Environmental Education

March 2015

ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION

Environmental Education

Environmental Education

1.1

March 2015

DEFINITIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

An official definition of environmental education was given by the

Development Programme of the United Nations (PNUD) and the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the
International Environmental Education Programme (PIEA) , environmental
education was defined as "the ongoing process in which individuals and the
community become aware of their environment and about knowledge,
values, skills, experience and determination that allow them to act,
individually and collectively, to solve environmental problems and future ".

To Crdoba, Fr. (1998, P 6-7); "Environmental education is understood as a

democratic, dynamic and participatory process that seeks to awaken in the
individual consciousness and can identify with the social and environmental
issues, both generally and in the environment in which he lives.

The Guide teacher guidance N 05 "learn from our environment" (2006, p.

36) mentions that "environmental education is a process that seeks to
generate environmental awareness for sustainable development. It is an
ongoing process. Environmental education allows prepare the population for
their participation in environmental management.

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March 2015

OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

At the International Seminar of Belgrade (1975), cited by Delgado (1997,
p.35-36) the objectives of environmental education are:

A) To encourage responsibility and consciousness: To help individuals

and social groups acquire greater sensitivity and awareness of the
environment in general and related problems.

B) Provide knowledge: To help individuals and social groups acquire a

basic compression of the environment in its entirety, environmental
problems and their influence on mankind.
C) Develop attitudes: To help individuals and social groups acquire deep
interest in the environment. Encouraging people to participate in
protecting and improving the environment.
D) Develop skills: To help individuals and social groups in acquiring skills
necessary to solve environmental problems.
E) Develop a capacity of evaluation: To help individuals and social
groups to evaluate measures and environmental education programs in
relation

of

ecological

factors,

economic,

social,

aesthetic

and

educational.
F) Provide opportunities for action and / or participation: To help
individuals and social groups to develop their sense of responsibility and
they can have an active, individual and collective participation to solve
current environmental problems and prevent future problems.

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March 2015

Chu and Garro (1994, P. 125); coincides with the objectives of the
International Seminar of Belgrade (1975), cited by Delgado, but added a
goal that is important to note:
Build environmental leaders: Allow the formation of environmental
leaders with greater knowledge of reality capable of leading to a human
group, in your neighborhood, town, IE, in defense of the environment.

It is important to note this goal as it aims to train people with leadership skills
that can contribute to improving environmental quality. The environmental
problems of today need to be cared for by people able to confront and solve
them.
Torrealba (2001) also mentions us some goals that we consider in preschool
are:
Start the child in the knowledge and understanding of the elements of
their immediate environment, in order to be able to develop curiosity and
respect for their environment, according to their levels of development.
Helping children develop their cognitive to begin to perceive reality in a
critical and objective manner in order to encourage them to participate in
solving environmental problems, based on their interests and skills.

Facilitate the development of favorable attitudes toward the environment,

in order to be able to demonstrate a behavior tending to preserve,
defend and improve it for your enjoyment and satisfaction of needs in
children.

Environmental Education

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March 2015

Helping children to develop the skills to enable them to participate in

solving environmental problems in their locality.
Start children in social action in order to be able to join actively and
rationally to their environment to meet their needs for recreation, food,
housing, education, health and others.

1.3

PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

According the guidance of Educational Guidance N5 "We learn from our
environment (2006, P. 39), environmental education aims to help people
and communities to:

Be aware of local, national and international environmental issues

as part of a whole (holistic).

Worry about having current and accurate information on the

environmental situation.

Implement daily, habits and based on solidarity and responsibility for

oneself and the other values.

Take an active role in preventing and improving the environment in

their community.

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March 2015

APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

CONAM (2006, P. 14-15); mentions the following approaches:
A) Naturalista Approach: From this approach, the notion of environment
is limited to what is the "nature", perceived as a problem that threatens
economic development. In response, environmental education transmits
information (conceptual content) about nature.
For example: It sensitizes a group of students to participate in a march
against the indiscriminate felling of trees.

B) Ecological

Approach:

From

this

perspective

the

concern

of

environmental education focuses on a critical view of the environment,

ecosystems and natural resources. This is imparting knowledge on
ecology and develops skills (procedural content) that lead people to a
rational use of resources.
For example: You can make a research in the area of science and
environment where green space is conceived as a rich resource that
can help in the social and human development, providing welfare.

C) Environmental Approach: This approach sees the environment as a

whole where all elements (including humans) are systematically
interrelated. From this conception the task is to promote values moral ethical to develop environmental awareness in people.
For example: From the observation of a near reality, it is proposed to
develop a learning project involving different areas with the theme of the
indiscriminate felling of trees. The student investigates, analyzes, reflects
and proposes solutions to promote sustainable use of this resource.
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1.5

March 2015

PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

At the Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education organized
by UNESCO, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment
Programme (PNUMA) and held in the city of Tibilisi (1977), cited by
MINEDU, guiding principles of environmental education were raised. Here
are some of them:

Consider the environment as a whole, ie, in its natural, technological and

social aspects.
To provide a continuous and ongoing process, starting with the preschool
level and continuing through the stage of formal and non-formal.

