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History – The roots of environmental education can be traced back as early as the 18th century when Jean-Jacques Rousseau stressed the importance of an education that focuses on the environment in Emile: or, On Education, Several decades later, Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born naturalist, echoed Rousseau’s philosophy as he encouraged students to “Study nature, not books.” These two influential scholars helped lay the foundation for a concrete environmental education program, known as nature study, which took place in the late 19th and early 20th century.

1. The nature study movement used fables and moral lessons to help students develop an appreciation of nature and embrace the natural world.
2. Anna Botsford Comstock, the head of the Department of Nature Study at Cornell University, was a prominent figure in the nature study movement.
3. She wrote the Handbook for Nature Study in 1911 which used nature to educate children on cultural values.

Comstock and the other leaders of the movement, such as Liberty Hyde Bailey, helped Nature Study garner tremendous amounts of support from community leaders, teachers, and scientists to change the science curriculum for children across the United States.

A new type of environmental education, Conservation Education, emerged as a result of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl during the 1920s and 1930s. Conservation Education dealt with the natural world in a drastically different way from Nature Study because it focused on rigorous scientific training rather than natural history.

Conservation Education was a major scientific management and planning tool that helped solve social, economic, and environmental problems during this time period. The modern environmental education movement, which gained significant momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s, stems from Nature Study and Conservation Education.

During this time period, many events – such as Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War – placed Americans at odds with one another and the U.S. government. However, as more people began to fear the fallout from radiation, the chemical pesticides mentioned in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and the significant amounts of air pollution and waste, the public’s concern for their health and the health of their natural environment led to a unifying phenomenon known as environmentalism,

Environmental education was born of the realization that solving complex local and global problems cannot be accomplished by politicians and experts alone, but requires “the support and active participation of an informed public in their various roles as consumers, voters, employers, and business and community leaders.” In 1960 the National Rural Studies Association (now known as the National Association for Environmental Education ) was established in the UK to promote environmental education and support teachers in incorporating sustainability into their curricula.

1. One of the first articles about environmental education as a new movement appeared in the Phi Delta Kappan in 1969, authored by James A. Swan,
2. A definition of “Environmental Education” first appeared in The Journal of Environmental Education in 1969, written by William B. Stapp,
3. Stapp later went on to become the first Director of Environmental Education for UNESCO, and then the Global Rivers International Network,

Ultimately, the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 – a national teach-in about environmental problems – paved the way for the modern environmental education movement. Later that same year, President Nixon passed the National Environmental Education Act, which was intended to incorporate environmental education into K-12 schools.

Then, in 1971, the National Association for Environmental Education (now known as the North American Association for Environmental Education ) was created to improve environmental literacy by providing resources to teachers and promoting environmental education programs. Internationally, environmental education gained recognition when the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972, declared environmental education must be used as a tool to address global environmental problems.

The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) and United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP ) created three major declarations that have guided the course of environmental education. In 2002, the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 (UNDESD) was formed as a way to reconsider, excite, and change approaches to acting positively on global challenges.

• The Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) helped support the work of the UNDESD by composing a backbone structure for education for sustainability, which contained five major components.
• The components are “Imagining a better future”, “Critical thinking and reflection”, “Participation in decision making” and “Partnerships, and Systemic thinking”.

On June 9–14, 2013, the seventh World Environmental Education Congress was held in Marrakesh, Morocco. The overall theme of the conference was ” Environmental education and issues in cities and rural areas: seeking greater harmony “, and incorporated 11 different areas of concern.

• The World Environmental Education Congress had 2,400 members, representing over 150 countries.
• This meeting was the first time ever that it had been held in an Arab country, and was put together by two different organizations, the Mohamed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection and the World Environmental Education Congress Permanent Secretariat in Italy.

Topics addressed at the congress include stressing the importance of environmental education and its role to empower, establishing partnerships to promote environmental education, how to mainstream environmental and sustainability, and even how to make universities “greener”.
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Who defined environmental education?

There are many definitions of the term EE, but the most important one was given by UNESCO : ‘Environmental education is a learning process that increases people’s knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters
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What is the relationship between environment and environmental education?

What is Environmental Education? | US EPA Official websites use,gov A,gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure,gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the,gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Related Topics: Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment.

Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather, environmental education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Increases public awareness and knowledge of environmental issues	Provides facts or opinions about environmental issues
Does teach individuals critical-thinking	Does not necessarily teach individuals critical-thinking
Does enhance individuals’ problem-solving and decision-making skills	Does not necessarily enhance individuals’ problem-solving and decision-making skills
Does not advocate a particular viewpoint	May advocate a particular viewpoint

to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Last updated on July 28, 2022 : What is Environmental Education? | US EPA
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Who is the author of environmental education?

Environmental Education is edited by Alan Reid (Monash University), editor of Environmental Education Research, and Justin Dillon (University of Bristol), co-editor of the International Journal of Science Education and Past President of the European Science Education Research Association.
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Who is the founder of environmental studies?

The father of the Indian environmental science is considered to be Ramdeo Misra (1908 – 1998) since he assisted significantly in the development of the ecology field with specific focus on India.
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Who is the father of environmental movement?

‘Father’ of modern environmental movement to speak at Penn State | Penn State University UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Edward O. Wilson, the biologist who is widely considered to be the father of the modern environmental movement, will speak at 5:30 p.m. on April 16, in Room 100 of the Thomas Building on Penn State’s University Park campus.

His talk, titled “The Social Conquest of Earth,” will be held as part of the eighth annual Colloquium on the Environment speaker series. A book signing and reception will immediately follow his lecture, and the event is free and open to the public. Named one of America’s 25 Most Influential People by TIME magazine, and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he has made a large contribution to our understanding of the rich spectrum of Earth’s biodiversity.

What is Environmental Education?

Wilson’s works include “Ants and On Human Nature,” which both won the Pulitzer Prize; “The Future of Life,” which offers a plan for saving Earth’s biological heritage; “Consilience,” which draws together the sciences, humanities and the arts into a broad study of human knowledge; “The Creation,” a plea for science and religion to work together to save the planet; and “From So Simple a Beginning,” a collection of the four seminal works of Charles Darwin, with new introductions by Wilson.

His 2008 book, “The Superorganism,” was hailed by The New York Times as “an astonishing account of the intricate and unexpected swarm intelligence of wasps, bees, ants and termites.” Wilson’s forthcoming book is titled “The Social Conquest of Earth.” A recent project of Wilson’s, the, catalogs all key information about life of Earth – including data about every living species – and makes it accessible to everyone.

Launched with money from his 2007 TED Prize, the Encyclopedia of Life recently received an additional $10 million from the MacArthur Foundation. Wilson also is the recipient of the U.S. National Medal of Science, the Crafoord Prize (a sister to the Nobel), and the Audubon Medal.

He is the University Research Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, and continues to research at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Recently, Wilson teamed with Harrison Ford to create a new PEN Literary award titled the PEN/E.O. Wilson Award for Literary Science Writing. Event is sponsored by University’s Finance and Business Environmental Stewardship Strategy and the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment.

: ‘Father’ of modern environmental movement to speak at Penn State | Penn State University
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Who is the father of environmental philosophy?

Holmes Rolston III is widely known as the ‘father of environmental ethics’ for his relentless articulation of the presence of natural values in nature.
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What is the history of environmental education?

The roots of Environmental Education can be traced back to as early as the 18th century when Jean- Jacques Rousseau stressed the importance of an education that focuses on the environment in Emile: or, On Education, several decades later, Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born naturalist, echoed Rousseau’s.
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What is the environmental theory in education?

Child Development Theories By Anthony Wanjohi 1.0 Introduction Proponents included in this topic of study are explained and coagulated to bring out the relationship of the common terms used in the discussion for better understanding. These include learning and teaching.

• Learning: It is a cognitive process of acquiring new skills, knowledge, behaviors, values, preferences or understanding and may involve synthesizing different forms of information,( Halt,1983).B.F.
• Skinner contributed greatly by looking into the perspective of learning and development and said that Learning is not doing; it is changing what we do.

We may see that behavior has changed, but we do not see the changing. Teaching: Early childhood teaching may be said to be a strategy. A strategy is defined as, all activities or processes required to pass information to the learner,( Ayot &Patel,1992).

• In a classroom, teaching there are two main teaching strategies, namely,teacher centered teaching and child-centered teaching approaches.2.0 Theories Several theories of child development and learning have influenced discussions of school readiness.
• Three theories have had profound impact on kindergarten readiness practices.

