ERIC ED392649: Environmental Education throughout FE. 2: A Model and Unit of Environmental Learning Outcomes. FEDA Paper.

30 Pages·1995·0.53 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SE 058 056
ED 392 649
Lawrence, Allan; Parkin, Christopher
AUTHOR
Environmental Education throughout FE. 2: A Model and
TITLE
Unit of Environmental Learning Outcomes. FEDA
Paper.
Further Education Development Agency, Loadon
INSTITUTION
(England).
REPORT NO
ISSN-1361-9977
PUB DATE
[95]
NOTE 1, see SE 057 951.
32p.: For part
Further Education Development Agency, Citadel Place,
AVAILABLE FROM
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PUB TYPE
Descriptive (141)
Reports
JOURNAL CIT
FE Matters; vl n2 1995
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Adult Education: *Conservation (Environment);
*Environmental Education; Evaluation; Foreign
Countries; Science Activities
England; Further Education Unit (England)
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This report summarizes the outcomes of the "Colleges
Going Green" project that sought to develop a widely applicable core
of environmental learning outcomes (curriculum objectives) and
illustrative learning assignments and to review activity in colleges
and provide guidance on introducing environmental policy. This revort
also presents a unit of generic environmental learning outcomes
specified at Level 2 and Level 3
(in the Further Education
Development Agency (FEDA) and national qualifications frameworks) and
illustrates how these can be implemented through learning assignments
in various vocational areas together with assessment criteria
enabling student achievement to be assessed. The units can be
implemented free standing or the outcomes can be wholly or partly
integrated into a vocational or other program.
(JRH)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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'Each institution's policy for environmental
education should include, in particular, a
strategy for the promotion of environmental
education across the curriculum, together with
an action plan for its implementation.
THE has an important part to play in
developing the environmental understanding
of students whose courses are not specifically
"environmental" in focus.
'Such "cross-curricular greening" may be
concerned with work-related needs, or more
broadly with the students' needs as citizens. In
practice, much provision may address both sets
of needs concurrently.
'The development of a common level of
environmental understanding across the whole
institution's student body is a difficult objective
to achieve in the short term, but experiments
towards this end should be encouraged...
he Eurther Education Unit's project,
Environmental Education throughout FE, could
shed sornt, very u,,eful light on the issues
described above...'
Extract from /mu/p.m/mental Rcporiibdity.
f(lr
rdlit 111011,
.1111t her
NT/Welsh Office, 1901
3
Further Education
Development Agency
Environmental education
throughout FE
model and unit of
2: A
environmental learning outcomes
Allan Lawrence and Christopher Parkin
FE MATTERS
FEDA paper
FIDA would like gratefully to acknowledge the
contribution of Allan Lawrence, Senior Lecturer,
Hopwood Flail College.
Thanks also to the colleges which took
part in
the development and trial of these
outcomes,
particularly:
Accrington
and
Rossendale
College, Basford Hall College (Maria Rice),
Bromley College
Further and Higher
of
Education (John Burton), Capel Manor College
(Stewart Anthony), Coventry Technical College
(Tons' Chamberlain), Dunstable College (Keith
Higham), St Helens College (David Wheatley
),
Walsall College of Arts and Technology (Nick
Sakwa, Christine Bate).
Thanks also to Hopwood I tall College
for
permission to repmduce the cover photograph
Registered charity number: 1044:
ISSN: 1361 -9977
Price: f:b.ri()
Cover design by Mik, Pope
Printed by Geerings of Ashford, Kent
I his document has been printed
on ( hlorine
free paper.
2
FE MATTERS
Contents
Executive summary
4
Introduction
5
1 Developing a core of environmental learning
outcomes
6
2 The units: environmental education for
sustainability
8
3 Application of the model
13
4 The way forward
25
Bibliography
26
FE MATTERS
3
Levels 2 and 3). The assessment criteria
Executive summary
may vary according to the context and
approach
An
to
environnwntal
content of the area of learning and
education in FE should enable students
achievement.
to link their learning and achievement
At Level 2, students should be able to
with their vocational
interests and
describe and identify key issues and
aspirations.
good practice. At Level 3 they should be
The environmentally responsible
person
able to understand, analyse and evaluate
will have achieved the accompanying
in such key issues and good practice.
core skills necessary for them to use their
Illustrations of the application of the
environmental
understanding
and
model are given in the following areas:
competences.
