UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

1. UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAMGEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT Course: Introduction to Environmental Education (GE 145) Instructors : Dr. C. Sokoni, Dr. J. Manahiri & D. Mwalutolo

2. Course Objectives • Introduce students to the principlesand methodologies of environmental Education • Imparts knowledge and skills for making environmentally responsible decisions in the management of the environment and natural resources.

3. Delivery Methods • Lectures • Group discussion • Hands-on outdoor activities

4. Delivery • 30 lectures • 15 seminar / practicals

5. Assessment • Coursework – 40% • Test • Assignments – group and individual works • Presentations • Final Examination – 60%

6. COURSE OUTLINETopic 1: Principles of Environmental Education 1.1 Concepts and principles of environmental Education 1.2 History and philosophy of environmental education 1.3 Approaches in environmental education 1.4 Acquisition of environmental knowledge

7. Topic 2: The environment and its challenges 2.1 Physical and cultural components of the environment 2.2 Population, resources and environmental challenges

8. Topic 3: Human behaviour, Culture and the Environment 3.1 Factors influencing human behaviour towards the environment 3.2 The role of education: Awareness, attitudes, motivations and commitment to improve environmental quality 3.3 Changing detrimental environmental behaviors

9. Topic 4: Skills and expertise in environmental management 4.1 Methods in Environmental Education 4.2 Environmental conservation skills (use reduction, re- use, recycling) 4.3 Waste management skills 4.4 Energy saving technologies

10. Topic 5:The role of Environmental Education in Sustainable Development • Case studies

11. Basic Readings Boyce, J.K., 2002, The political Economy of the Environment, Edward Edgar, Chelternham, UK. Hackle,J. and A. Martin, 2001, Environments in a changing World. Prentice Hall. Otende, J. E., 1991, Environmental Education, African Books Collection, Oxford Palmer, J and P. Neal, 1994, The Handbook of Environmental Education. Routledge. London. Simmons, D., 1998, “ Reflections on Environmental Education: Promise and Performance” Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 3, Spring 1998, pp.41-47:p.44

12. Environmental Education • It is important to understand the word environment first • The word environment is derived from the French word “Environ” which means “ Surroundings”. • Environment is given various names, including: • Habitat • Ecosystem • Nature • Surroundings • biosphere

13. Cont… • It commands a very broad meaning; it includes: air, land and water, plant and animal life including human life. • It also include social, economic, recreational, cultural and aesthetic conditions and factors that influence the life of human beings and their communities. • Also comprise buildings, structures, machines or any other devices made by man. • Also embrace any solids, liquids, gases, heat, sound, vibration or radiation resulting directly or indirectly from the activities of man.

14. Cont… • Components of environment possess inter or intra-relationships • Because its components interact with each other, destructions of any individual component can cause an undesirable imbalance.

15. Cont… • Environment/surrounding include all factors that influence growth, behaviour and development • It also involve a complex interaction between natural and social phenomenon (UNICEF, 1987) • Sound environmental behaviour is a direct result of attitudes and a thorough understanding of certain values -These values cannot be absorbed all at once - Attitudes are developed throughout our lives.

16. Environmental Education (EE) • Defining the concept of EE is very problematic • Since environment is all embracing then it must be considered in its totality to include aspects which are: • urban and rural • Technological and social • Aesthetic and ethical • Human environment, etc. (NAEE, 1975)

17. Cont… • The varied nature of its content may be regarded as a strength, but also as a weakness • Either EE becomes equated with the whole of education, thus essentially losing its identity, or else selected features must be singled out for a focus of teaching and learning tasks

18. Cont. • As way to overcome this problem, it has to be recognized that an environmental dimension can be found in most aspect of education thus EE may be considered to be an approach to education which incorporate considerations of the environment, rather than being a separate part of education • It does however, have a discrete “content” which must be incorporated into teaching and learning situations

19. Threads of EE • Education related to environment includes three threads • Threefold structure was first formalized in the schools Council’s Project Environment (1974) • The three threads which have contributed to our present ideas and act as become almost common place to characterize these education as Education ABOUT, FROM, or FOR environment.

20. Education ABOUT the environment • Education about the environment seek to discover the nature of the area under study often through investigatory and discovery approaches • The objectives are cognitive ones that the aim is to accumulate information

21. Education FROM the environment • Teachers must have sought to forward the general education to the child by using the environment as a resource in two main ways: • Medium for enquiry and discovery which may lead to the enhancement of the learning process. The most important aspect being learning how to learn • As a source of material for realistic activities in language, mathematics, science, crafts, etc.

22. Education FOR the environment • Education which is environmental in style with emphasis on developing an informed concern for the environment • The objective go beyond the acquisition of skills and knowledge and require the development on involvement to the extent that values are formed which affect behaviour • The aim is to develop attitudes and levels of understanding which lead to a personal environmental ethic; that is, to educate pupils so that their actions and influences on collective actions will be positively for the benefits of the earthly environment.

23. Environmental Education • Environmental Education is a process what allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving and take action to improve the environment. • As a result of environmental education people/individuals develop a deeper understanding of the environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions • Is the teaching of individuals, and communities, in transitioning to a society that is knowledgeable of the environment and its associated problems.

24. More explanation on the meaning of EE • Environmental Education is seen as a process of continuous learning, a gradually acquired realization of the importance of natural resources and the need to use them wisely • The best strategy to adopt is to make environmental education an integral part of the learning process throughout life • It is also described as the process by which one becomes gradually aware and critical of one’s attitude towards the environment • It should be conceptualized as a process not as a single subject because it involves all human activities

25. Figure 1. Attributes of Environmental Education

26. Attributes of Environmental Education • Problem- focused • Interdisciplinary and holistic • For all ages and all levels • Continuous and life long • Community oriented • Dimension of education

27. EE VS E. Information

28. Objectives of Environmental Education • There are several objectives of environmental education. • Others term them as components and some refer to them as criteria in evaluating environmental education.

29. Objectives 1: Raise awareness • In raising awareness, the focus is to help social groups and individuals to acquire awareness and sensitivity to the total environmental and its allied problems

30. Objective 2: Building Knowledge • This focuses on helping social groups and individuals to gain a variety of experience in and acquire understanding of the environment and its associated problems. • Problems such as deforestation, climate change, environmental pollution and how they affect people and environmental systems in general.

31. Objective 3: Attitudes • Is to help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and the motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection.

32. Objective 4: Skills • Skills is about helping social groups and individuals to acquire skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. • Skills can be related to expertise and always acquired through experience or training.

33. Objective 5: Participation • To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working towards resolution of environmental problems

34. THANKS