LUKENYA UNIUVERSITY
LEFN 4202: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
DRAFT CLASS GUIDE LECTURE NOTES (series 1)
What is an environment ?
An environment is the conditions and influences that affect the
growth, health, progress of someone or something
As reported by Li Jiaing et al,. (2014), “the environment is the foundation and support the
human existence and survival and the guarantee of sustainable human development. As
such, environmental protection has undoubtedly become a common understanding and
development strategy of all countries of the world”
The term Environment implies everything around us biotic and abiotic) things. It also
includes physical, chemical and other natural forces. It is noted that environmental
problems are more often found where poor people
The term environmental Education is new to many people in Kenya and different authors
define environmental education in various ways, for example -
O’donoghue defines environmental education as a communication process that causes
behaviour change towards the environment
The Australian Association for Environmental-Education defines environmntal
educations as “..an across the curriculum approach to learning, which helps individuals
and groups to understant the environment with ultimate aim of developing, caring, and
committed attitudes that will foster the desire and ability to act resposibly in
environment.
Environmental Education is concerned not only with knowledge, but also with the
feelings, attitudes, skills, social and community action.
Kvasnickova defines environmetal education as a dimension of education that aims not
only at providing knowledge and information on the problems of the human
environmental, but also affects peoples way of thinking, their attitudes, ethics, emotions,
1
, civic and professional responsibility and preparedbess for action.
According to Muyanda–Mutebi (1993), environmental education is defined as a process
of learning and teaching knowledge and skills that enable people understant and
appreciate our environment and the interrelatedness between us, our culture and
environmental resources.
“We can therefore put it that environmental education implies establishing
proper ecological equillibrium which entails proper use and conservation of
resources in a sustainable manner”
Note //Take care of the environment for the environment to take care of you.
The significance of environmental education important in Kenya
Environmental education is crucial in Kenya for several reasons. Firstly, Kenya is
renowned for its rich biodiversity and natural resources, which are vital for sustaining
livelihoods, tourism, and ecosystem services.
Through environmental education, individuals become aware of the value of these
resources and learn how to conserve and sustainably manage them for future
generations.
Secondly, Kenya faces various environmental challenges such as deforestation,
pollution, habitat loss, and climate change impacts.
Environmental education equips citizens with the knowledge and skills to address these
challenges effectively through sustainable practices, conservation efforts, and advocacy
for policy change.
Thirdly, environmental education fosters a sense of environmental stewardship and
responsibility among Kenyan citizens.
By understanding the interconnectedness between human activities and the
environment, individuals are inspired to adopt eco-friendly behaviors and make
informed decisions that minimize negative impacts on the environment.
Moreover, environmental education plays a significant role in promoting social equity
and resilience.
It empowers marginalized communities, including indigenous groups and rural
populations, by providing them with the tools and knowledge to protect their natural
resources and adapt to environmental changes.
In a glance, environmental education in Kenya is essential for promoting
conservation, addressing environmental challenges, fostering stewardship, and
building resilient communities. It is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable
development and ensuring the well-being of both people and the planet.
2
,The components of environmental education are:
1. Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges
2. Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
3. Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain
environmental quality
4. Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
5. Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges
Environmental education (EE)
EE is a process by which people develop awareness, concern and knowledge of the
environment and learn to use this understanding to preserve, conserve and utilize the
environment in a sustainable manner for the benefit of present and future generations.
Background of environmental education
Man has been inseparable part of the environment ever since; even the appearance of
man on earth itself was an outcome of the environmental processes.
Limited need of primitive man did not disturb the harmony of nature since the
amount to damage the environment was insignificant.
Later on the population growth and its various need plus advancement in technology
accelerates environmental degradation.
Some of the ways that caused this degradation can be summarized as follows;
(i) Farming, cutting down trees for timber, firewood and overgrazing.
Man has deforestated vast areas without replacing the trees and grasses with similar
vegetation cover or maintaining the similar soil fertility of the area.
Excessive use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers.
Most of these are toxic, persistent in nature and are not selective as a result they affect the
natural cycles and find their way into food and water from soil.
(ii) Industrial activities
i. The wastes from industries are released into atmosphere as gases, same are dumped
on land or in water as either solid or liquid.
ii. Raw materials for industries particularly the mineral mining in many areas have left the
abandoned mining sides unsuitable for vegetation growth and has been turned into
wastelands.
