Rahaman Onike

Social Studies and Environmental Education



Posted: Saturday, April 10, 2010

by Rahaman Onike

INTRODUCTION

The need for environmental education is becoming more advocated and of course it has become an essential demand of the present day educational system in Nigeria . The social demand for environmental education is dictated by the challenges of human environment which were posed by environmental abuses, degradation and pollution. By implication, it means there is deficiency in the environmental attitudes, values, knowledge and awareness of the citizens. It is therefore a popular assumption that one of the ways of inculcating environmental values and attitudes is through the introduction and teaching of Environmental Education (EE) as a subject in schools. The obvious status of Environmental Education in the current Nigerian educational system is that it is not being taught or offered as a separate subject in schools but being taught by infusion through the existing subjects such as Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Integrated Science, Physics and Social Studies (Adekunle 2003).

Social studies is indeed relevant to environmental education. As a curriculum subject, social studies is the study of how man influences his environment and how the environment in turn influences man (Fadeiye 2005). Its methodology lays emphasis on finding out, understanding and coping with various problems confronting man in the course of survival in his environment. Environmental Education is a new area of interest to social studies educators (Fageyinbo 2004). Thus, virtually everything that relates to human living and surviving are potential areas of study to social studies education. Environmental degradation as a social problem offers justification for the infusion of Environmental Education in schools (Kuranga 2006).

The degradation of the environment no doubt constitutes a great threat to both human and materials resources (Adara, 1997, Alabi, 2000: NEST 1991; and Ogunsanya, 2002). Every nation was therefore more sensitive to environmental problems and continues to promote and develop environmental Education Programmes as recommended at the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment held at Stockholm .

It is envisaged that the introduction of Environmental Education into the school curriculum will bring about the development and inculcation of citizenry. According to UNESCO (1985), Environmental Education is an educational concept which considered the environment as a scientific and aesthetic resource to be used in life long educational process, thus making people knowledgeable and aware of the environment and its problems as well as their own roles in environmental conservation, preservation and management. The objectives of Environmental Education is to produce people who will find solution to environmental problems. The knowledge of Environmental Education will also make it possible to exploit natural resources without endangering the survival of the nation it intends to develop.

THE CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Environmental Education (EE) according to Isu (1993) is a process of transmission of environmental awareness for a change of environmental awareness for a sustainable use of the immediate environment and proper management. Environmental Education is therefore a necessary tool to reduce the boundary of ignorance of what should be known about our environment. The Belgrade Charter (1975) summarized the objectives of environmental education as including: awareness, knowledge, attitudes and skills.

Adekunle (2003) views environmental Education as a field which not only creates awareness but also enables man to manage and control his environment. However, Adara (1996) contended that Environmental Education with a peculiarity in holistic content meant to show relationship between technical knowledge, problem solving, and the influence of established values, would demand a combination of techniques to guarantee effects. This to him, depends on the level of education of the learner.

Jekayinfa and Yusuf (2008) regard Environmental Education as a field of Education incorporated into the educational system in order to enhance the awareness of the people on environmental issues at all levels of education. It is an approach to education which is hoped to bring some solutions to the deteriorating relationship between man and the environment. Through Environmental Education, it is believed that man would be able to find a mechanism where clean environment will be adequately enhanced through consistent day-to-day increase in the knowledge of emerging environmental problems. The children will be adequately equipped intelligently, emotionally and with the necessary manipulative skills that will help them to meet the challenges posed on them by both the present and the future environment.

Environmental education would therefore be an intervening mechanism of teaching man about the world events and the laws that govern man's existence. Man must be active and creative and learn in ways natural to him in order to grasp the understanding of the natural phenomenon around him. Based on this background, is the proposed incorporation of environmental education into the school system as a way of enhancing the knowledge of the pupils with the events of their environment.

According to Chandan (2000) Environmental Education is a learning process which promotes the analysis and understanding of environmental issues as the basis for effective education, problem-solving, policy-making, and management. The US Environmental Protection Agencies (1999) defines Environmental Education as an increases public awareness and knowledge about Environmental issues. Environmental education provides the skills needed to make informed and responsible decisions on Environmental issues. As a field of study, Environmental Education teaches individuals how to weight various sides of an Environmental issue.

Environmental Education is equally viewed by Chandan (2000) as an academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them. While distinct from ecology and environmental science, the discipline encompasses study in the basic principles of those two fields of learning as well as the associated subjects, such as: policy, law, economics, sociology and other social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interaction of human beings and nature. Economics, law, ethics, social sciences, psychology, philosophy and even politics are also integrated into environmental studies. Students need to learn about these fields to understand how and why man uses the environment and to examine the nature of the relationship between people and nature.

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

The idea of Environmental Education according to Adekunle (2003) dates back to 1971 in Nigeria . He argues that in spite of published policy for environmental education, Nigeria still suffers environmental degradation to the tune of 5.1 billion US Dollars annually as a result of civic inaction.