To examine major environmental issues from the points of local, national,

regional and international perspective.
To insist on the value and necessity of local, national and international
cooperation to prevent environmental problems.
Promote the active participation of students in organizing their learning
experiences, giving them the opportunity to make decisions and accept
the consequences.
Help students

discover

the

real causes and

consequences of

environmental problems.

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Environmental Education

1.6

March 2015

COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

According the guidance of Educational Guidance N5 "We learn from our

environment" (2006, p 37-38) There are four levels or components of
environmental education:

A) Ecological foundations: Any information that students should know

about biophysical systems that support life on Earth, which is presented
in the areas of basic ecology, physical geographical meteorology,
botany, biology, chemistry and physics.
These support systems operate according to "ecological rules" that
preserve life on our planet.

B) Conceptual awareness: It is an accurate and reflective knowledge of

ecological rules that allow give an opinion and take a stand. This
standard establishes the relationship between individual and group
actions, and environmental rules.

C) Research and evaluation of problems: This level allows contribute to

the understanding of environmental problems through the information we
obtain through research. Evaluation is important because it will generate
interpretations and decisions on environmental issues.
D) Capacity for action: In this level will develop skills of participation and
action on current environmental problems and preventing future
problems.

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Environmental Education

1.7

March 2015

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AS TRANSVERSAL TOPIC

CONAM

(National

Environmental

Council),

(2006,

P.

11),

says:

"Environmental Education as a transversal topic allows us to address

environmental issues at the core of our educational project since it is not tied
to only one area of knowledge and also seeks to develop in students an
ethical behavior appropriate to the environment where they live and with all
component parts."

1.7.1 Advantages of Environmental Education as a transversal topic:

CONAM, gives us scope to us a list of the advantages of addressing
environmental education, as a transversal topic:

Are directly linked to improving the quality of life.

Encourage work values education that fosters a change of attitude on

the issue we are trying to change.

Responds to the real needs of environmental, national problems, locally

and globally.

Involves all areas of knowledge in solving environmental problems.

Promotes respect for all living things, since it tell us we are not alone on
the planet.

It forces us to take an ideological position to participate actively in favor

of the environment and sustainable development.

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Environmental Education

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March 2015

METHODOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

According the guidance of Educational Guidance N5 "We learn from our
environment (2006, p 40-41.) There are some tips to consider for better
environmental education:

Learning should be experiential, using the elements and community

resources.

Learning should be based, where possible, in new and fun activities.

When programming activities, we must use the resources available in

the community, minimizing traditional resources.

In developing the activities, the teacher should encourage their students

to appreciate and evaluate the effect, positive or negative, of the
relationship between humans and the environment.

1.9

THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR

According the guidance of Educational Guidance N5 "We learn from our
environment (2006, p. 44), the teacher's role focuses on the following:

Reflect and elaborate on solutions to environmental problems already

known (care of water, reduce consumption, etc.)

Promote alternatives to solve environmental problems.

When designing specific educational activities, considering that the

Learning Outcomes raised in the DCN have a sequential nature must be
reflected in the skills and attitudes raised in the curricular programming.

Promote individual and collective action, from existing institutions in the

community, promoting civic participation.

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March 2015

It is also important that (the) teachers can exercise in their educational practice
these attitudes:

Opening: Respect the ideas and feelings of our (as) students (as) on
environmental issues.

Positive attitude: cannot work the environmental issue only as a sum of

disasters.

Democratic Posture: To listen and gather the different approaches despite

disagreeing with them.

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March 2015

CONCLUSIONS

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March 2015

Today the issue of environmental education should be worked in

kindergartens, also at other levels of education.
Environmental education is a topic of great importance as it allows people
develop behaviors for our environment.
Environmental education has goals; one is to seek the active participation of
all in general to solve environmental problems.

To address the issue of environmental education in schools is essential to

have an appropriate methodology for teaching.
All teachers, parents and adults in general should be an example to promote
environmental education in children.

The life of our planet is in our hands, we must not pollute the environment,
this is our home. We practice good deeds to save our world.

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March 2015

REFERENCES

National

Environment

Council

(CONAM).

(2006).

Environmental

Education as a transversal topic. Peru.

Teacher Orientation Guide No. 05 (2006). We learn from our
Environment. Lima: Editorial GEA-IPES.

Solano, D. (2000). National Environmental Education Plan National

Environmental Council. Encounters Collection. Lime.
Cordova, F. (1998). Pedagogical Foundations for Environmental
Education. University of Cordova. Santa Fe de Bogot.
Ravelo, E and C. Villanueva (2011). Implementation of educational
workshop "NUCEP" to develop the value of environmental respect in
children 4 years of School No. 88400 Jesus of Nazareth, Nuevo
Chimbote. Research work for the degree in Early Childhood Education,
National University of Santa, Nuevo Chimbote, Peru.

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Environmental Education

March 2015

ANNEXES

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Environmental Education

March 2015

PHOTOGRAPHS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

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