⋆ [Grad] ⋆
]]
EED2601: Environmental Education
May/June 2025 & May/June 2024 — Exam Revision Guide
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
[B] Education for Sustainable Development [B]
[Book] Exam Revision Guide
EED2601
Module Code:
Environmental Education (BEd)
Module Name:
May/June 2025 + May/June 2024
Paper / Exam:
2024/2025
Year:
100 marks (per sitting)
Total Marks:
Understand the concepts. Apply them. That is what the examiner wants.
[Grad] Exam Revision Notes | EED2601 | 2024/2025
,EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
PAPER 1: MAY/JUNE 2025
Question 1 [20 marks]
1.1 [4 marks]
Question: Define environmental education as proposed by the IUCN.
Answer: The IUCN (1971) definition reads:
[!] Key Concept
“Environmental education is the process of recognising values and clarifying
concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and
appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical sur-
roundings. Environmental education also entails practice in decision-making and
self-formulation of a code of behaviour about issues concerning environmental
quality.” (IUCN, 1971:17)
Key points to note in this definition:
• It focuses on values and concepts as the starting point
• It aims to build skills and attitudes, not just knowledge
• It stresses interrelatedness between humans, culture, and the biophysical world
• It includes decision-making and forming personal codes of behaviour
• It is considered to have a behavioural emphasis
[*] Exam Tip
Four marks means four distinct points. Mention: process, values/concepts,
skills/attitudes, interrelatedness/decision-making. Do not just copy the definition —
examiners want to see you understand what each part means.
Page 2 of 34 [Grad]
,EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
1.2 [4 marks]
Question: Explain the shift from nature studies to environmental education.
Answer: Nature studies (19th – early 20th century) involved observing and describ-
ing plants, animals, and physical landscapes. It was largely descriptive, with no real
attention to human impact or sustainability.
Why the shift happened:
• Growing awareness of pollution, deforestation, and resource depletion in the mid-
20th century
• Realisation that humans were not separate from nature — their actions caused
damage
• International concern leading to events like the 1972 Stockholm Conference and the
1977 Tbilisi Declaration
What environmental education added:
• A focus on problem-solving and active participation
• Emphasis on sustainable development, not just knowledge of nature
• Encouragement to take responsible action (recycling, conserving water, reducing
waste)
The shift moved education from passive observation to active, critical engagement with
real-world environmental challenges.
1.3 [4 marks]
Question: Describe the holistic environment and its components as outlined in the
EED2601 study guide.
Answer: The holistic environment recognises that the environment is not just the
natural world — it is an interconnected system of multiple components that influence
one another.
• Natural/Biophysical component: ecosystems, biodiversity, land, water, air, and
natural processes such as the water cycle and nutrient cycles
Page 3 of 34 [Grad]
, EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
• Built/Physical component: urban infrastructure, buildings, roads, technology,
and human-constructed systems
• Social component: communities, cultures, social structures, and interpersonal
relationships
• Economic component: industries, resource management, economic activities, and
production patterns
The key idea is that changes in one component ripple through all others. For example,
industrial activity (economic) can cause air pollution (natural), which affects community
health (social), which shapes government policy (institutional).
1.4 [4 marks]
Question: List the four major interrelated components of environmental education.
Answer: The four major interrelated components of EE are:
1. Awareness: Helping learners become conscious of environmental issues and their
significance
2. Knowledge: Providing factual understanding of environmental systems, problems,
and processes
3. Attitudes and Values: Developing a personal sense of concern and responsibility
for the environment
4. Skills and Action: Building the ability to identify problems, evaluate solutions,
and take concrete steps to protect the environment
These components work together. Awareness triggers curiosity, which builds knowledge,
which shapes attitudes, which motivates action.
[*] Exam Tip
Some sources add a fifth component — Participation/Commitment. If the question
asks for four, stick to the four above. If it asks for five, add participation.