According to Oyewale et al (2007) the demand for environmental education was essentially a response to the resolutions of the world summits on environmental issues such as the Stockholm Conference of 1972, Belgrade Conference of 1975 as well as Tibilsi Conference of 1977, coupled with Earth Summit of Rio de Jenairo 1992. The experiences and outcomes of these conferences enhanced the efforts at promoting environmental consciousness vis-a-vis campaign for being environmental friendly.

According to Oyewale et al (2007) Environmental Education as a discipline is gradually gaining popularity in Nigeria but it has not found its way into the school curriculum, especially at the primary and post primary level as a discipline not to talk of featuring on the school time-table. One cannot over rule the statement that because of the various environmental problems around the globe, Environmental Education concepts are now being integrated especially into those disciplines with related contents like Biology, Health Science, Geography, Integrated Science, Social Studies and Agric Science. In the revised edition of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) curriculum (1996) Environmental Education, has been integrated into virtually all the disciplines, which is a good starting point and a welcome development. This is so because teachers who are to teach the younger generations need to be equipped with facts and figures of the concepts to impart.

Perhaps, with the NCCE experience in mind, the National Council on Education ( Nigeria 's Highest Educational Policy Making Body) had at one time passed a directive on the infusion of Environmental Education elements in all school subjects at all levels. This directive itself has been informed by the consideration that environmental problems are essentially multi-disciplinary in nature and thus cannot be neatly subsumed within a single field of knowledge (UNESCO 1977, Okpala, 1996). Couple with this is the reluctance to introduce Environmental Education as a new subject into an already over crowded school curriculum.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has been assigned the responsibility of integrating Environmental Education Components into the broad spectrum of existing school subjects, starting with the secondary school (Mansary, Ajiboye and Audu, 1998). In pursuance of this laudable task, a national proto type Environmental Education curriculum according to NERDC / UNESCO 1992 has been developed while efforts are being geared towards integrating the various components of this curriculum into subjects at the junior and senior secondary school levels (Adara, 1996).

In this development, what seems to have become apparent is that the broad spectrum of school subjects varies in their capacity to absorb the salient Environmental Education concepts. Moreover, some subjects would appear more accommodating of these concepts than the others ( Benton , 1994). Correspondingly, the demands on teachers would not be the same. Attention has also been drawn to the fact that the complex interdisciplinary nature of environmental education would not only demand changes in teacher education programmes, but also that the current lack of properly trained teachers to handle the programme could itself be a constraint on the effective implementation of Environmental Education (Mansaray, Ajiboye and Audu,1998) in Sharma and Tan.

With this development therefore, the joint efforts of some organizations in Nigeria viz-a-viz NERDC (a para Government Organization and NCF Nigerian Conservation Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the provision of basic training for serving teachers are being recognized, there is need for a nation wide assessment of teachers' prevailing knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to the teaching of environmental education. Studies by Mansaray and Ajiboye (1997), Mansaray, Ajiboye and Audu (1998) on environmental related knowledge, attitudes and practices have revealed a rather low knowledge base and practices by the populace which are inter-alia inimical to the environment among the sample used. This might as well be a reflection of teacher capability thus justifying the current investigation into what Nigerian teachers themselves know and feel about environmental education at large.

According to Jekayinfa and Yusuf (2008) the Environmental Education Curriculum for primary school, drafted by the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council (NERDC), has a well defined scope and the scope of environmental education according to the draft is structured into four main themes:


According to the curriculum, the approach allows for objectives within a theme to be incorporated into existing school subject at the primary and secondary school or to be taught exclusively as a module of knowledge in the tertiary institution or out of school setting. Incorporation of environmental education into the existing primary school subjects means that relevant topics and issues within each theme are structured into performance objectives, content, learner's activities, teaching materials and evaluation guidelines and is carefully incorporated into six primary school subjects for appropriate implementation. These are:


CHALLENGES AND ISSUES IN THE TEACHING OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIAN SCHOOLS

It is important to make the gap between the policy formulator (government and to its agencies) and the policy implementers (class teachers). The environmental education curricular are not in practice according to Nwabueze Ezeanya (1998) because majority of those who are to play major role in the implementation are not even aware of their (curricular existence, let alone their content, it is time to note that the ability to develop more sustainably depends on the capacity of Nigeria citizens and institutions to understand the complex environment and development issues so that they can make the right development choices.

Another thing to note is that the teaching of environment education in Nigerian schools is to be attained through the existing environmental related subjects (carrier subjects) in the traditional school curricular. The infusion technique, facilitated through thematic approach was adopted to develop environmental education curricula. This was done by identifying topics which were deemed to be considerably related to certain environmental education elements and structured them into performance objectives, content, teacher / learner activities, teaching materials and evaluation guidelines. The teachers of these environment education carrier subjects are expected to enhance the teaching of the environment education themes in their classes.

