A model for planning and evaluation of aspects of education for sustainability for students training to teach science in primary schools

Students training to become teachers of science to children aged between 7 to 11 years used principles of reflective practice linked to participatory approaches in their curriculum planning and evaluation. A central part of the work was to enable them to introduce aspects of education for sustainability to their pupils. Students first undertook a process of clarifying their ideas and concerns about education for sustainability. They went on to develop aims that should help them to achieve a series of objectives that they identified. Teaching schemes were created and trialled in the classroom. A semi‐quantitative evaluation instrument was devised based on the objectives that had been set, allowing judgements to be made about the effectiveness of the teaching approaches used.     

The HPT model applied to a kayak company's registration process

This case study describes the step‐by‐step application of the traditional human performance technology (HPT) model at a premier kayak company located on the coast of North Carolina. The HPT model was applied to address lost revenues related to three specific business issues: misinformed customers, dissatisfied customers, and guides not showing up for tours or lessons at the kayak company. The case study includes problem statements, organizational analysis, environmental analysis, gap analysis, cause analysis, and proposed interventions.     

Policy and the Practice of Environmental Education in England: a dilemma for teachers

Environmental education in schools in England is subject to conflicting pressures from the policies of central government concerning the environment and education. Schools are considered to be important vehicles for improving environmental responsibility and within this ‘values education’ makes a significant contribution. Recent reform of the education system has been directed towards raising standards, with an emphasis on knowledge and skills. Aspects of affective education, including beliefs, values and attitudes receive less emphasis. Results of a study into how environmentally‐aware teachers in secondary schools see their role in relation to their own attitudes to the environment, the relationship between local and global concerns and their understanding of the nature of environmental education and its contribution to the curriculum are reported and discussed in the context of policy mismatch.     

Biodiversity Education: A teacher's perspective

Reduction in biodiversity has been established as a global environmental issue, mainly over the last 10 years. However, there is disagreement amongst experts whether it is a natural phenomenon or strongly influenced by human activity. This article considers biodiversity as a controversial issue in the education of students of 11-18 years of age in schools, particularly in relation to science education. It includes a study of teachers' attitudes and approaches to biodiversity education in the UK and was undertaken using participatory appraisal methods with 'focus' groups of teachers. It was shown that the teachers in the study were frequently well informed, they considered biodiversity to be an important issue and although the formal science curriculum had a contribution to make it was also a matter that the whole institution could address. Suggestions for evaluating the possible indicators and outcomes of effective biodiversity education were made. In conclusion it was shown that while programmes included many of the essential components of knowledge for biodiversity education there was usually little attempt to ensure that students achieved a more coherent understanding of the complex issue or how to deal with matters that are truly controversial. The methodology provided a useful model for reflection on practice and professional development in many possible contexts.     

Controversial environmental issues: A case study for the professional development of science teachers

Inclusion of controversial issues, such as global climate change (GCC) within the school science curriculum presents several different challenges to teachers: first, the controversial nature of the topic; second, it does not relate well to the normal sequencing and division of topics within most science courses; and, third, there are important non-scientific aspects to possible solutions to the problem. In this study, small focus groups of teachers considered how they would prefer to integrate the topic into their science courses for 14-16-year-old students. It was clearly stated by the science teachers that they preferred to maintain the integrity of their subject rather than be involved in extensive interdisciplinary teaching. It was agreed that GCC provided an excellent opportunity for the application of higher order abilities in science and using the topic to develop an understanding of the nature of science and its place in society.     

A study of the Training of Teachers in Environmental Education in England and Wales

There is a growing international debate about the environment and a general agreement that education has an important contribution to make. However, practice in schools has been very variable and with significant curricula changes already planned it is likely that teacher training at all levels will be an important factor in bringing about the required changes. This study investigates the training experiences of teachers currently involved in environmental education and considers their possible future needs.     

Environmental Literacy: Towards a shared understanding for science teachers

This article describes an enquiry into education for environmental literacy by a group of secondary school science teachers in the UK as part of a professional development programme. Using participatory action research approaches, the teachers explored ways of maintaining and enhancing the integrity of their subject discipline yet contributing to education for sustainable development. A knowledge- and skills-based model, with a hierarchical structure, was postulated to explain how science education could provide important elements to an overall environmental literacy for their students. Other educational qualities were identified as being essential and the pedagogical implications were explored giving examples of how these might be developed as specific methodologies. The final evaluation of the learning experience by the teachers showed that they found that the approach used here helped them to address their needs, particularly with regard to analysis of pedagogy.     

Some aspects of the problems of teaching about energy in school biology

Consideration is given to the problems of teaching energy in relation to cell biology and ecological energetics in schools. Aspects of the understanding of the nature of energy shown by a sample of 17‐18‐year old pupils studying biology in a number of English schools were investigated. Simple written questions and subsequent oral discussion were used and it was found that there were important inconsistencies between the ideas concerning energy that are being put forward by biology teachers and physical science teachers in schools. It is therefore urged that efforts should be made to overcome this problem in the teaching of school biology, so that what is taught in biology is consistent with current thinking about the teaching of energy in physical science. Some principles are suggested for achieving this aim.