The Teacher's Role in Environmental Education
Environmental Education
(EE) refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably.
What is Environmental Education?
Teacher's Role
The teacher is the key to the whole teaching-learning process in Environmental Education. We need to redefine the role of teachers. A teacher's role is not that of transferring information but of being a facilitator, a leader and a resource person.
Transactional Modalities
Goals
A number of the transactional modalities have been suggested by experts across the country and most of them have been included in the National Curriculum Framework. Some of these transactional modalities of Environmental Education are mentioned below-
• Narration of events, experience and stories
• Assignments and projects
• Field Trips and visits
• Formation of Eco-clubs, National Green Corps, Nature Clubs, VIPNET- Clubs etc.
• Field Studies and Surveys of the Status of Environmental Resources, Identification of problems and search for solutions, developing strategies for conservation andAwareness Building etc.
• Brain Storming and Quizzes
• Role Play and Drama, Script-Writing and enactment etc.
• Lectures and demonstrations
• Discussions, and
• Case-studies and many more.
The goals of environmental education efforts around the world are similar-to maintain and improve environmental quality and to prevent future environmental problems. In part, environmental education is information education, increasing student knowledge about the environment. . Students learn about global warming, solid waste, and other environmental problems; they learn about ecology and how the world "works"; they learn about the consequences of environmental degradation; and they learn about their role in creating and preventing environmental problems.
and Mass Media
The Teacher's Role in Environmental Education
Sustenance of environment, building of a vigilant society, and promotion of strategies for sustainable development, maintenance of health-standards, hygiene and sanitation are some of the most important jobs that are to be done in the current situation. These jobs can be done by the development of healthy personal and social attitudes in student- community. The Environmental Education can be an effective instrument that can be used in the development of civic consciousness and inculcation of positive attitudes among students towards the environment, its protection, preservation and conservation. These things are desired to be promoted in effective ways through the involvement of school, parents and the community. At secondary level students need to “be introduced to the problems of environment we live in, the social responsibility of the community in maintaining it, and making it healthy. This is necessary due to the fact that living conditions of people have become complex due to rapid technological advancements, urbanization and population explosion.
ROLE OF THE PARENTS
The role of parents in environmental education is very important. They need to be consulted and involved in the total curriculum transaction. Their basic role is to provide help and support to institutions in activities involving both teachers and students. Thus the awareness of students about their surroundings will be enhanced, and they will come to realize the importance of projects and will try to promote the efforts for conservation.
Some of the areas that have been identified for interaction among school, community and other organizations to help learners are mentioned below-
Understanding the local environmental problems and finding out their solutions,
Keeping the local environment clean and healthy,
Using natural resources in judicious manners,
Sensitizing the community about environmental concerns, and
Participating in the environmental conservation and protection activities.
ROLE OF COMMUNITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The contribution of community can be taken in following areas-
• Sharing knowledge and information, and participating in actions related to environmental improvements,
• Sharing basic resources- including both the material and human resources,
• Running campaigns including adoption of heritage centres, parks and playgrounds, cleaning ponds and lakes, and maintaining parks and gardens,
• Celebrating festivals, international and national days etc.
• Extending support to nature clubs, fairs, cultural and social activities,
• Monitoring qualities of water and air, taking steps for rain-water harvesting and taking steps for the conservation of water by forming a group of like minded people,
• Creating awareness for the protection of environment in general and its different components, as per need, in particular.
Mass Media in Environmental Education
Environmental education involves a multidisciplinary process that focuses on critical analysis of environmental issues by gathering information; organizing information; interpreting information to draw conclusions and make inferences. People need to understand that any policy decisions especially decisions on environment related issues have profound influence on their lives and the lives of future generations. And media plays a crucial role in educating and making people environmentally conscious. The mass media plays a pivotal role in educating and shaping public opinion as well as influencing the policy decisions. Common man is the most effective agent of change. Once the civil society is familiar with the complex environmental and development related issues, it will gain the confidence to act appropriately leading towards sustainability.
