Environmental Education

1996/01/01 Alvarez, Josetxo | Martinez de Lagos, Kepa | Fernandez, M. Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

The Education System, through Environmental Education, has wanted to respond to the long and continuous process of environmental concern that began in society in the sixties.

Environmental education and the ecological crisis that our planet is experiencing has been recognized as an important tool in international institutions. In recent years, two basic words have been incorporated into the previous strategy: sustainable development and subsequent "education for sustainability" are emerging around the world.

In spite of the fact that on most occasions ecological indicators are mentioned (desertification, acid rain, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity, deterioration of natural resources, etc. The economic, cultural and political factors are those that have fostered differences between countries and have forced the ability to live on earth. Therefore, it does not seem that development and the environment are considered as an indivisible binomial a fashion that will soon pass.

Environmental education aims, with critical thinking, to try to analyze the world and to work on social intervention skills to maintain ecological processes essential for life and to improve and guarantee the quality of life of all.

To address this challenge, Environmental Education must address specific problems, characterized by interdisciplinarity, strengthen the sense of values (solidarity, cooperation, justice, low consumption or responsibility) and promote collective well-being. The objective of Environmental Education is, in turn, to make understand the complexity of the natural and human environment: to understand the interaction of biological, physical, social, economic and cultural areas to ensure the execution of the appropriate measures to the environment and promote participation in its management.

In 1990 the General Management Law of the Education System (LOGSE) was approved. The Education Reform, which has the Law among itself, has introduced approaches related to the way of life, establishing the concept of Transversal Lines, so that in the decisions on the learning process or on any field, these views are always taken into account. Therefore, in the usual tasks of the school, Environmental Education appears as a didactic initiation, that is, we must take into account the indispensable daring when making decisions in the teaching process. Although there is still no clear criterion, we cannot forget the possibilities offered by the open curriculum of each school.

Environmental education does not require new content. It is not a question of inventing new procedures, but of fostering contact with reality, the research method and active participation as a method. It is necessary to foster more responsible attitudes with the environment, and for this purpose, the school environment (physical, social and cultural) should be considered as an important element of improved education.

If the school wants to have credibility, it must be coherent. If you intend to develop a sense of responsibility, tasks should be designed to stimulate it and allow students to assume responsibilities of their age. If you want to promote the critical attitude and the sense of collaboration, you must schedule a team work that allows the exchange of opinions, problem solving and decision-making. For this purpose, the school and its environment is an extraordinary laboratory. A framework tailored to lkasles to transform and improve things and, in addition, the environment also participates in education.

The teacher's judgment is also a decisive element. A climate of acceptance, understanding and respect should be created, since only in an environment that allows for contrast and active participation can the most enriching development of the educational process and the recovery of consciousness and the values necessary to improve the quality of life.

From CEIDA (Environmental Education Centers) of the Basque Government we are ready to collaborate in this entire process.