Environmental Education

Environmental Education (EE) aims at teaching children from a young age to be environmentally aware, offering the perfect chance for educators to build lifelong habits that could potentially make a significant difference in the future of our planet. Sustainability and Environment are recognized within public discourse as crucial topics. Consequently, it is essential to realize that the concept of Environmental Education is continually changing towards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). ESD contains all the goals and principles of EE but it also aims at the transformation of human behavior in order to achieve sustainable living.
This course is appropriate for classroom teachers of every school level. It provides educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate Environmental Education into their school practice. Participants discuss the history, definition, and goals of EE and ESD; develop an understanding of the professional roles and instructional methods of environmental educators; be aware of the teaching strategies of EE; know how to plan, develop and implement environmental activities and link them to a variety curriculum subjects. By the end of the training participants will have been inspired to engage young people in exploring environmental issues through interactive learning.
- Objectives
✓ Understand what Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is.
✓ Be able to identify relevant curriculum links to ESD activities.
✓ Understand how to engage and motivate young people to learn about the environment within different curriculum frameworks.
✓ Learn teaching methods and approaches of EE.
✓ Explore a range of thematic approaches to EE and be able to draw on these in the compilation of a program of EE.
✓ Take part in experiential environmental education activities.
✓ Introduce a process enabling teachers to identify and analyze local/school/community environmental issues and to develop related learning programs.
✓ Provide the opportunity to implement activities that promote active learning

- Target Groups
Teachers working in kindergartens, primary schools, lower secondary schools.

- Methods & Tools
Lectures, exercises, discussions, teamwork, role-playing, study visits.

Agenda
Day 1
✓ Introductory meeting, explanation of practical arrangements, presentation of timetable, information about course venue.
✓ Icebreakers, Introduction to the Course.
✓ Crete and its unique environment

Day 2
✓ Introduction to Environmental Education: Definition, Principles, History and Goals of EE.
✓ Introduction to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), ESD Guidelines, Perceived goals and impacts.
EE and the school curriculum: incorporating EE practices into the curriculum.

Day 3
✓ Key Learning Strategies for Environmental Education, Citizenship and Sustainability.
✓ Methods for teaching EE.
✓ An overview of tools and techniques to facilitate learning.
Participatory and innovative approaches for infusing EE into the classroom

Day 4
✓ Learning outcomes of EE.
✓ EE relating to critical and creative thinking skills.
✓ EE promoting active learning, citizenship, and student leadership.
✓ EE and the holistic approach to teaching and learning

Day 5
✓ Specific EE programs : Abroad selection of topics.
✓ Project- based learning: Examples of applied practices.
✓ Experience of active learning methods.
✓ From theory to practice: developing an EE program. Individual and group work.
✓ Project Presentations.
Day 6
✓ Study Visits.
✓ Visit at the Natural History Museum.

Day 7
✓ Erasmus+ program: objectives, priorities, actions, forms, budget, tips for applicants.
✓ Planning follow up activities, dissemination and exploitation of learning outcomes.
✓ Course Evaluation.
✓ Certifications.