Environmental Adult Education is recognized as a “hybrid outgrowth of the environmental movement and adult education, combining an ecological orientation with a learning paradigm to provide a vigorous educational approach to environmental concerns” (Sumner, 2003).
In laymen’s terms, environmental adult education refers to efforts in teaching environmental issues and how individuals and businesses can manage or change their lifestyles and ecosystems to live sustainably. The overarching goal of this field of study is to educate our global societies to live more sustainably.
From the classroom to the forests, fields, streams and prairies, environmental adult education takes place in both formal and nonformal learning environments and programs.
History
Environmental adult education is a relatively new and unique field of study and practice. It is a community-based method in which educators listen and respect the input of learners, and all participants are considered essential (Haugen, 2006).
During the last thirty years, environmental adult education has evolved. For more than a century, environmental and conservation organizations taught adults environmental education with very little structure.
The United States was one of the first countries to officially recognize environmental education. During a joint House-Senate session in 1968, Congress acknowledged the importance of environmental education, and in 1970 passed the Environmental Education Act, which established the Office of Environmental Education (American Geological Institute 2000).
Timeline of the Ideology of Environmental Adult Education (EAE):
* Mid-1970s: EAE recognized as distinct field of study
* Late 1980s: EAE focus on learner experience
* Late 1990s, Early 2000: Focus shifted to how to teach EAE
* 1997: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hosted conference on adult education with EAE being one of the 33 workshops presented
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Earlier Environmental Education Initiatives
According to the UNESCO Web site, in 1968 it organized the first intergovernmental conference aimed at reconciling the environment and development, now known as “sustainable development”. In the following years, UNESCO and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) initiated three major declarations that defined environmental education. Those included:
* 1972: Stockholm Declaration. This document included seven proclamations and 26 principles “to inspire and guide the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment.”
* 1975: Belgrade Charter. The product of the International Workshop on Environmental Education, this charter built upon the Stockholm Declaration by adding goals, objectives and principles for environmental education programs.
* 1977: Tbilisi Declaration. This document updated and clarified the Stockholm Declaration and the Belgrade Charter by including new goals, objectives, characteristics, and guiding principles of environmental education.
* 1972: Stockholm Declaration. This document included seven proclamations and 26 principles “to inspire and guide the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment.”
* 1975: Belgrade Charter. The product of the International Workshop on Environmental Education, this charter built upon the Stockholm Declaration by adding goals, objectives and principles for environmental education programs.
* 1977: Tbilisi Declaration. This document updated and clarified the Stockholm Declaration and the Belgrade Charter by including new goals, objectives, characteristics, and guiding principles of environmental education.
Methods of Adult Environmental Education Training
Educators in this field of study consider environmental problems with a holistic approach that combines social, political and environmental concerns into community dilemmas (Haugen 2006).
Participatory methods allow learners to make connections between social issues and environmental problems. This connection allows adult learners to understand the core causes of major environmental issues and the resulting social inequalities. This method also allows educators to stress the importance of instilling environmental awareness so that learners do not forget their relationship with the natural world.
To summarize the methods of adult environmental education training, environmental adult educators strive to instill learners with:
* a knowledge of environmental problems and their causes
* the skills to engage in social activism to combat those problems
* the attitude of respect and connection to the natural world
* a desire to change current practices to protect the Earth
Environmental adult education generally takes place in a nonformal education setting. This means that the organized learning can take place in many forms including vocational education, literacy education and on the job training (Haugen 2006).
The Need for Adult Environmental Education
Environmental problems are a reality in today’s culture that cannot be ignored. Growing environmental troubles that the world is facing today include:
* Global warming
* Pollution
* Habitat devastation
* Overpopulation
* Waste disposal
* Diminishing resources
As you can see, education is the key to reaching environmental sustainability. In this instance, sustainability is defined as “developing a way of human living that will ensure an enduring and sufficient level of support from the earth’s resources” (Parker & Towner, 1993).
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