These three theories include the maturationists, environmentalist, and constructivist perspectives of development (Powell, 1991).2.1 Maturationist theory The maturationist theory was advanced by the work of Arnold Gessell, Maturationists believe that development is a biological process that occurs automatically in predictable, sequential stages over time (Hunt, 1969).

This perspective leads many educators and families to assume that young children will acquire knowledge naturally and automatically as they grow physically and become older, provided that they are healthy (Demarest, Reisner, Anderson, Humphrey, Farquhar, & Stein, 1993). As a psychologist, pediatrician, and educator in the 1940s, was very much interested in child development.

From his numerous observations of children, he formulated a theory that stated that developmental changes in a child’s body or behavior are a result of the aging process rather than from learning, injury, illness, or some other life experience. His idea of maturation was rooted in the biological, physiological, and evolutionary sciences.

As a result, Gesell centered most of his theory on the power of biological forces, which he felt provided momentum for development to occur. He and his contemporaries proposed that development follows an orderly sequence and that the biological and evolutionary history of the species decides the order of this sequence.

Maturation supports the idea that each child’s unique genetic and biological makeup determines the rate of development regardless of other potential environmental influences.2.2 Environmentalist Theory Environment is a childs surroundings and every aspect entailed influences his/her learning.B.F.

1. Skinner and Albert Bandura contributed greatly to the environmentalist perspective of development.
2. Environmentalists believe that the child’s environment shapes learning and behavior; in fact, human behavior, development, and learning are thought of as reactions to the environment.
3. This perspective leads many families, schools, and educators to assume that young children develop and acquire new knowledge by reacting to their surroundings.

School readiness, according to the environmentalists, is the age or stage when young children can respond appropriately to the environment of the school and the classroom (e.g., rules and regulations, curriculum activities, positive behavior in group settings, and directions and instructions from teachers and other adults in the school) (Satterly,1987).

The ability to respond appropriately to this environment is necessary for young children to participate in teacher-initiated learning activities. Success is dependent on the child following instructions from the teacher or the adult in the learning environment. Many environmentalist-influenced educators and parents believe that young children learn best by rote activities, such as reciting the alphabet over and over, copying letters, and tracing numbers.

These viewpoints are evident in kindergarten classrooms where young children are expected to sit at desks arranged in rows and listen attentively to their teachers. At home, parents may provide their young children with workbooks containing such activities as coloring or tracing letters and numbers.

When young children are unable to respond appropriately to the classroom and school environment, they often are labeled as having some form of learning disabilities and are tracked in classrooms with curriculum designed to control their behaviors and responses. There are several factors that were also observed by different theorists.

They contribute to development of the child in relation to the behaviors he acquires due to environmental factors.2.2.1 Cognitive Theory Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a biologist who originally studied molluscs but moved into the study of the development of children’s understanding, through observing them and talking and listening to them while they worked on ex ercises he set (Wood, 1998).

Childrens minds work and develop enormously influencing educational theory. Their mind grow up and its capacity increases to understand their world. They cannot undertake certain tasks until they are psychologically mature enough to do so. Their thinking does not develop entirely smooth but instead, there are certain points at which it takes off and moves completely into new areas and capability.

Piagets Key Ideas are Assimilation and Accommodation. a) Assimilation: The process by which a person takes material into their mind from the environment, which may mean changing the evidence of their senses to make it fit. b) Accommodation : The difference made to one’s mind or concepts by the process of assimilation.

• Stages of Cognitive Development Key ideas that are developed by the stages in cognitive theory which will support assimilation and accommodation in relation to learning are: Pre-operational (2-7 years): Here the child learns to use language and to represent objects by images and words.
• Thinking is still egocentric: has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others.

It classifies objects by a single feature: e.g. groups together all the red blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of colour, Concrete operational (7-11 years) : Can think logically about objects and events. Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in series along a single dimension such as size.

1. Formal operational ( 11 years and up): Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses systematically.
2. Becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and ideological problems.
3. Piaget’s approach is central to the school of cognitive theory known as “cognitive constructivism”: other scholars, known as “social constructivists”,such as Vygotsky and Bruner, have laid more emphasis on the part played by language and other people in enabling children to learn.2.2.2 Behaviorist Theory Skinner also identified the reactions of a learner in a given type of environment and drew conclusions.