(iii) Growth of urban settlements
-The content of urban sewages are discharged into streams and rivers polluting the water.
-Clearing the land for buildings and cutting down trees for buildings and furniture.
-A lot of domestic wastes are dumped on land and water
(iv) Various means of transport
-Consume various sources of energy as coal, diesel, and petroleum in large quantity.
3
, -Emit different gases which pollute the environment example carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and lead.
-Cutting down large number of trees for construction of roads and railways.
All these have lead to present day environmental crises. Environmental degradation if not
checked in time will endanger the existence of human being itself.
There is need for environmental education so as to have citizens who concerned for saving
the environment from more destruction.
When people became knowledgeable about their environment and associated problems will
be aware of the solutions to those problems too.
Education has always played a crucial role in society because it provides necessary skills and
helps in forming certain attitudes. The environmental education is there to fulfill this role.
Environment education should help in solving environmental problems in our normal lives.
History and philosophy of environmental education
According to UNESCO Conference done in Tbilisi Georgia;
Environmental education is defined as a process aimed at developing the world
population that is aware and concerned about the total environment and its associated
problems and which have the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments and skills
to work individually and to work collectively towards solutions of current problems and
preventing the new ones (UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration, 1978).
Goals of Environmental Education
According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization) Tbilisi Declaration, there are 3 goals of Environmental Education.
1. To foster clear awareness of, and concern about, social, political and economic
interdependence at local, regional, national and international/global levels.
2. To provide every person with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes,
commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment;
3. To develop and reinforce new patterns of environmentally sensitive behavior among
individuals, groups and society as a whole for a sustainable environment.
Specific objectives of Environmental Education
The above goals were better defined by 5 objectives which were outlined in UNESCO-
UNEP(United Nations Environment Program) Environmental Education Newsletter
Vol.1, No1 (January 1996). These objectives are to improve: awareness, knowledge,
attitudes, skill and participation.
Objectives of Environmental Education (EE)
Participation - to provide individuals, groups and societies with opportunities to be
actively involved in exercising their skills of environmental citizenship and be actively
involved at all levels in working towards sustainable development.
4
LEFN 4202: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
DRAFT CLASS GUIDE LECTURE NOTES (series 1)
What is an environment ?
An environment is the conditions and influences that affect the
growth, health, progress of someone or something
As reported by Li Jiaing et al,. (2014), “the environment is the foundation and support the
human existence and survival and the guarantee of sustainable human development. As
such, environmental protection has undoubtedly become a common understanding and
development strategy of all countries of the world”
The term Environment implies everything around us biotic and abiotic) things. It also
includes physical, chemical and other natural forces. It is noted that environmental
problems are more often found where poor people
The term environmental Education is new to many people in Kenya and different authors
define environmental education in various ways, for example -
O’donoghue defines environmental education as a communication process that causes
behaviour change towards the environment
The Australian Association for Environmental-Education defines environmntal
educations as “..an across the curriculum approach to learning, which helps individuals
and groups to understant the environment with ultimate aim of developing, caring, and
committed attitudes that will foster the desire and ability to act resposibly in
environment.
Environmental Education is concerned not only with knowledge, but also with the
feelings, attitudes, skills, social and community action.
Kvasnickova defines environmetal education as a dimension of education that aims not
only at providing knowledge and information on the problems of the human
environmental, but also affects peoples way of thinking, their attitudes, ethics, emotions,
1
, civic and professional responsibility and preparedbess for action.
According to Muyanda–Mutebi (1993), environmental education is defined as a process
of learning and teaching knowledge and skills that enable people understant and
appreciate our environment and the interrelatedness between us, our culture and
environmental resources.
“We can therefore put it that environmental education implies establishing
proper ecological equillibrium which entails proper use and conservation of
resources in a sustainable manner”
Note //Take care of the environment for the environment to take care of you.
The significance of environmental education important in Kenya
Environmental education is crucial in Kenya for several reasons. Firstly, Kenya is
renowned for its rich biodiversity and natural resources, which are vital for sustaining
livelihoods, tourism, and ecosystem services.
Through environmental education, individuals become aware of the value of these
resources and learn how to conserve and sustainably manage them for future
generations.
Secondly, Kenya faces various environmental challenges such as deforestation,
pollution, habitat loss, and climate change impacts.
