Natural resource agencies are faced with the challenge of educating a public that has become more urban and removed from the resource base, at the same time that agency revenues have declined. This study sought to identify wildlife and environmental education programs that planners for adult organizations in an urban Virginia area were likely to request for presentation to their groups. It was hypothesized that adult organizations would be receptive to programs that were offered on a free and readily available basis, and that programs specifically about wildlife were more likely to be requested than topics on nature or the environment. / Master of Science

M.Ed. / The aim and purpose of the study is to explore the Natural Science (NS) teachers' perceptions of their teaching competence in Senior Phase township schools in Soweto. An in-depth literature review on theoretical perspective in Natural Science teachers' perceptions of their teaching competence in Senior Phase indicated that these partially addressed the key questions of the study, namely: what are the perceptions ofNatural Science teachers' about their teaching competence in Senior Phase township schools? What competences are perceived to enhance and contribute to Natural Science teaching in Senior Phase schools m Soweto? This study identifies a number of motivational competences that have been derived from current theories. The theory developed from the literature on NS teachers' competences review, facilitated the development of an empirical research. Qualitative research was conducted to explore NS teachers' perceptions of their teaching competence in Senior Phase schools in Soweto. This was with a view to facilitating the improvement thereof wherever necessary. Seven NS teachers from three Diepkloof Senior Phase schools were sampled. It also emerged from the findings of the research that there are, teachers who are not qualified to teach NS subject at the Senior Phase level. There also seems to be a lack of competent N.S. teachers in Senior Phase schools in Soweto. The high numbers of learners in NS classes create challenges for NS teachers to provide individual attention to learners. NS laboratories are poorly equipped and that the district officials do not provide sufficient support to NS teachers so that they can be more effective in their teaching. The study gave the researcher the opportunity to explore the teaching competence ofNS teachers in three Senior Phase township schools in Soweto, where the competence gap had already been expressed. There were many challenges identified by the findings. A comprehensive picture of the many inter-dependant aspects affecting the NS teaching competencies was acquired. The research conducted gave the researcher the motivational framework to establish both the current level ofNS teaching competence and the ideal levels of competences to which the three schools and other schools nationwide could aspire.

D.Ed. / Man is dependant on the environment for his essential requirements and welfare. In the current technological era our world is being irreversibly damaged through the lack of long term vision, due mainly to ignorance of the surroundings man finds himself in. This research focuses on the feasibility of Environmental Education as a perspective on the content of General Science of the compulsory school phase. The researcher feels confident that Environmental Education would indeed add a positive dimension to the future teaching of General Science. The researcher points out that Environmental Education is essential to future generations. Research is directed towards the attainability of Environmental Education in formal Education. A new-found demand faces the General Science teacher. The researcher points out that change is irrevocably due to the technological advances and development together with the adjoining dynamic expectations and demands of society. Mankind's and environment's history has clearly shown that the environment is secondary to progress. The environment must satisfy man's ever growing demands. The contrary hasn't been proven up to date. Man is insensitive to and ignorant about the demands of the environment. The corruption of a once healthy interaction between man and environment is unfortudately a result of man's impetance, insensitivity and ignorance of the environment. Therefore man must take the initiative to restore the environment to a sustainable system where man and his environment can flourish. This research proves a lack of legislation in the necessary nationwide Environmental Education. Environmental Education is far removed from its rightful place in education, not featuring in General Science but through the inclusion of the biophysical surroundings. General Science finds its roots in the biophysical dimension of the environment. The researcher has found that the total environment is only casually referred to in its political, economical and social dimensions.

Relevance to the California science, history, and social-science frameworks.

Rim of the World Unified School District -- 4th, 5th, and 6th grades.

The problem in this study is to determine the worth of natural science as an incentive to the learning of the retarded pupils in the group, and as a means of orienting the new pupils in the group.

A guide for the training of presenters of the NatureScope series -- Correlations between California's Science Framework..., NatureScope, Project WILD, Project WILD Aquatic, & Project Learning Tree.

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Field guide -- Map -- Nature trail plant species -- Plant identification key -- Species test plot -- Climate -- Cloud identification -- Desert soils -- Tortoise station -- Animal track and pond.

Human activities that involve interactions amongst three players i.e. nature, humans and technology, continue to impact negatively on the Earth's biosphere. The impact is tremendous: consumption of resources at an unsustainable level leading to rapid loss of natural resources and biodiversity. The plea to reverse this negative trend is as valid now as it were many years ago. While some progress has been made to develop strategies to wisely manage and protect the Earth's resources, the state of the environment is still fragile. Strategies are far from satisfactory: hence the grounds for a new commitment in a manner best suited to a country's needs and resources. In recent years, research in indigenous knowledge systems has been pursued in an attempt to develop a deeper understanding of its complex linkages with the environment. Incorporating some of these linkages in the science curricula provides opportunities for learners to make informed choices to address individual and society's needs by extracting relevant elements from Western science and indigenous knowledge systems. This research focuses on the use of indigenous knowledge in science education offered to grade eight and nine learners in South African schools. As part of this education, science curricula, teaching methodologies and resources therefore should be developed in response to the changing needs of learners and their communities. A close look at the natural science learning area of Curriculum 2005 shows that the South African curriculum developers have under-used indigenous knowledge in the teaching and learning of science at school level. The conceptualization of an inclusive and just science education has been evaded. Perceptions elicited from a small group of academics, well versed in IK, indicate that the majority of South African science teachers will embrace the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the natural science learning area but will require significant assistance from the Department of Education. The key to deal with this daunting task is for the relevant role players to establish partnerships with the knowers and holders of indigenous knowledge and to operate in a neutral, noble and altruistic manner and that in itself in the present context is highly problematic. / Educational Studies / Thesis (D. Ed.)