He states that pleasant experiences (reward) are positive reinforces because they make desired connections between stimuli and response unlike unpleasant experience (punishment) are negative reinforces because they make learners to avoid undesirable responses to stimuli.

• Further he states that continuous reinforcement increases rate of learning and lack of any also shapes.
• Intermittent reinforcement retains what is learned for long while both pleasant and unpleasant shape behavior.
• Lack of acknowledgement of their behavior, they will likely receive some kind of reinforcement.2.3 Constructivism The constructivist perspective of readiness and development was advanced by theorists such as Jean Piaget, Maria Montessori, and Lev Vygotsky,

Although their work varies greatly, each articulates a similar context of learning and development. They are consistent in their belief that learning and development occur when young children interact with the environment and people around them (Hunt, 1969).

1. Constructivists view young children as active participants in the learning process.
2. In addition, constructivists believe young children initiate most of the activities required for learning and development.
3. Because active interaction with the environment and people are necessary for learning and development, constructivists believe that children are ready for school when they can initiate many of the interactions they have with the environment and people around them.

Influenced schools and educators pay a lot of attention to the physical environmental and the curriculum of early childhood classroom. Kindergarten classrooms are divided into different learning centers and fitted with environmentally appropriate materials for young children.

Teacher and adult converse directly with children, meaningful activities are incorporated into curriculum through children experience, children are engaged by parents in reading and storytelling activities. Maria Montessori developed an educational theory where she combined ideas of scholars with methods she had found in medicine, education, and anthropology.

“We should really find the way to teach the child how, before, before making him execute a task.” She suggested that teachers see themselves as social engineers; she enhanced the scientific qualities of education-the Montessori Method ( kilpatric, 1971).

• In 1907, she started directing a system of daycare centers for working class children in one of romes worst neighborhood.
• The children entered her program as “wild and unruly”.
• Much to her surprise they began to respond to her teaching methods.
• She always held them in the highest regard and taught her teachers to do likewise.

She believed that the learning environment was just as important as the learning itself. Because of this belief her schools were often peaceful, orderly places, were the children valued their space for concentration and the process of learning.she trained thousands of teachers the Montessori curriculum and methodology around the world (Bentley, 1964).

Today, most researchers have come to understand child development and the learning process as articulated by the constructivists. However, this view has not been widely translated into practice. Many kindergarten teachers and parents still believe that young children are not ready for school unless they can recite the alphabet, count, and have the ability to follow instructions from adults.3.0 Conclusion These theories explain deeply on how teaching and learning in Early Childhood Education is effective and the better understanding of one another.

The results when incorporated will definitely bring out a perfect score ever which is helpful to the learner in his/her entire life. Reference Bowe, Frank. (2005). Making Inclusion Work, Merrill Education/Prentice Hall. Gesell, A. (1940). The first five years of life,

1. New York: Harper & Brothers.
2. Halt John, 1983) How Children Learn,
3. UK: Penguin books.
4. Hastings.R.P., & Oakford, S.
5. 2003), Student teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of children with special needs.
6. Educational Psychology, page 23, 87-95 Hunt, J.M. (1969).
7. The impact and limitations of the giant of developmental psychology.

In D. Elkind & J. Flavell (Eds.), Studies in cognitive development: Essays in honor of Jean Piaget, New York: Oxford University Press. Kavale, K.A. (2002), Mainstreaming to full inclusion: From orthogenesis to pathogenesis of an idea. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, page 49, 201-214.

Ilpatrick, W.H. (1971). The Montessori System Examined, Arno Press Inc. Montessori, M. (1964). Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook, Robert Bentley, Inc. National Association for the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C., 1966). Montessori in Perspective, Powell, D.R. (1991). Strengthening parental contributions to school readiness and early school learning (Paper commissioned by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement).

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Praisner, C.L. (2003), Attitudes of elementary school principals toward the inclusion of students with disabilities. Exceptional Children. page 69, 135-145. Salkind, N.J. (1981). Arnold Gesell and the Maturational Approach.

