Factors bolstering the implementation of environment and sustainability education: A South African case study

Abstract

Scholars, globally, acknowledge environment and sustainability education (ESE) as a key vehicle towards addressing the myriad of environmental challenges. This paper is premised on empirical evidence which succinctly points to the dearth of literature that focuses on the implementation of ESE in the realm of early childhood education (ECE). The approach adopted for this inquiry is a multiple-embedded case study, underpinned by an interpretivist qualitative research paradigm which focussed on four institutions enlisted for investigation. One-on-one interviews, participant observations and document analysis were used for data generation while thematic and domain analyses were used for data interpretation. The findings of this inquiry suggest that there are numerous factors that support the teaching of ESE. The researcher asserts that the findings highlighted in this paper corroborate those of numerous studies conducted elsewhere in the world. However, based on the findings, the researcher also notes and can thus conclusively aver that there is a dearth of research that focuses on enablers of ESE. Furthermore, the researcher recommends that more research be conduct which focuses on the investigation of the factors that support the environment-inclined pedagogy.

Educators’ Perceptions and Approaches to Environmental Education and Pro-Environmental Behaviour in South African Secondary Schools

“…Subsequently, to answer this research question, the findings of this study indicate that the level of education perception differs from one educator to another, which difference is influenced by a variety of societal factors. These findings are similar to those of Hebe's ( 2009) study, which revealed that the level of environmental literacy varies from educator to educator and that various factors influence the environmental literacy of these educators (Hebe, 2009). These definitions sound similar, yet those minute differences in definition indicate that although there is one definition for environmental education, it is multifaceted, mobile, and rich in variations and form, especially when it involves human understanding (Brown et al, 1999).…”

“…All three definitions from the participants quoted above have only the environment in common. (Hebe, 2009). It is dependent on an individual's own prior knowledge and experiences as this determines how this individual will make sense of it in the long run.…”