Education "for" the Environment
This paper explores the issue of education for the environment, one of the three key dimensions of a school's environmental education programme.
Environmental education involves the integration of three key dimensions:
- education in the environment
- education about the environment
- education for the environment
A balanced environmental education programme addresses all three dimensions.
Guidelines for Environmental Education in New Zealand Schools, page 14.
What is education "for" the environment?
Education for the environment is the action component of environmental education.
Taking the scope of "environment" to include the social cultural, economic, built, and natural environment, it can be said that education for the environment:
- aims to improve the environment (or preserve pristine environments);
- changes students' behaviours, attitudes, and values;
- equates to "education for sustainability" or "sustainable education";
- is as much of a process as a product (see scenarios A, F, H below).
Action as opposed to activity
Taking education for the environment as the action component of environmental education, it is important to define action.
Two criteria are required for action:
- Students need to be involved with the decision-making process.
- The action needs to target the resolution of an environmental issue.
The interaction of these criteria is shown below.
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The criteria for environmental action
| | No student input | Students involved in deciding what to do |
| Activity focused on the symptom of an environmental issue |
ACTIVITY
Education "about" or "in" the environment
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ACTIVITY
Education "about" or "in" the environment
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| Activity targeted at solving an environmental issue |
ACTIVITY
Education "about" or "in" the environment
|
ACTION
Education "for" the environment
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(Adapted from Jensen and Schnack 1997, p. 169)
To illustrate this, consider a situation where students choose to collect litter. Although there is student decision making in this activity, the activity addresses the symptoms rather than the cause of the environmental issue. Hence, this remains education about or in the environment. It is not education for the environment.
Similarly, at students involved in a tree planting event initiated by the Department of Conservation on Arbour Day, are not involved in the decision making process, so this is an activity rather than an action. It is Education about or in the environment, not education for the environment.
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Examples of education "for" the environment
Consider the following scenarios which show examples of teachers implementing education for the environment. The scenarios are based on examples of actual situations from a selection of New Zealand schools.
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Scenario A: Planning for action
A year 5 class is taking part in an environmental action project. Ideas for action are brainstormed and investigated. After a few days, a range of ideas are listed including:
- making signs to put around the school to notify students of potential hazards;
- checking for and replacing leaking tap washers;
- building a worm farm;
- creating signs to encourage unused electrical equipment to be turned off; and,
- writing letters to companies and politicians about local issues.
The students choose to work in groups of up to 3 students, or to work alone. Next they utilise a matrix format to assist their decision making about the actions they will take.
Once their vision has been decided, the students complete an action planner, to identify the steps they will need to take to achieve their vision. The teacher encourages the students to reflect on the process by completing a learning journal. The teacher also keeps a learning journal.
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Scenario B: Edible garden
It is environmental education morning at school. Students arrive with their parents and caregivers, complete with tools, straw, compost, and other items they need to construct their edible garden.
The students have been planning this for weeks. They worked in wh?nau groups to investigate and survey their school environment, then came up with a map detailing suggested improvements. Next, the students chose one improvement they would like to work on.
They surprised their teachers by opting for an edible garden rather than improved playground equipment. After visits to numerous local gardens, assistance from experienced gardeners, and plenty of research, the students designed their ideal garden. The teachers have also learnt much about garden design from the project.
Today, the students' vision will begin to become a reality, and the students are eager to commence construction. Their enthusiasm for the project has spread to the parents and teachers.
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Scenario C: Speed humps
On entering the classroom one morning, a year 7 student comments to his teacher about the speed of traffic travelling past the school. He tells of an unsafe incident involving his younger sister.
The teacher talks to the class about their feelings on this issue. They agree that the speed of traffic is a concern. The teacher asks the students what they can do about it. They come up with a list of suggestions and then prioritise these. Students choose tasks from the prioritised list to act on.
A week later, after several phone calls and some research, some local senior citizens, a traffic officer, and the council roading officer visit the class. Together, they organise a roster to monitor the speed of traffic. A month later they have some data confirming the speed of traffic past the school is unacceptable.
With community assistance, the students decide to collate the data, write a report, and present their case to council. Speed humps are installed two months later.