Theories of Human Development, New York: Van Nostrand, Satterly, D. (1987). Piaget and Education in R.L Gregory (ed.) The Oxford Companion to the Mind Oxford, Oxford University Press. Scheyer et al. (1996). The Inclusive Classroom Teacher Created Materials, Inc. The Inclusive Classroom. Wood, D. (1998). How Children Think and Learn (2nd edition) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Suggested Citation in APA Wanjohi,A.M,(2010). Child Development Theories. KENPRO Publications. Available online at http://www.kenpro.org/papers/childhood-theory.htm Access pdf Click to access printer friendly pdf format for download.
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Which organization recently introduced environmental education?

Mobius Foundation launches India’s first environment school September 13, 2019 On September 11, – a non-profit organisation working towards environmental sustainability – announced the launch of India’s first in Coorg, Karnataka. World Environment School, Coorg (WESc) will be the first school in India and South Asia to take a leading role in promoting and delivering environmental education with sustainability at its core.

• Spread over a hundred acres across the beautiful hills of Coorg, the school’s focus is to build strong environmental and moral values among its students.
• WESc will be operational from 2021 for Grade 6 to 12 students from India and around the world.
• The school will cater to the parents who want the next generation to be actively involved in protection and sustainability of the environment apart from world class education.

The school will be set up with assistance from, a leading British educational institute and a part of Whitgift Foundation, a charity based in Croydon, South London, England. Whitgift School will provide academic support to WESc which would involve establishing all aspects of the curriculum and syllabus development, assessment and best-teaching and learning practices.

1. Comments Pradip Burman, chairman, Mobius Foundation, “We at Mobius Foundation are very happy to announce the launch of WESc.
2. This school along with the new age curriculum has been a long cherished dream for me and my team.
3. Through this school, we are putting together sustainable education in a way that has never been done before, and we plan to scale up cutting-edge environmental education.

Along with innovative programmes, the school’s dedicated team of teachers will deliver an enriched learning experience tailored to the individual needs of each student.” He adds, “Education for sustainable development is not only about being environmentally-friendly; it also involves developing life-skills including leadership, communication and management; all of which are extremely important for personal development.” WESc will offer the international acclaimed Cambridge Assessment (UK) and International Baccalaureate (Geneva) curriculums.

1. It will be blended with a cutting edge environmental curriculum designed by Centre for Environment Education (CEE).
2. The IB Diploma Programme is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepare students for success at university and life beyond.
3. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students.

The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities. “The need for environmental education is growing rapidly as the degradation of the environment is taking place at a fast pace. Considering the escalating need, we have partnered with Mobius Foundation, which has taken a lead role in this direction by launching India’s first environment school.

Every individual must take steps in reviving the natural resources and have an empathetic outlook towards the environment, a school dedicated to this purpose would certainly spread awareness,” says Chris Ramsay, head master, Whitgift. WESc aims to create a positive and progressive school culture. Teachers will have more opportunities to devise unique learning opportunities and students would benefit through increased participation and productivity and improved problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

WESc, further intends to create a nurturing environment, in which young people can unleash and realise their potential, find their individuality, develop their intellect, appreciate diverse cultures, respect the environment, enhance their interpersonal skills, learn to work independently and collaboratively, pursue excellence, enhance their creativity and grow into mature citizens, committed to making a positive contribution to society and the nation.
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Who is called the mother of environment?

Rachel Carson : Mother of environmental movements.
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Who was the 1st environmentalist?

Alexander von Humboldt : the first environmentalist.
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Who is known as the father of the environment in India?

Ramdeo Misra laid the foundations of ecology and environmental science in the country. He was called as ‘father of Indian ecology’ by the ecologists world over.
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Who gave definition of environment?

Definitions of Environment Definitions of Environment Some important definitions of environment are given by different scientist are as follows.

Boring: ‘A person’s environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation which he receives from his conception until his death.’ It can be concluded from the above definition that Environment comprises various types of forces such as physical, intellectual, economic, political, cultural, social, moral and emotional. Environment is the sum total of all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and the growth, development and maturation of living organisms.

Douglas and Holland:

‘The term environment is used to describe, in the aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms.’ Generally, our surroundings are called as environment

Last modified: Thursday, 29 March 2012, 7:33 PM
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Who introduced environmental education in India?

