Environmental Education- What, Why and How?

Education has a crucial role to play in Society.

It is this process that disseminates knowledge, imparts necessary skills, and helps in forming or changing attitudes One of the most basic areas about which we get educated is - an understanding of how the system of life function and how we humans fit in to them. This is what constitutes environment.

Concern.
1970s saw a growing concern about the deteriorating state of the environment, and the need to do something about conservation and improvement of the situation. The concept of an environmentally oriented education system which would help to prepare environmentally conscious citizens emerged in response of this

Efforts The Stockholm Conference * The first United Conference on Human and Environment Which stated that to defend and improve the environment for present and future generation has become an imperative goal of mankind * Initiated an idea of observing World Environment Day on 5th June every year.

Objective of EE The first Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education (Tbilisi 1972) a. An awareness of the environment and its problems b. Basic knowledge and understanding of the environment and its inter-relationship with man c. Social values and attitudes which are in harmony with environment quality d. Skills to solve environmental problems e. Ability to evaluate environmental measures and education programmes f. A sense of responsibility and urgency towards the environment so as to ensure appropriate actions to solve environmental problems

Guideline principles to achieve the objectives

Consider the environment in its totality Be a continuous lifelong process, beginning at the preschool Be interdisciplinary in its approach Examine major environmental issues from local, national, regional and international points of view Focus on current and potential environmental situations, while taking in to account the historical perspective Promote the value and necessity of local, national and international co-operation in prevention and solution of environmental problems

Environmental Educationprocess in developing a world population that is aware of and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, attitude, commitments and skills to work individually and collectively towards the solution of current problems and the prevention of new ones

EE Evolution in India

The basic education launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937, was perhaps the first serious attempt at relating education in schools to local environmental needs. The essential elements of basic education about
productive activity in education correlation curriculum with the productive activity and the physical and social environment intimate contact between the school and the local community

The role of environmental educator

To educate about environment is a challenging task Environment is all encompassing, multidisciplinary and dynamic. An educator has to bring in its scientific, social, economic, political and technological dimensions to it

Practical activities and first hand experiences of real-life situation are essential to make EE meaningful
Objective of EE- spanning awareness to action- pose challenge. Education have to explore fresh ways of teaching

EE in School..
School is one institutional framework through which EE can be introduced

The main actors that interact within this framework are students, teachers and the curriculum

Within the school framework..

Provide all students with opportunity to acquire the knowledge, understanding, and skills to engage effectively with environmental issues Encourage students to examine and interpret the environment from variety of perspectives

Arose students awareness and curiosity about the environment and encourage active participation in resolving environmental problems

Many ways to teach..

A variety of teaching methodologies can be used

No matter what the situation, the teaching-learning experience can be enhanced by teachers The challenge is to use imagination and innovation in selecting from the many activities and approaches that can motivate students and take them from awareness to action