Overview of Environmental Education (EE)
What kinds of organizations are doing EE?
A whole range of organizations in the public, private and ‘popular sectors are involved, using different messages to target different audiences.
Examples include - local and national governments, private sector, academia, NGOs, professional bodies, research, organizations, donor agencies, UN and international organizations, community and citizens groups, media etc.
Who are the target audience?
The target is usually the man-on-the-street, the ordinary citizen, but has also included policy and decision makers, business and industry etc. depending on the scale of EE
What is the scale of operation?
The scale of EE changes from a single individual, a household, and a community all the way to the nation, region, and globe depending on the message being sent out ...
What is the message being disseminated?
EE has dealt with many problems and issues, focusing on the need for change, for sustainability, for awareness etc. using different modes of delivery ...
How is the message being delivered?
A whole variety of modes and media have been used (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many), both online and offline to achieve different aims and effects...The Internet has particularly offered a big boost with the flexibility and versatility that it offered.
What is the intended effect?
The message has aimed to achieve a number of effects - less resource use, less waste, more energy saving, etc. and delivered by partnering with different intermediaries ...
What intermediaries and partners are being used?
Each actor in the field of EE has partnered with others, depending on the issue - for funding, for information, for expertise, etc. Each partner has brought to the EE programme or project - essential skills, knowledge and resources not available with other partners.
The Way Ahead for Environmental Education (EE)
EE is as complex and complicated as the term 'environment' itself. It cuts across many disciplines, sectors, realms, eco-systems and spheres. Because of this EE needs to be planned and implemented systematically for which some suggestions are given below:
Distill best practices and lessons: A large number of innovative practices and lessons already exist in the region. They need to be identified and replicated in other countries of the region.
Review and revise the existing curriculum: There is an urgency to review the existing curriculum in order to eliminate the dead woods and determine slots to incorporate environmental concerns.
Reorient the pedagogical approach: There is an urgency to reorient out existing teaching methods from 'chalk to talk' and lecture methods to problem-solving methods, from activity and issue-based approach to field work and case studies, from didactic to advise-based approach, and from rote learning to attitudes and skills development and learning through participation and educational training.
Encourage traditional non-media: Non-media (such as folklore, folk songs, story-telling, religious institutions, or traditional venue) should be involved to compliment the mass emdia to raise people's awareness about environment.
Synergize various efforts: Develop a synergy of formal education, media and NGO for promotional activities.
Establish resource centers: Resource centers need to be established to coordinate and support EE activities at various levels.
Develop national policies: Encourage and motivate national governments to prepare acts, policies and national strategies on EE.