Importance of Environmental Education in India –

• India is a highly diverse country in terms of its climate, geography, geology, ethnicity, flora, and fauna, society, and economy. Therefore, environmental education in the country has to be location-specific.
• Education in schools relating to “environmental‘ science studies‘ aims at improving the quality of the environment and creating an awareness regarding environmental problems and conservation. At the level of the university, environmental education is looked after by the University Grants Commission. A high-powered committee has been set up to suggest areas of environmental education to be taught at the postgraduate level. Ten universities currently teach courses in environmental areas.
• There are other research institutes and professional institutions like the premier Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and engineering colleges and schools of planning and architecture which have courses in environmental engineering. The post-graduate courses include environmental engineering, conservation and management, environmental health, and social ecology.
• The Ministry of Environment and Forests launched the Environment Education, Awareness, and Training Scheme in 1983-84 to enhance people‘s understanding regarding the human-environment relationship and to enhance skills and capabilities to protect the environment and improve it. It gives importance to the promotion of non-formal environmental education and creating environmental awareness among the people through seminars, workshops, symposia, training programs, the National Green Corps, and eco- clubs.
• The National Museum of Natural History, New Delhi, set up in 1978, promotes non-formal education in various aspects of the environment through exhibitions and educational programs, and activities for children and people in general.
• The Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education is the focal point of forestry education and extension development in India. The Forest Survey of India, the Wildlife Institute of India, and others offer training on various aspects of environmental education and conservation.
• The Ministry of Environment and Forests has set up nine centres of excellence to increase‘ awareness, research, and training in areas of environmental science and management.
• In the context of environmental education, it needs to be pointed out that environmental education opens up many career opportunities. With increasing awareness and stress on the study of the environment and on its impact at various levels, there is a growing need for environmental educators and professionals.
• Professionals to deal with hazardous waste problems, lawyers and other specialists to develop government and industry policy, laws and regulations to protect the environment, engineers to develop technologies and products to prevent environmental degradation are the need of the hour.
• Increasingly, economists, geographers, and social scientists would be required to evaluate the costs of environmental pollution and depletion and come up with solutions that are socially, economically and in other ways suitable for the world.
• Business too needs a new class of environmentally literate and responsible leaders who can study how products and services affect our environment. Environment-related jobs would occupy a prominent place in the years to come. So environmental education, as a discipline and as an aspect linked to all other disciplines, is not only vital in it but also has a tremendous scope in terms of job creation.

What are the flaws existing in the current environmental education patterns adapted at present in Indian educational institutions:

• It was seen that in educational institutions, a lot of time is not allocated for the teaching of the sustainable environment as a subject to students.
• The management of the educational institutions finds it difficult to avail funds for offering high-quality sustainable environmental education and they also find it difficult to access resources necessary for offering high-quality sustainable environmental education.
• Some of the other challenges that exist in the current environmental education patterns present in the Indian educational institutions are that the teachers/lecturers are not at all offered adequate resources by the management to impart sustainable environmental education and also most of the teachers/lecturers lack sufficient knowledge to impart sustainable environmental education.
• Added to that, students also do not give importance in the learning environment as a subject since they consider it to add no academic value to them.

The following are some of the suggestions that are recommended to improve environmental education in India.

• Content of environmental education should be modified: At present, the content of Indian environmental education is not much attractive and informative for the students. It should be enhanced in such a way that it expresses a clear association to the environment and environmental concerns. The content must help highlight an incorporated thematic or an interdisciplinary approach in which the ideas are uttered through big ideas and unifying themes rather than the isolated segments. The content should associate the learning with the actual world. Personally, it has to be applicable to the learners and include issues that are significant to the society and also it should equip the learners with adequate skills in order to continue learning all through life.
• Design of the course material: The course material should be intended so that it is practical by nature, specific to the locale and endorses a holistic understanding of the particular area‘s environment. Also the material should establish an association among the day – to – day life and actions of the students and that of their environment.
• Development of sustainability: The sustainability of the program depends on the recognition by the teachers and their capability to provide the course efficiently. The training of the teachers should be considered as a main concern within the proposal. Camps should be arranged in order to train the teachers from time to time. Also a manual should be offered to teachers in order to enable them to guide the students in their practical work and also the self – contained and self–explanatory workbooks should be provided.

: Environmental Education In India – UPSC
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