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Scenario D: The physical education shed
Students decide to revamp the physical education shed and re-organise the gear. Gear has been lost, not returned and the shed itself is dark and not user friendly.
They write to the board of trustees asking for funding and support. The students devise a creative organisation system. They measure, order materials and paint the interior, and make a plaque to say who has been responsible.
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Scenario E: Designing an environmental education logo
The issue is lack of communication about school environmental education programmes.
The students identify this and address it by designing a school environmental education motto and logo. They write and send fortnightly environmental newsletters to the school community and other community members.
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Scenario F: Beautifying the area
Students pass by a newly built effluent stop for stock trucks on their way to school. They decide it looks unattractive and ask what they can do about it. Their teacher suggests they contact the stakeholders. With the local council and Transit New Zealand they measure the area. The students then visit a nursery and ask a parent with landscaping skills to assist them. Together they come up with a planting plan to beautify the area. They draw on their maths skills to calculate costings. They present their plans to Council.
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Scenario G: Saving the stream
The class have been discussing wai, the Māori word for water. The teacher describes waimate, dead water. A student said that her local stream was dying. This 11-year-old student remembers playing in the stream, catching lobsters and other creatures five years earlier.
The teacher sees this as a learning opportunity. Students visit the "dying" stream, write a report, and liaise with the local iwi and council to conduct water monitoring. Subsequently, the stream is fenced off from farm animals and the students help to plant the riparian strip.
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Scenario H: Marine reserve
A class makes a day trip to the beach. They find that the locals are saying that fewer dolphins than usual have been seen there that summer. They also hear about an incident with a fishing boat netting a dolphin. Back at school, the students write to the Minister of Conservation, asking for a marine reserve in the area.
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Students and education "for" the environment
As the above scenarios illustrate, some of the things students "do" when they do education for the environment are:
Teachers and education "for" the environment
The scenarios also illustrate that when teachers "do" education for the environment, they:
- allow students to have a role in determining their own learning (all scenarios);
- assist students to discover the symptoms and real causes of environmental issues;
- develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills (all scenarios);
- arrange collaborative action projects in negotiation with students and community;
- focus on one or two issues in-depth (all scenarios);
- ensure projects are multidisciplinary (all scenarios);
- take part in the learning alongside students and community members (scenario B);
- reflect, re-evaluate, and think about their teaching (scenario A);
- use a facilitative, inclusive teaching style.
Strategies used by teachers
The following strategies employed by teachers to promote change "for" the environment have been recorded in research (McLean, 2002) into the implementation of environmental education in New Zealand schools.
- Teachers are reflective practitioners. They think about and reflect on their teaching.
- Teachers utilise a multidisciplinary approach to focus on one or two issues in-depth.
- Teachers work with others in the school to employ a whole school approach.
- Teachers utilise the school and local environment.
- Teachers take part in the learning alongside students and community members.
- Teachers utilise the "teachable moment" to maximise opportunities for teaching environmental education.
- Teachers arrange visits to other schools implementing education "for" the environment.
The research showed that the teachers facilitate the education "for" the environment by encouraging students to:
- have a role in determining their learning.
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have ownership of their learning.
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identify and choose issues to resolve.
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find solutions and work towards the resolution of environmental issues (rather than them being imposed by an expert).
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discover the symptoms and real causes of environmental issues.
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work alongside teachers and community members.
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think critically thinking and problem-solve.
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reflect on their actions.
Other factors that are required in order to achieve education for the environment include:
- Enthusiastic, committed teachers with a positive attitude towards environmental education.
- Support from within the school (from the board of trustees, principal and other teachers).
- Community partnerships (with parents, wh?nau and caregivers, community groups, and external government organisations.
- Governmental guidance.
- Teacher education.
- The Guidelines for Environmental Education in New Zealand Schools.
References
Jensen, B. B. & Schnack, K. (1997). The action competence approach in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 3 (2), 163–178.
McLean, T. J. (2002). Environmental education in Otago (New Zealand) primary schools: Education "for" the environment? Unpublished Masters Environmental Education (Honours) thesis, Griffith University, Brisbane and Christchurch College of Education, Christchurch.
Ministry of Education. (1999). Guidelines for environmental education in New Zealand schools. Wellington: Learning Media.
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