(EE) refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably.
What is Environmental Education?
Teacher's Role
The teacher is the key to the whole teaching-learning process in Environmental Education. We need to redefine the role of teachers. A teacher's role is not that of transferring information but of being a facilitator, a leader and a resource person.
Transactional Modalities
Goals
A number of the transactional modalities have been suggested by experts across the country and most of them have been included in the National Curriculum Framework. Some of these transactional modalities of Environmental Education are mentioned below-
• Narration of events, experience and stories
• Assignments and projects
• Field Trips and visits
• Formation of Eco-clubs, National Green Corps, Nature Clubs, VIPNET- Clubs etc.
• Field Studies and Surveys of the Status of Environmental Resources, Identification of problems and search for solutions, developing strategies for conservation andAwareness Building etc.
• Brain Storming and Quizzes
• Role Play and Drama, Script-Writing and enactment etc.
• Lectures and demonstrations
• Discussions, and
• Case-studies and many more.
The goals of environmental education efforts around the world are similar-to maintain and improve environmental quality and to prevent future environmental problems. In part, environmental education is information education, increasing student knowledge about the environment. . Students learn about global warming, solid waste, and other environmental problems; they learn about ecology and how the world "works"; they learn about the consequences of environmental degradation; and they learn about their role in creating and preventing environmental problems.
and Mass Media
The Teacher's Role in Environmental Education
Sustenance of environment, building of a vigilant society, and promotion of strategies for sustainable development, maintenance of health-standards, hygiene and sanitation are some of the most important jobs that are to be done in the current situation. These jobs can be done by the development of healthy personal and social attitudes in student- community. The Environmental Education can be an effective instrument that can be used in the development of civic consciousness and inculcation of positive attitudes among students towards the environment, its protection, preservation and conservation. These things are desired to be promoted in effective ways through the involvement of school, parents and the community. At secondary level students need to “be introduced to the problems of environment we live in, the social responsibility of the community in maintaining it, and making it healthy. This is necessary due to the fact that living conditions of people have become complex due to rapid technological advancements, urbanization and population explosion.
ROLE OF THE PARENTS
The role of parents in environmental education is very important. They need to be consulted and involved in the total curriculum transaction. Their basic role is to provide help and support to institutions in activities involving both teachers and students. Thus the awareness of students about their surroundings will be enhanced, and they will come to realize the importance of projects and will try to promote the efforts for conservation.
Some of the areas that have been identified for interaction among school, community and other organizations to help learners are mentioned below-
Understanding the local environmental problems and finding out their solutions,
Keeping the local environment clean and healthy,
Using natural resources in judicious manners,
Sensitizing the community about environmental concerns, and
Participating in the environmental conservation and protection activities.
ROLE OF COMMUNITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The contribution of community can be taken in following areas-
• Sharing knowledge and information, and participating in actions related to environmental improvements,
• Sharing basic resources- including both the material and human resources,
• Running campaigns including adoption of heritage centres, parks and playgrounds, cleaning ponds and lakes, and maintaining parks and gardens,
• Celebrating festivals, international and national days etc.
• Extending support to nature clubs, fairs, cultural and social activities,
• Monitoring qualities of water and air, taking steps for rain-water harvesting and taking steps for the conservation of water by forming a group of like minded people,
• Creating awareness for the protection of environment in general and its different components, as per need, in particular.
Mass Media in Environmental Education
Environmental education involves a multidisciplinary process that focuses on critical analysis of environmental issues by gathering information; organizing information; interpreting information to draw conclusions and make inferences. People need to understand that any policy decisions especially decisions on environment related issues have profound influence on their lives and the lives of future generations. And media plays a crucial role in educating and making people environmentally conscious. The mass media plays a pivotal role in educating and shaping public opinion as well as influencing the policy decisions. Common man is the most effective agent of change. Once the civil society is familiar with the complex environmental and development related issues, it will gain the confidence to act appropriately leading towards sustainability.
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