Effective environmental education: the need for ethical inquiry
Date
2007
Authors
Gallasch, J.
Collins, C.
Knight, S.
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Journal article
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International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, 2007; 3(4):75-86
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Abstract
Environmental decline at local, national and global levels is occurring at an alarming rate. If the environment is to be protected for future generations, environmental education must encourage and equip students to strive for sustainability. In this paper it is argued that effective environmental education requires that two general necessary conditions be met: first, that teachers operate with a ‘social transformation’ goal of education, and second, that teachers take seriously the goal of environmental education as that of equipping students to strive towards sustainability. Further, it is argued that a number of specific conditions must be met if environmental education is to be effective. That is, teachers must develop in students, knowledge and understanding of environmental problems, the causes of these problems, and possible solution strategies. Most importantly, they must develop in students the commitment to act to solve and prevent environmental problems. Critically, the development of such commitment is dependent on engaging students in the processes of ethical inquiry. This paper also includes a description of an empirical study designed to identify the extent to which these necessary conditions are met within the South Australian government primary school context.
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Copyright 2007 Justine Gallasch, Carol Collins and Sue Knight