commitment.

23. Experiential Learning Direct experiences (provided at a young age) are used to develop and deepen connections to the environment and encourage personal affinity, and emotional connection with Earth and other species. Outdoor learning is part of the program or encouraged as a follow-up activity where appropriate.

24. Connected to the world outside the classroom or lecture hall Learning activities are grounded in a real-world context familiar to learners’ life.

25. Integrated Learning Concepts and issues are examined through their social, political, economic, ethical and ecological contexts. A systems thinking approach to the dynamic, complex way of relationships is provided.

26. Service/Action Learning Opportunity exists to practice action skills and strategies for environmental stewardship (planning, communication, group skills, team work, safety and leadership skills). Also includes opportunity to practice active citizenship - connecting curriculum to environmental action in school buildings and grounds, and in homes, neighborhoods and communities.

27. Locus of Control Opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, and the medium in which they wish to work. • Values Education Methodology Allows examination and clarification of individual and social value systems, and the exploration of a range of perspectives, beliefs, biases, and assumptions.

28. Accommodating Diverse Learners Activities address a range of learning styles and teach to both cognitive and affective domains. • Open-ended Instruction Opportunities for students to study topics more deeply are provided and encouraged.

29. Learning Materials Program materials readily integrate into prescribed formal and nonformal curriculum. Materials provide clear directions, background information and adaptation suggestions for teachers. Learning materials are prepared taking in account identified benchmarks/standards.

30. Case Studies Local relevant cases and references are used as a means of integrating concepts. Case studies and scenarios are presented with a range of possible solutions.

31. Integrated Learning • Concepts and issues are examined through their social, political, economic, ethical and ecological contexts. • A systems thinking approach to the dynamic, complex way of relationships is provided.

32. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Students actively demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Additionally, appropriate learner assessment methods/mechanisms are utilized including reflection and self-assessment opportunities.

33. Management Techniques/Mechanisms for Long Term Impact

34. Supporting Teacher Self-Sufficiency and Competency • Increase the capacity of teachers to incorporate concepts, skills, and values benchmarks into their planning and instruction; • Promote teacher awareness and knowledge of the principles of sustainability and their practice in personal and professional realms; and • Provide opportunities for teachers to extend student learning in addition to and beyond the scope of the learning activities presented by providers.

35. Strategic Alliances • Work for adoption by the whole school system, government agencies and/or local non-governmental organizations to increase chance of long-term viability. Programs should encourage support and endorsement from the school and/or school board. • Provide opportunities for sharing, extension and continuity (e.g., engage students, community members, follow-up programs, volunteer and mentoring programs, links to community action projects, student forums, camps, institutes, support for Environmental clubs, annual conferences and youth grants). • Establish links across age groups to enable students to receive multiple coordinated learning opportunities through the cooperative efforts of multiple agencies and organizations.

36. Marketing, Communication and • Evaluation Scheme • Offer opportunities for student recognition and celebration in the broader community and profile student efforts as a means of building community awareness. • Provide teachers and students with links to related relevant resources, programs, organizations, and individuals (e.g., on line) • Establish an evaluation system that tracks and measures results at the level of short-term objectives and longer-term goals.

37. Learning On-line The Internet offers an incredible potential for finding information related to the topics in school, but at the same time the search too often ends by being waste of learners’ school hours.

38. Education for Sustainable Development

39. Role of ESD Education is the means through which society prepares its citizenry to carry out their responsibilities (e,g., environmental protection)

43. The Challenges

44. Are we sustainable development-oriented? • Do we think green and act green? • At the institutional level, are we playing a strong role in the education, research, policy development, information exchange, and community outreach to help create an equitable and sustainable future? • Do we have multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary courses that promote understanding of the relationship between population, human activities, • and the environment? • Do we have multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research to develop environmentally sound technologies or anticipatory research to identify future threats to a sustainable society, and develop solutions to circumvent these threats?

45. How can we engage faculty, staff, administration, and students and LGUs in activities such as energy and water conservation, and recycling, or in encouraging vendors who supply us with products and services to act in an environmentally responsible manner when manufacturing their products and • delivering their services? • At the personal level, have we made a commitment to help create a sustainable economy - one that doesn’t use up resources at the expense of future generations? • Have we realized our interconnectedness with the world and reflected on the unintended damage we cause nature in the daily course of our lives? • Are we taking corrective action to make environmental responsibility and stewardship a reality?

46. Thinking and acting green means • to embrace the tremendous responsibility as leaders in education, in industry, in every field to use our strength, talents, resources and technologies to better the communities we serve. • to understand that the world is a finite place with finite resources, and next generation products and processes must be designed within the framework of this complex system • being mindful of and sensitive to the natural environment in our daily life.

47. Thus, thinkinggreen means being aware of our interconnectedness with the world and reflecting on the unintended damage we cause nature in the daily course of our lives. Hopefully, thinking green leads to acting green, particularly, taking corrective action to make environmental responsibility and stewardship a reality.

48. Lets organize our Think Greenpartners Let’s form a a task force to monitor projects designed to reduce the environmental impact of their campus operations. Lets put up a website for environmental activities where the green partners can report their activities and accomplishments Let’s conduct a baseline Green Audit

49. The Green Audit • Serve as guide in determining where your office, school (or UP in general) stands in terms of environmental protection • It is a checklist which can reveal which areas can be improved • No ratings or scores are given • What matters is that change can be instituted particularly concerning practices which, often without realizing it do harm to the environment.

50. I. Policy • General (environmental protection a part of our vision/mission statement; environmental policy; committee or persons responsible for environmental projects and programs in the school? • Personnel Are environmental considerations part of the performance appraisal system of faculty, deans, support staff? Are personnel required to practice environment oriented activities such as waste reduction, use of non toxic materials, involvement in community-based projects? • Purchasing