During the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) (2004-2015), better teaching and learning of environmental education and education for sustainable development (EE and ESD) in schools is one of the main responses to the worsening state of the global environment. Environmental concerns are integrated into the South African school curricula; in the General Education and Training (Grades R-9) (GET) and Further Education and Training (FET) phases through the principles that underpin the curricula such as social justice, a healthy environment, human rights and inclusivity. While a cross-curricula approach to teaching and learning is followed in the GET phase, environmental concerns are infused in each subject at FET level. Because geography deals with human-environment relationships and is interdisciplinary, it is considered to be one of the main vehicles for teaching EE and ESD. To respond to the need for better teaching and learning of EE and ESD during the DESD, the main aim of this research project was to find out how EE and ESD are being implemented through the geography curriculum in South African secondary schools at FET level. The investigation sought answers to questions related to: opportunities for teaching EE and ESD in the geography National Curriculum Statement; the geography teachers’ perspectives on EE and ESD; the extent to which the teachers incorporate the teaching of EE and ESD in the geography lessons; pedagogical approaches used by the geography teachers; and, the barriers to teaching environmental concerns through the geography curriculum. A qualitative case study research design, underpinned by the interpretive research paradigm, was used. A sample of 10 senior geography teachers comprising 8 males and 2 females participated in the study. They were drawn from five Western Cape secondary schools selected through purposeful sampling in such a way that the sample of schools is representative of the socio-economic and sociocultural context of the Western Cape as far as possible. Data were generated from biographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Data were also generated from lesson observation and the analysis of documents such as the geography NCS, work schedules and lesson plans. The use of different research instruments ensured the triangulation of data sources in order to address issues of validity and reliability. The qualitative data were then analysed through thematic analysis. The study found that the sustainable development theme is central to the curriculum. Additionally, strategies of implementing EE and ESD such as the enquiry approach, the issues-based approach and the need to impart critical thinking skills are suggested in the curriculum. The teacher participants experience conceptual barriers concerning the nature of EE and ESD and that of notion of integrated Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za

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Implementing education for sustainable development : the role of geography in South African secondary schools

This paper reports on the teaching of environmental issues in a system where classroom practice is strongly affected by public examination pressure. A questionnaire survey was administered to all the geography teachers who taught at the senior secondary, pre‐matriculation level in Hong Kong (Grade 11) to obtain information on their background, pattern of objectives, methods, use of resources and their justifications for teaching decisions. Follow‐up interviews were carried out with a stratified sample of those who replied to the survey. Results show that although variations do exist, teachers mainly teach in a didactic style with attention given to low‐order understanding at the expense of values and behavioural objectives. In the view of many teacher‐educators, this pattern is unlikely to be useful for the balanced development of environmental consciousness. However, as every pattern of teaching has its own merits and limitations, further research is called for so that an empirically‐based set of princip...

Teaching environmental issues in school geography: The Hong Kong experience

As po in ted o u t, many changes have occurred in S o u th eas te rn United S ta tes since Clagg's o rig in a l study in 1954. In l ig h t of these changes, a re p lica tio n of the Clagg study should prove valuable as a basis fo r iden tify ing developments in c o n se rv a tio n ed u ca tio n during the past th ree decades and sb a basis for form ulating p o lic ie s re la ted to conservation education. ^ L iv e ly , C h a r le s E ., and Jack J . P r e i s s , C o n s e rv a tio n Education in American Colleges. New York; Ronald Press, 1957, pp. 4851. ^ Personal interview with Clagg in February, 1984.

Changes in the status of conservation education in selected institutions of higher learning in southeastern United States since 1954

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David L. Brenchley

Papers

Geography and Environmental Education -- Why Aren't We Involved?.