Transforming society towards following an environmentally sustainable path will not be easy because it means a fundamental shift in thinking, values and actions of all institutions, communities and individuals worldwide. Education is the key to ensure that future generations of South Africans will be able to deliver the society envisaged by our Constitution. The formative years of the Foundation Phase are an ideal place for environmental education (EE) to begin. The purpose of this study was to explore conceptions of EE held by educators in the Foundation Phase at a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

D.Ed. / The general objective of this study is to illuminate the challenges experienced by educators in the provision of Environmental Education at schools in Curriculum 2005. In order to realize this general aim, the following serve as specific aims: Firstly, to provide a theoretical base for Environmental Education with a view to increasing the understanding of this relatively new discipline. Secondly, to examine and analyse the factors hindering the successful implementation of Environmental Education in schools. Thirdly, to identify and discuss potential solutions. An extensive literature review was undertaken to examine core areas impeding effective teaching of Environmental Education and its emphasis on Curriculum 2005. The investigation included data collection from experienced educators who have been incorporating Environmental Education in their subject teaching. The qualitative research design was utilized. The data collection methods the researcher applied include observation where personal visits were made to schools promoting Environmental Education. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with different individual educators; in schools with more than four environmental educators, focus group interviews were preferred. The data of this research were collected in schools in Gauteng Province through qualitative data collection techniques. The data collected was also analysed, coded, clustered and categorized. The empirical findings of the study were confirmed by using different methods and sources. The main findings indicated that where Environmental Education is well coordinated and all educators are involved, it is carried out in a more effective way compared to schools where Environmental Education is left to one educator and poorly coordinated. The study recommends that Environmental Education should not be left to one committed environmental educator, but that all educators need to be trained to incorporate Environmental Education into their school curriculum.

Environmental and sustainability issues prevail in modern society. Southern Africa, where this study is based, is one of the regions most at risk from intersecting issues of climate health risk, and poverty-related ills. Education has the potential to facilitate catalytic transformation of society through development of understandings of these intersecting environment and sustainability concerns, and to support engagements in more sustainable social practices oriented towards the common good. This requires a rethinking of education within a wider common good frame. It also has implications for how quality education is considered. However, little is said of how this could be done, especially in teacher education. The paper shares two cases of teacher educators’ change project experiences, as they emerged via professional development support and the mediatory processes applied in courses conducted by the Southern African Development Community Regional Environmental Education Programme (SADC REEP) aimed at enhancing professional capacity of teacher educators and other environmental educators for mainstreaming environment and sustainability education (ESE)1. These courses are framed using a change project approach, and involve teacher educators as main participants. In-depth data were generated from interviews with two teacher educators, their assignment write-ups, and observations of their teacher education practice. Realist social theory, particularly the principle of emergence, was used to trace the emergence of change in teacher education practice. Sociocultural learning theory was used to explain mediation of learning-oriented changes in teacher education practice. We illustrate how the change project model and approach contributed to mediating change in practice, showing emergent attributes of capacity for mainstreaming ESE and elements of a concept of quality education among course participants oriented towards the common good. In conclusion, we argue that ESE seems to be a sensitising construct for initiating and sustaining change for ESE in teacher education. In addition, the change project has proved to be a potential vehicle for mainstreaming the notion and practice of ESE into social systems and teacher education practices. We argue that reflexive ESE praxis provides a sensitising focus, initiating quality education with humanising properties necessary for the common good.

