مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ITS ALTERNATIVE METHODS

Abstract :

This study deals with various definitions of environmental education and alternative methods and approaches associated with it. Although there are numerous studies concerning with environmental attitudes and environmental pollution, there is a need for studies focusing on the methods and how these methods could be used in environmental education. Starting with elementary education through college, environmental education occupies a central place in such various academic disciplines as biology education, science education and geography education departments. Since environmental education concerns with the problems almost all of us face in daily life, its teaching should not be limited to just these departments but should be expanded to all academic disciplines. Also through conferences and elective courses, educators studying environmental education should reach out to more people to help them raise awareness on environmental issues and problems. This study is a survey of methods and approaches to environmental education found in the literature. After analyzing the results, it could be concluded that most of the teaching methods currently in use are teacher-centered in nature. However, with the adoption of constructivist approach to education, student-centered techniques take place of teacher-centered techniques and methods. Therefore, this study aims to shed light on the new methods and techniques with the introduction of constructivist techniques to environmental education.