Greening Schools and Communities: The Challenges

Merle C. Tan DirectorNational Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development University of the Philippines

29 June 2006

A Brief Review

Greening Schools and Communities

is NOT just about planting trees is NOT just about improving waste disposal

techniques is NOT just about keeping rivers, lakes, and seas

clean and safe for humans and other organisms is NOT just about keeping the air clean is NOT just about protecting watersheds is NOT just about using energy resources wisely is NOT just about finding technologies that are

more energy efficient

It is about ALL of the ABOVE and MORE….

Greening Schools and Communities

… is also about obeying ecological principles, using indigenous and local knowledge, practicing critical thinking and problems solving skills

… is also about

- raising levels of economy through sustainable consumption,- maintaining peace and observing human rights,- practicing good governance and citizenship,- improving human health and the environment

It is an integrated and holistic program aligned with the UN ESD International Implementation Scheme

How do we promote greening

schools and communities?

Greening Schools and Communities

Knowledge

Skills Values

Knowledge Component

based on well-founded ecological principles* and concepts**, appropriate for the age, abilities, and skill level of learners.

an integral part of the formal and nonformal education curriculum, and relevant to the community and culture.

organized so that new learning is built on a foundation of students' previous knowledge and experiences.

Ecological Principles

• Interconnectedness• Biodiversity• Change• Materials Cycle . • Balance of nature • Finiteness of Resources• Population growth and carrying capacity• Stewardship• Sustainable development

• Biodiversity

The variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms, creates the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we depend. Human impact threatens individual species and all those living things that depend on the interaction of life forms

• Climate Change

The harmful impact of climate change is of worldwide proportions. To limit damage to the atmosphere requires awareness and action from the individual to international levels.

Other Themes

• EcosystemsThe interaction of individual components of every ecosystem results in an effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts. All aspects of society and economy are dependent on ecosystems and their functions.

• EnergyMuch of the world currently depends on inexpensive fossil fuels to heat homes, operate transportation systems and drive the economy. Significant portions of the world's residents do not have the luxury of a single light switch. Both ends of this energy use spectrum challenge the environment's capacity to absorb the results of human energy use.

• Water

Freshwater is a critical component of ecosystems and an essential human resource. Awareness and management challenges are critical environment and

development issues.

Our Context:

Population Growth and Carrying Capacity

A farmer started with a few hyacinths in a pond 128 square meters in area. These hyacinths doubled in number daily.

During the first Sunday, the water hyacinths covered less than 1% or 1/128 of the surface area. But the farmer does not worry.

Still doubling in number, the hyacinths covered 1/62 of the water surface on Monday, 1/32 on Tuesday, 1/16 on Wednesday, 1/8 on Thursday and 1/4 on Friday.

The following Sunday, the pond was completely filled with hyacinths. The full capacity of the pond has been reached.

Any further increase in number can no longer be accommodated by the pond.

The hyacinths were rapidly using up the nutrients in the water.

The increasing number of hyacinths is analogous to the exponential growth of people, not only n the Philippines but in the world over.

Greening Schools and Communities

Knowledge

Skills Values

Skills Component

Students and community learners have opportunities to practice

basic process skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, including investigation of controversial issues

The skills also ensure safe learning.

Basic Process

skills

observing

measuring & recording

data

comparing/classifying

making models

communicating

inferring

asking questions

Stating a problem

Designing a Procedure to

test hypothesis

Formulatinghypothesis

Finding patterns

Drawing conclusion

Communicating results

Applying findings to new situations

Collecting data

Integrated Thinking

Skills

Problem solving

Creative thinking

Critical thinking

Decision making

Higher Order Thinking

Skills(HOTS)

Greening Schools and Communities

Knowledge

Skills Values

Values Component

The programs promote increased sensitivity to and appreciation of the environment, cultures, and views of others

and include an ethic of care, consensus building, and responsible citizen action.

They support the personal and societal capacity to take action necessary for sustainability.

Strategies to Develop KSA

Main criterion for selecting teaching and learning strategies

it encourages high level of learner engagement and commitment.

• Experiential Learning

Direct experiences (provided at a young age) are used to develop and deepen connections to the environment and encourage personal affinity, and emotional connection with Earth and other species.

Outdoor learning is part of the program or encouraged as a follow-up activity where appropriate.

• Connected to the world outside the classroom or lecture hall

Learning activities are grounded in a real-world context familiar to learners’ life.

• Integrated Learning

Concepts and issues are examined through their social, political, economic, ethical and ecological contexts.

A systems thinking approach to the dynamic, complex way of relationships is provided.

• Service/Action Learning

Opportunity exists to practice action skills and strategies for environmental stewardship (planning, communication, group skills, team work, safety and leadership skills).

Also includes opportunity to practice active citizenship - connecting curriculum to environmental action in school buildings and grounds, and in homes, neighborhoods and communities.

• Locus of ControlOpportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, and the medium in which they wish to work.

• Values Education Methodology

Allows examination and clarification of individual and social value systems, and the exploration of a range of perspectives, beliefs, biases, and assumptions.

• Accommodating Diverse Learners

Activities address a range of learning styles and teach to both cognitive and affective domains.

• Open-ended Instruction

Opportunities for students to study topics more deeply are provided and encouraged.

• Learning Materials

Program materials readily integrate into prescribed formal and nonformal curriculum. Materials provide clear directions, background information and adaptation suggestions for teachers. Learning materials are prepared taking in account identified benchmarks/standards.