Business & Finance,
Carpentry &
A set of five general learning outcomes
Joinery, Fashion & Textiles, Leisure &
have been chosen, which emphasise the
Hotel & Catering, Waste
Tourism,
importance of natural processes and
Management.
resources, the impact of human activity
Teachers involved in this development
on the environment, the legislative
have found this a p roa h useful and
framework and tlw economic and social
successful.
Continuing development
benefits of good practice.
work, application and evaluation are
.1"he general and related specific learning
now required.
outcomes are sufficiently generic to
apply throughout all FF curricula (at
PE MATTERS
4
these can be implemented through learning
Introduction
vocational
various
areas,
assignments
in
togethe: with assessment criteria enabling
In 1992, FEDA's predecessor, FEU, published a
guide to environmental action in FE colleges
student ,'.2,.ievement to be assessed. This is not
Colleges Going Green. In a list of key points,
a unit va.idated or accredited by a national
Colleges Going Green drew attention to the moral
awarding or qualifications body, but a resource
principle of sustainability; this includes a duty
to be drawn upon.
of care for other people and forms of life, and
The units can be implemented free standing or
acknowledges the need to limit and to share the
the outcomes can be wholly or partly integrated
use of the earth's resources. While recognising
into a vocational or other programme. They also
the need for the integration of appropriate
provide a starting point for developing the
environmental elements across the curriculum
vision-oriented curriculum necessary for total
(curriculum greening), much of the guidance in
environmental responsibility and sustainable
relates
good
to
Going
Green
Colleges
development
Education
(see
Environnwntal
housekeeping.
Throughout Further Educatimi 1.). Adopting such
This is the second of two reports updating
unit of learning outcomes could enable
a
It does not repeat the
Cont Nes Going Green.
environmental education to he achieved for all
advice given previously which remains relevant
students throughout an institution.
but aims to stimulate further curriculum
Fhe units, outcome statements and illustrative
development.
colleges
some
are
While
assignments were developed by a group of
implementing om ironmental policy statements
e\perienced teachers in the EE sector.
l'hey
and attending to the envirtanmental dinlension
discussed the aims of environmental education
in many (if not all) curricula, there is still much
as identified nationally and internationally (see
to be done to meet the recommendations ot
and were influenced by the
Colle,cs Goinx
Crecril
Department for Education's evert committee
\york of Allan La \yrence of Hopwood Hall
report Enuironmental Responsibility: An
agenda tiv
College which also involved collaboration with
t'urtherIlnit
(19q3).
Rochdale and
(;ermanv
colleges (the
in
reports
funding from
nuironmental l.thication
with
project, the
Bielefeld
I.
I
relevant national policy developments and
European Social Fund).
approaches
initiatives
identlfies
and
to
a model which many teachers find
I his
is
developing the environmental dimension to the
attractive especially in relation to integrating
curriculum; these correspond to the different
education learning
and
en \ i ronmen ta I
levek
environmental
commitment
ot
to
outcomes into
provision.
vocational
is
It
also illustrates methods of
responsibility.
It
consistent with the general learning outcomes
introducing environmental education from
for environmental responsibility developed
e\ampl,s ,ent by colleges and gi es indicatoN
since this work began in a project by the Council
for e\ aluating institutional and curriculum
for Fnvironmental Education (see 1.11z-ironmental
practice.
ThrolNItolit IT IL
I:ducation
I he original project sought to de clop a videly
he IT. sector's task continues to be to develop
I
applicable core of environmental learning
all students the ability
to recognise the
in
outcomes
objectives) and
(curric1111.1M
r peNonal and work-related
implications ot thi
learning assignments and to revicw
illustrati\
choices and decisions, and a cimimitment to
in college,' and provide guidon\
on
ti \ ity
sustainabilitv.
introducing envinunmental polic\
Feedback on the is,,ties raised here w uuuild he
I his report summarises the
Of that
w (Iconic. Please let us know ot your prowl., to
\vork.
pre..ents
unit
ot
tgenerik.
a
It
implementing en\ in inniental polt,
u'il\ ironmental learning outcome-, spet itied at
('hristopher l'arkin
2 and at I e, H
I ):\ ,md notionol
(in the I
I
illustrates how
aions trailiew orksa
OMR er
). \ I )0
iii
It
I I I
IL MAITERSIMMIll
study. It is important to develop a strategy with
1. Developing a core of
a unified approach so that students will acquire
environmental learning
skills to enable them to make informed choices
outcomes
is important that environ-
and decisions.