Thesis (M.Phil.(Environmental Law and Management)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / Environmental Education in schools is one of the vital means through which learners can acquire environmental literacy, which is vital for the protection of the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of environmental literacy among Grade 12 learners based on selected issues namely: Acid rain, soil erosion and global warming. There is a need to encourage active participation in resolving environmental issues. This will in turn ensure compliance with laws of the country. Environmental Education is the process of recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitude necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness or interrelationships among people, their culture and their biophysical surroundings. Environmental education also entails practice in decision-making and self-formulation of a code of behaviour about issues concerning environmental quality (IUCN World Conservation Union 1971). This research was conducted in five schools located in Ga-Molepo area. The Grade 12 geography learners were tested to determine their level on environmental literacy. This knowledge was tested by means of a questionnaire, which contained questions that tested the learners’ environmental literacy level. The level of literacy was compared between males and females. Their understandings of legal implications were also tested. Anderson & Arsenault (1990:170-179) states that questionnaires need no introduction. The advantage of questionnaire is that if properly designed, it provides a collection of reliable and reasonably valid data in a simple manner. Yet constracting a good questionnaire is a challenge and requires thorough thought, piloting, revision and reformatting. 85% of learners from all the schools indicated that they are aware of the causes and effects of soil erosion. 42% of learners understand what acid rain is and only 20% of them understand what global warming is. Learners must be educated on environmental issues in relation to environmental protection and improvement. Legal obligations and accountability under laws as well as the need to comply with law must be part of all environmental education. Hammond et al (1999:42) explains Coefficient of Variation (CV) as a normalized measure of dispersion of a probability distribution. The Coefficient of Variation was used where Tshebela high school got 33%, which indicated that the learners level of understanding did not indicate variability. In the other 3 schools (Mamokgari, Mamodikeleng and Mmapadi) their level of understanding did not indicate a high level of variation. The last school, Mokwatedi indicated that the learner’s level of understanding indicated a high level of variation which shows that their level of understanding is not good. When coming to what the law requires of them it is clear that only 40% of them understand the legal implications but the rest may harm the environment as they use natural resources for their own benefit such as chopping trees while not considering environmental sustainability and the people around them. It is, therefore, concluded at the end of the research that environmental laws need to be integrated into the learner’s knowledge as their opinions on environmental laws shows clearly that they do not have knowledge and understanding of the environmental legal implications.

This thesis investigated the role that folklore can play in contemporary environmental problems. This research was prompted by people living around the Mantrombi nature reserve in the Nebo region of Limpopo province who showed and interest in reviving folklore as an education model to combat their existing environmental problems.

The primary aim of this study is to attempt to examine the role to be played by Environmental Education (E.E.) in the secondary school Geography syllabus in a future South Africa. At the present time and since the commencement of this study new interim syllabi have been formulated for Standard 2-7. Interim syllabi for Standards 8 - 10 have not been formulated and a decision has been made by the National Department of Education to continue using the existing syllabi until the year 2001 when the existing matriculation examination will fall away. It is the intention of the educational authorities to have all interim syllabi operational in the country's schools by 1996 at the latest with the first unified provincial education department examinations for Standard 10 to be written at the end of 1996. The process of formulating completely new curricula and syllabi for all subjects and standards has already begun. This process will be a lengthy one and could take up to 5 years or more to complete. This study should be seen as a contribution to the deliberations which must inevitably occur before completely new curricula and syllabi are formulated. The qualitative nature of most of the study as well as the empirical study described in Chapter Eight allow for ideas and suggestions on the incorporation of E.E. in the new syllabus as well as pointers to be made on what should constitute the new syllabus. The ideas and suggestions forwarded have been based on a fairly extensive review of current literature in the field as well as on the author's eighteen years of teaching and lecturing experience and membership of various educational committees involved in syllabus formulation. Besides a review of current literature in the fields of Geographical Education, E.E., Development Education, Sustainability, Education for Sustainable living and Syllabus Formulation, chapters in this study will deal.with the current position of E.E. in South Africa as well as in the education system, the position of E.E. in the current secondary school Geography syllabi in South Africa, the position of E.E. in the current secondary school Geography Syllabi in a selected number of other countries, including a fairly detailed examination of the position in selected African countries. A background scenario is then provided to the formulation of a new secondary school Geography syllabus in South Africa before a series of recommendations are forwarded on what should constitute a new syllabus. Empirical studies on the incorporation of E.E. into the Geography syllabus are examined to provide support for the contention of this study that much scope remains for the inclusion of more E.E. into a new syllabus. Such inclusion would of necessity include elements of the concepts of development education and sustainability. Every attempt needs to be made to transform existing syllabi into something more relevant and meaningful to the pupils of today. Of necessity a process of 'Africanising' of the syllabus would be required as part of the process of syllabus renewal so as to cater more appropriately for the needs of the majority of pupils who will be studying the subject. In addition every attempt must be made to achieve a phase three status for the new Syllabus as advocated by Graves (1981). This study is presented as a contribution to education and more specifically to Geography teaching in South Africa. Every effort is made to provide a case for the study of Geography in the new curriculum which will emerge and to have E.E. as a central focus in the study of the subject. The Government's proposal to introduce an outcomes/competencies based curriculum and to shift emphasis away from the subject-based curriculum presently in existence will obviously have ramifications for Geography as a subject as we know it at present. It is the contention of this study, however, that a place will have to be found, in some form, for the study of what we now label Geography in the present syllabus. The intention of this study was never to actually formulate a new syllabus as such as this of necessity needs a lengthy process of dialogue and consultation between all interested stake-holders and role players. It is hoped, however, that some of the ideas contained in this study will be considered in the deliberations which take place. Finally, the dramatic political changes which have occurred in South Africa in recent years have inevitably produced changes in the educational sphere. These changes may have appeared to be a bit slow at first but have definitely recently picked up in intensity. This study has been conducted during this period of change, beginning with the start of the study in January 1992 through to the start of the original writing up of the study in January - April 1995. The changing scenarios have definitely not made it easy for the author but every attempt has been made to represent the position as accurately as possible as it was as at the end of April, 1995. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