• Case Studies

Local relevant cases and references are used as a means of integrating concepts. Case studies and scenarios are presented with a range of possible solutions.

•Integrated Learning

Concepts and issues are examined through their social, political, economic, ethical and ecological contexts.

A systems thinking approach to the dynamic, complex way of relationships is provided.

• Assessment and Evaluation of Learning

Students actively demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Additionally, appropriate learner assessment methods/mechanisms are utilized including reflection and self-assessment opportunities.

Management Techniques/Mechanisms for Long Term Impact

• Supporting Teacher Self-Sufficiency and Competency

Increase the capacity of teachers to incorporate concepts, skills, and values benchmarks into their planning and instruction;

Promote teacher awareness and knowledge of the principles of sustainability and their practice in personal and professional realms; and

Provide opportunities for teachers to extend student learning in addition to and

beyond the scope of the learning activities presented by providers.

• Strategic Alliances

Work for adoption by the whole school system, government agencies and/or local non-governmental organizations to increase chance of long-term viability. Programs should encourage support and endorsement from the school and/or school board.

Provide opportunities for sharing, extension and continuity (e.g., engage students, community members, follow-up programs, volunteer and mentoring programs, links to community action projects, student forums, camps, institutes, support for Environmental clubs, annual conferences and youth grants).

Establish links across age groups to enable students to receive multiple coordinated learning opportunities through the cooperative efforts of multiple agencies and organizations.

Offer opportunities for student recognition and celebration in the broader community and profile student efforts as a means of building community awareness.

Provide teachers and students with links to related relevant resources, programs, organizations, and individuals (e.g., on line)

Establish an evaluation system that tracks and measures results at the level of short-term objectives and longer-term goals.

• Marketing, Communication and Evaluation Scheme

•Learning On-line

The Internet offers an incredible potential for finding information related to the topics in school, but at the same time the search too often ends by being waste of learners’ school hours.

Education for

Sustainable Development

Role of ESD

Education is the means through which society prepares its citizenry to carry out their responsibilities (e,g., environmental protection)

The Challenges

•Are we sustainable development-oriented? •Do we think green and act green?

• At the institutional level, are we playing a strong role in the education, research, policy development,

information exchange, and community outreach to help create an equitable and sustainable future?

•Do we have multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary courses that promote understanding of the relationship

between population, human activities, and the environment?

•Do we have multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research to develop environmentally sound technologies

or anticipatory research to identify future threats to a sustainable society, and develop solutions to circumvent

these threats?

• How can we engage faculty, staff, administration, and students and LGUs in activities such as energy and

water conservation, and recycling, or in encouraging vendors who supply us with products and services to act

in an environmentally responsible manner when manufacturing their products and

delivering their services? • At the personal level, have we made a commitment

to help create a sustainable economy - one that doesn’t use up resources at the expense of future generations?

•Have we realized our interconnectedness with the world and reflected on the unintended damage we cause

nature in the daily course of our lives? •Are we taking corrective action to make

environmental responsibility and stewardship a reality?

Thinking and acting green means • to embrace the tremendous responsibility as

leaders in education, in industry, in every field to use our strength, talents, resources and technologies to better the communities we serve.

• to understand that the world is a finite place with finite resources, and next generation products and processes must be designed within the framework of this complex system

• being mindful of and sensitive to the natural environment in our daily life.

Thus, thinking green means being aware of our interconnectedness with the world and reflecting on the unintended damage we cause nature in the daily course of our lives.

Hopefully, thinking green leads to acting green, particularly, taking corrective action to make environmental responsibility and stewardship a reality.

Lets organize our Think Green partners

Let’s form a a task force to monitor projects designed to reduce the environmental impact of their

campus operations.

Lets put up a website for environmental activities where the green partners can report their activities and accomplishments

Let’s conduct a baseline Green Audit

The Green Audit

• Serve as guide in determining where your office, school (or UP in general) stands in terms of environmental protection

• It is a checklist which can reveal which areas can be improved

• No ratings or scores are given• What matters is that change can be instituted

particularly concerning practices which, often without realizing it do harm to the environment.

I. Policy• General (environmental protection a part of our

vision/mission statement; environmental policy; committee or persons responsible for environmental projects and programs in the school?

• Personnel

Are environmental considerations part of the performance appraisal system of faculty, deans, support staff?

Are personnel required to practice environment oriented activities such as waste reduction, use of non toxic materials, involvement in community-based projects?

• Purchasing

II. Operations• Buildings and ground• Lights and electricity• Water• Office machines and equipment• Paper• Canteen• General waste management • Air quality

III. Academics• Curriculum: integration in courses and subjects• Learning process: provision of reading materials on

environmental issues)• Opportunities for debates and discussion

Five steps along the green path

• Commitment

• Staff involvement

• The environmental audit

• The action plan

• Monitoring and communication

• These activities will inspire our fellow teachers and community workers to take a leading role in helping the next generation to develop knowledge, skills, and values that will enable them to enjoy and share the Earth’s bounty while living within its means.

• “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems." - Mahatma Gandhi

• "Every person is the right person to act. Every moment is the right moment to begin." - Jonathan Schell, author, "Fate of the Earth"

It is not enough to be doing less harm to the

environment; we have to be doing something

that benefits our people so they don’t see the separation

between the natural and built environment.

We have to go back to seeing ourselves as part of that environment.