ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION - Meaning, Characteristics and Focal Aspect

 

 Ã¨ ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION:

ª Meaning:

Environmental education is a learning process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

ª Characteristics of Environmental Education:

Ø It is a life - long process

Ø It is interdisciplinary and holistic in nature and its application.

Ø It is an approach to education as a whole, rather than a subject.

Ø It is a process of recognizing the interrelatedness among human, his cultural and biological surroundings.

Ø It appears to be a process that equips human with awareness, skills-attitudes, values and commitments to improve environment.

Ø It refers to the knowledge and understanding of physical, biological, cultural and psychological environment and to perceive its relevance for real life situation.

Ø It identifies the imbalances of environment a try to improve it in view of sustainable development.

Ø It entails practice in decision making and self-formulations of a code of behaviour about problems and issues concerning environmental quality.

ª Focal Aspects of Environmental Education:

There are 6 focal aspects of environmental education

§  Natural Resources Problems and solutions

§  Environmental pollutions and hazards

§  Important environmental problems

§  Environmental conservation policies and programmes

§  Environmental management and protection

§  Incorporation of environmental education in the school curriculum

         Natural Resources, Problems and solutions

  renewable & non – renewable resources

  ex: land, water, minerals, forest, air…

  Problems: – landslides, soil -erosion, desertification, deforestation, over exploitation of ground water, sewage and agricultural discharges, mono crop culture, over fishing, depletion of fuel resources….

  Solutions: -

  Conserving the biodiversity

  Energy saving

  Reducing the usage of paper

  Avoiding plastic items ……

         Environmental pollution and hazards:

  Environmental Pollution

  Land pollution, Water pollution, Air pollution, Noise pollution

  Environmental hazards and Disasters

 Earthquake, Tsunami, Landslide, volcano explosion, flood, cyclone, forest fire, nuclear accidents, industrial accidents…..

         Important environmental problems:

  Global warming

  Greenhouse effect

  Depletion of ozone layer

  Acid rain

  Extinction of flora and fauna

         Environmental conservation policies and programmes:

  Environment conservation laws

  Creation of gene banks

  Solar power projects

  Rainwater harvesting

  Development of social forest

         Environmental management and protection:

  Soil management

  Water management

  Waste management

  Disaster management

  Establishment of international organizations

  Environmental movements in India

  Functioning of NGO’s

Incorporation of environmental education in the school curriculum:

  • To develop environmental awareness, attitude and skills for solving environmental problem
  • Providing environmental education at various levels of Education
  • Approaches in providing environmental education
  • Ways and means of integrating environmental education in the curriculum
  • Guidelines to include environmental education at school level
  • Problems faced in imparting environmental education

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