Page 4 of 34 [Grad]
]]
EED2601: Environmental Education
May/June 2025 & May/June 2024 — Exam Revision Guide
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
[B] Education for Sustainable Development [B]
[Book] Exam Revision Guide
EED2601
Module Code:
Environmental Education (BEd)
Module Name:
May/June 2025 + May/June 2024
Paper / Exam:
2024/2025
Year:
100 marks (per sitting)
Total Marks:
Understand the concepts. Apply them. That is what the examiner wants.
[Grad] Exam Revision Notes | EED2601 | 2024/2025
,EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
PAPER 1: MAY/JUNE 2025
Question 1 [20 marks]
1.1 [4 marks]
Question: Define environmental education as proposed by the IUCN.
Answer: The IUCN (1971) definition reads:
[!] Key Concept
“Environmental education is the process of recognising values and clarifying
concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and
appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical sur-
roundings. Environmental education also entails practice in decision-making and
self-formulation of a code of behaviour about issues concerning environmental
quality.” (IUCN, 1971:17)
Key points to note in this definition:
• It focuses on values and concepts as the starting point
• It aims to build skills and attitudes, not just knowledge
• It stresses interrelatedness between humans, culture, and the biophysical world
• It includes decision-making and forming personal codes of behaviour
• It is considered to have a behavioural emphasis
[*] Exam Tip
Four marks means four distinct points. Mention: process, values/concepts,
skills/attitudes, interrelatedness/decision-making. Do not just copy the definition —
examiners want to see you understand what each part means.
Page 2 of 34 [Grad]
,EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
1.2 [4 marks]
Question: Explain the shift from nature studies to environmental education.
Answer: Nature studies (19th – early 20th century) involved observing and describ-
ing plants, animals, and physical landscapes. It was largely descriptive, with no real
attention to human impact or sustainability.
Why the shift happened:
• Growing awareness of pollution, deforestation, and resource depletion in the mid-
20th century
• Realisation that humans were not separate from nature — their actions caused
damage
• International concern leading to events like the 1972 Stockholm Conference and the
1977 Tbilisi Declaration
What environmental education added:
• A focus on problem-solving and active participation
• Emphasis on sustainable development, not just knowledge of nature
• Encouragement to take responsible action (recycling, conserving water, reducing
waste)
The shift moved education from passive observation to active, critical engagement with
real-world environmental challenges.
1.3 [4 marks]
Question: Describe the holistic environment and its components as outlined in the
EED2601 study guide.
Answer: The holistic environment recognises that the environment is not just the
natural world — it is an interconnected system of multiple components that influence
one another.
• Natural/Biophysical component: ecosystems, biodiversity, land, water, air, and
natural processes such as the water cycle and nutrient cycles
Page 3 of 34 [Grad]
, EED2601 | Exam Revision Environmental Education
• Built/Physical component: urban infrastructure, buildings, roads, technology,
and human-constructed systems
• Social component: communities, cultures, social structures, and interpersonal
relationships
• Economic component: industries, resource management, economic activities, and
production patterns
The key idea is that changes in one component ripple through all others. For example,
industrial activity (economic) can cause air pollution (natural), which affects community
health (social), which shapes government policy (institutional).
1.4 [4 marks]
Question: List the four major interrelated components of environmental education.
Answer: The four major interrelated components of EE are:
1. Awareness: Helping learners become conscious of environmental issues and their
significance
2. Knowledge: Providing factual understanding of environmental systems, problems,
and processes
3. Attitudes and Values: Developing a personal sense of concern and responsibility
for the environment
4. Skills and Action: Building the ability to identify problems, evaluate solutions,
and take concrete steps to protect the environment
These components work together. Awareness triggers curiosity, which builds knowledge,
which shapes attitudes, which motivates action.
[*] Exam Tip
Some sources add a fifth component — Participation/Commitment. If the question
asks for four, stick to the four above. If it asks for five, add participation.
Page 4 of 34 [Grad]