However, since the approval of the environmental education themes by the NCE in 1998, nothing is yet to be done either in form of seminar or workshop for the class teachers who are going to handle the teachings. This is probably why Adara (1996) asserted that majority of the teachers of environmental education related subjects seem to be ignorant of the environment education themes in these subjects. Also, available empirical works on some of the curricula of these carrier subjects revealed the urgent need to enhance environmental education elements into them so as to promote capacity for sustainable development in Nigeria (Olagunju, 1997).

The teachers of these environmental education carrier subjects need to be familiar with the four broad approaches to incorporating environmental education into schools and more specifically, the curriculum (EETAP, 2004). These approaches are infusion imposition, insertion and framing. The use of infusion approach entails the incorporation of environmental concepts, activities and examples into existing curricula goals. A teacher could investigate current environmental issues or concepts and infuse it into the existing curriculum of his subjects so as to help the learners to understand the issues / concept and develop in them the capacity for sustainable development.

Another approach is that of imposition. This refers to making environmental topics, requirements within the curriculum. This usually takes the form of directive to the subject teachers from the government and it agencies. The directive could be specific or restricted to certain geo-political region and could be made general or national depending on the nature of the environmental education issue or concept in question. At the local government level or state, directive could be given to subjects teachers to address a peculiar environmental problem / issue during the class works so as to develop such environmental education knowledge in the learners for sustainable development. If such environmental issue / problems is general in outlook, it could be a national directive to teachers. Whatever it takes, it has to be imposed on the subject teachers.

Also, there is insertion approach. This is the addition of an environmental unit or course to the class or curriculum (Monroe and Cappaert, 1994). This could be easily done during the review of the school curriculum in consultation with the NERDC and NCE for approval. In most cases, when new unit or course is added into the class or curriculum, something else has to be removed for the subject teachers to identify areas of enrichment and removal from the class curriculum to allow for effective teaching of the environmental education skills; knowledge attitudes, values and commitment in learners.

The fourth and last approach for discussion is that of framing. This refers to eliminating the subjective boundaries of traditional disciplines and instead creating a structure of study that integrates subject areas to allow for the development of environmental knowledge and skills in learners (Heimlich, 1992). Effective use of this approach depends strongly on the scope of integration. A teacher that is saddled with the responsibility of teaching several subjects in a particular school (as the case in most primary schools) could find framing more preferable for the teaching of environmental education concepts / themes.

RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL STUDIES TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Social studies provides opportunities for exploring the key dimensions of environmental education. Learning in social studies can be undertaken through education in the environmental topics. The question now is How does environmental education relevant to social studies. According to Michael (2000) Environmental Education offers opportunities for study under each of the ten themes of social studies education identified by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). According to him, Environmental Education spans the social studies due to its multi-disciplinary nature. Social studies themes are appropriate in teaching Environmental Education. Also, Environmental Education is an excellent integration tool that can help students explore historical, economic, political, geographic, and scientific aspects of environmental topics.

The relevance of social studies to Environmental Education if it is viewed against the contribution of Fageyinbo (2004) where he states that the central focus of social studies is the holistic study of man in his various relations either in groups or as individual with diversified aspects of his environment.

Of course, Environmental Degradation which Environmental Education intends to address is better achieved through relevant social studies content. By solving problem of environmental degradation, the society becomes a better place to live. To expatiate on this, Ololobou (1989) conceptualizes social studies as: an organized integrated study of man and his environment; both physical and social, emphasizing cognition, functional skills, desirable attitudes and actions for the purpose of creating effective citizenry.

More importantly, social studies help the child to examine his environment and to determine his own place in it. Social studies does this by providing knowledge and information about Environmental Issues. (Ogundare 2001).

Specifically, the ten themes of social studies relevant to environmental education are:


The identified themes according to Chandan (2000) relate to environmental sustainability.

CONCLUSION

Environmental Education as currently being taught in the school derived parts of its contents from social studies. Indeed, social studies is primarily concerned with environmental issues and man's relationship within his social and physical environment. As a problem solving discipline, social studies could improve the quality of human environment through inculcation of appropriate norms and values for effective citizenship. By teaching social studies themes in environmental Education, it is expected to create an awareness and understanding of the evolving social and physical environment as a whole in its natural, man made, cultural and spiritual resources, together with rational use of these resources for national development.

REFERENCES

Ogundare S.F. (2001) Principles and Concepts of Social Studies in Ogundare S.F. (ed) Foundations of Social Studies: Oyo, OYSCE publication series.

Oyewale A.O. et al (2007) Secondary school teachers' knowledge of Environmental Education Concept in selected Local Government Area of Oyo State in Nigerian Journal of Social Studies Vol. (1 & 2) 2007 pp. 85-93.

Adara, O.A. (1996) Strategies in Environmental Education in Social Studies in Nigeria by the 2000. Environmental Education Research 2 (2) pp. 237-246.

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BY:ONIKE RAHAMAN
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