Environmental education equips citizens with the knowledge and skills to address these
challenges effectively through sustainable practices, conservation efforts, and advocacy
for policy change.
Thirdly, environmental education fosters a sense of environmental stewardship and
responsibility among Kenyan citizens.
By understanding the interconnectedness between human activities and the
environment, individuals are inspired to adopt eco-friendly behaviors and make
informed decisions that minimize negative impacts on the environment.
Moreover, environmental education plays a significant role in promoting social equity
and resilience.
It empowers marginalized communities, including indigenous groups and rural
populations, by providing them with the tools and knowledge to protect their natural
resources and adapt to environmental changes.
In a glance, environmental education in Kenya is essential for promoting
conservation, addressing environmental challenges, fostering stewardship, and
building resilient communities. It is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable
development and ensuring the well-being of both people and the planet.
2
,The components of environmental education are:
1. Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges
2. Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
3. Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain
environmental quality
4. Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
5. Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges
Environmental education (EE)
EE is a process by which people develop awareness, concern and knowledge of the
environment and learn to use this understanding to preserve, conserve and utilize the
environment in a sustainable manner for the benefit of present and future generations.
Background of environmental education
Man has been inseparable part of the environment ever since; even the appearance of
man on earth itself was an outcome of the environmental processes.
Limited need of primitive man did not disturb the harmony of nature since the
amount to damage the environment was insignificant.
Later on the population growth and its various need plus advancement in technology
accelerates environmental degradation.
Some of the ways that caused this degradation can be summarized as follows;
(i) Farming, cutting down trees for timber, firewood and overgrazing.
Man has deforestated vast areas without replacing the trees and grasses with similar
vegetation cover or maintaining the similar soil fertility of the area.
Excessive use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers.
Most of these are toxic, persistent in nature and are not selective as a result they affect the
natural cycles and find their way into food and water from soil.
(ii) Industrial activities
i. The wastes from industries are released into atmosphere as gases, same are dumped
on land or in water as either solid or liquid.
ii. Raw materials for industries particularly the mineral mining in many areas have left the
abandoned mining sides unsuitable for vegetation growth and has been turned into
wastelands.
(iii) Growth of urban settlements
-The content of urban sewages are discharged into streams and rivers polluting the water.
-Clearing the land for buildings and cutting down trees for buildings and furniture.
-A lot of domestic wastes are dumped on land and water
(iv) Various means of transport
-Consume various sources of energy as coal, diesel, and petroleum in large quantity.
3
, -Emit different gases which pollute the environment example carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and lead.
-Cutting down large number of trees for construction of roads and railways.
All these have lead to present day environmental crises. Environmental degradation if not
checked in time will endanger the existence of human being itself.
There is need for environmental education so as to have citizens who concerned for saving
the environment from more destruction.
When people became knowledgeable about their environment and associated problems will
be aware of the solutions to those problems too.
Education has always played a crucial role in society because it provides necessary skills and
helps in forming certain attitudes. The environmental education is there to fulfill this role.
Environment education should help in solving environmental problems in our normal lives.
History and philosophy of environmental education
According to UNESCO Conference done in Tbilisi Georgia;
Environmental education is defined as a process aimed at developing the world
population that is aware and concerned about the total environment and its associated
problems and which have the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments and skills
to work individually and to work collectively towards solutions of current problems and
preventing the new ones (UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration, 1978).
Goals of Environmental Education
According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization) Tbilisi Declaration, there are 3 goals of Environmental Education.
1. To foster clear awareness of, and concern about, social, political and economic
interdependence at local, regional, national and international/global levels.
2. To provide every person with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes,
commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment;
3. To develop and reinforce new patterns of environmentally sensitive behavior among
individuals, groups and society as a whole for a sustainable environment.
Specific objectives of Environmental Education
The above goals were better defined by 5 objectives which were outlined in UNESCO-
UNEP(United Nations Environment Program) Environmental Education Newsletter
Vol.1, No1 (January 1996). These objectives are to improve: awareness, knowledge,
attitudes, skill and participation.
Objectives of Environmental Education (EE)
Participation - to provide individuals, groups and societies with opportunities to be
actively involved in exercising their skills of environmental citizenship and be actively
involved at all levels in working towards sustainable development.
4