It
mental education is linked to the employment
aspirations of students, and that colleges
Background
develop their relationships with local industry
In deriving the core of environmental learning
a context which seeks
sustain
in
the
to
outcomes, account was taken of the need to
environment.
build on the students' awareness and previous
The LUKAS Project in Northrhine Westphalia
learning as part of the school curriculum or
identified the following themes central to the
elsewhere. Most, if not all, students at lb have a
development of environmental education in
considerable awareness and interest in the
vocational education:
environment. Many have some understanding
the development and promotion of
of ecological relationships and awareness of
aspects of the economic, social, technological
environmentally aware behaviour is an
and
political
processes
affecting
integrated process which has to appeal
the
environment. Most students will have tackled
to the learner's entire personality
environmental topics before. It is important that
to be
environmental education has
students have the opportunity to link their
integrated with all subjects
environmental education with thoir vocational
environmental education requires an
potential
or
inter,sts.
vocational
action-based approach to overcome the
Fnvironmentally
responsible
citi/ens
discrepancy between knowledge and
understand how their work practices affect the
beha iour
environment and how they can minimke these
environmental education
limited
to
to ensure environmental protection.
4
individual responsibility is likely to be
Fnvironmental
responsibility
involves
the
ineffective
adaptation of basic patterns of behaviours by all
Hie model in this document addresses these
individuals ( rewards Vircironwenta/ Compcfrik
issues. It is skill and competence oriented which
in Scot/and, tool I. Such behaviour vill include
means that where\ er possible students learn b
actions ranging from simply turning off lights,
approaching
addressing
and
problems.
machinery and equipment when not needed, to
Solutions can, and often do, result in the need to
recycling materials, and to more CoMples,
change vocational
practjee.
While closely
acti ities,
such
the
as
inclusion
of
related to the vocational world and identity of
envinmmental considerations in design and
the student, this model also presents a challenge
planning.
widespread
adoption
I he
of
for the incorporation of the outcomes in
cinirses
environmental
respoikibility
help
will
t(
of general education.
integrate
good
practices
env i ron men ta I
throughout industry and comnwrce a
,1 matter
Environmental education and core
of course rather than a
an afterthought.
skills
I wino' I.,Inunwn
/ n,-frowncnta/ 11H(,ithin
in
lk+L)2.) .tates that ino,t !.,tudenk
1001 02. (11%11.
1 in ironmental education w tin h
asting and
i
taking \ ocational courses in
recek e a limited
retains temporal
\ aliditv must ensure that
I
I
amount ot en \ ironmental education.
also
It
,tudents have the skilk to continually receivt,
ommcnts that the most ettecti\ t learning tdkc,
and e al nate the changing knowledge aii
e , hen on interdisciplinan,
.
approat
disparate points ot
ww that originate from
the anal\ sk, understanding and
taken
to
ditterent spet jai
interest group, and politit il
solution ot en ron mental prohlenis,
t, hen
and ti onomi
fork me ride\ ant to the k ourse oho,
there is ,1 Olod blend ot theoretii ii
rod proctii ii
In developing the model and unit of learning
Professional and/or vocational environmental
outcomes, account has also been taken of the
literacy has been described as:
profile proposed for the 'active citizen' (Oxford
'knowledge' and understanding of the' way
Development Education Unit, 1989) and of the
chosen subjects and vocations connect with the'
key dimensions of a vocational environmental
he the natural
environment whether this
education course developed by the ROB!
environments
of
or
environment
the
management
include
These
of
Project.
agriculture, towns and cities made bt, people'.
resources, energy use, pollution, legislation,
health and safety, and people.
(S. Richardson, 1991)
individuals
responsible
Environmentally
A note on learn:ng outcomes and
possess 'skills, attitudes and values which
assessment criteria
and
control
take
enable
them
to
of,
responsibility for their own lives, to work
Learning outcomes are statements of what a
together to bring about constructive and
student should know, understand and be able to
positive change' (Greening
the Curriculum,
do. There is no unique vav of presenting them,
Shirley Ali Khan), and to 'evaluate and address
but three categories of outcome statements have
the environmental problems associated with
been found useful according to how specific
their work and life style'. These skills include
they are: general learning outcomes, (more
the national core skills identified as necessary
specific) learning outcomes, and assessment
previously
and
education
post-16
for
criteria, which correspond for example to the
anticipated in BTEC's Common Skills.
It
1:;
usage of the terms Unit Title, Element, and
interesting and not surprising that most of
Performance Criteria in GNVQ and NVQ, Units.
examples
the the
model
trial
of
of of
environmental outcomes has involved B ITC
courses.