The primary aim of this study is to attempt to evaluate by means of a case-study, the appropriateness of fieldwork as a way of teaching the new ecology section of the high school geography syllabus viz. 'Ecosystems, Environmental Balance and Conservation'. The study shows the value and importance of fieldwork to develop in pupils an awareness of environmental issues and conservation principles. Evidence collected during the course of the case-study is used to evaluate the nature of fieldwork. The case-study which comprises this thesis concerns the ecological and environmental fieldwork undertaken by a randomly selected sample of 24 standard ten higher-grade pupils studying geography at Glenwood High School in Durban during August 1987. The case-study site was the Pigeon Valley natural area in Glenwood, Durban. The fieldwork undertaken used a field-research approach recommended for use by senior high school pupils. Various conclusions and recommendations arising out of ecological fieldwork and the case-study evaluation, are presented. These include: 1) Fieldwork is a particularly appropriate method to use to teach this new section of the syllabus, as shown by pupil enjoyment and pupil success in completing the fieldwork tasks set them in the exercise. 2) Two fieldwork methods should be used - a traditional fieldwork approach for junior high school classes and a field research approach (with a built-in problem/issue based component) for senior high school classes. 3) Fieldwork is important not only as a substitute for systematic teaching of the section but also for revision purposes. 4) Case-study evaluation and the use of triangulation are appropriate for the purposes of this study. This study is presented as a contribution to geography teaching, in South Africa, particularly the area of fieldwork, but the qualitative nature of the study and the very nature of case-study research, however, prevent totally conclusive results from being obtained. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This thesis investigated the role that folklore can play in contemporary environmental problems. This research was prompted by people living around the Mantrombi nature reserve in the Nebo region of Limpopo province who showed and interest in reviving folklore as an education model to combat their existing environmental problems.

This research explores the potential for engaging teachers in school-based environmental education curriculum development processes by using camera. The research, through its epistemological and ontological position, is closely linked to educational orientations associated with aspects of outcomes-based educational transformation in South Africa. A participatory approach that recognises teachers as co-researchers, each bringing to the inquiry her or his questions and constructions of meaning, was adopted. Participatory inquiry was initiated by setting up cluster meetings that allowed for teacher inputs through open dialogic processes. Fundamental to the inquiry is the notion that context shapes curriculum and curriculum development processes. It was from this orientation that a group of 13 teachers, using cameras to create visual narratives, explored their own diverse and complex contexts. These narratives (or stories) form the basis for further inquiry and development of sophistication with respect to the concept of environment. The research process is critically and reflexively documented as a series of field and research texts constructed from a variety of data sources gathered over the period of one year. The work is presented as a process of engaging critically with environmental education curriculum development and an opportunity to raise questions, rather than seek answers in this regard.