Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Environmental deterioration is increasing, thereby compelling greater human concern for the
earth's natural resources. A necessary response might be the establishment of an
environmental ethic through the development of effective goal-orientated projects which can
support the old adage or phrase saying, prevention is better than cure. Formal education can
play an important role in the development of a critical consciousness amongst learners.
However, this endeavour requires adjustments in teaching methods and techniques.
My study - which focuses on the establishment of an environmental ethic within learners and
the community, by starting an environmental club - is an attempt to respond to this challenge.
Action-research, a research method which responds to the positive impulses of environmental
education, was a research method used in this study to reflect critically on the quality of the
environment in which we are living.
Initially my study concentrated on learners and members from a historically disadvantaged
community. Critical reflection on the first phase of my project revealed that the position
adopted by me as a research-worker, was positivistic. A lack of perseverance in performing
the grass-root actions, especially where it concerned me as researcher during the first phase,
caused my efforts to establish an environmental club to fail.
The opportunity to work with learners who really attempted to establish a better environment
through involvement in simple projects, was implemented with greater enthusiasm in the
second phase of the project.
Although the predominant socio-economic conditions in the community involved in the
project affected the environmental projects, this study serves as a case study which can give
direction to similar studies conducted in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende omgewingsagteruitgang noodsaak 'n groter menslike besorgdheid met
betrekking tot natuurlike hulpbronne. Die daarstelling van 'n omgewingsetiek deur die
ontwikkeling van doelgerigte projekte wat die ou gesegde voorsorg voorkom nasorg kan
ondersteun, is nodig. Formele onderwys kan in dié opsig 'n belangrike rol speel in die
ontwikkeling van 'n kritiese ingesteldheid by leerders, maar hierdie strewe verg aanpassings
in onderrigmetodes en -tegnieke.
My navorsing, wat op die daarstelling van 'n omgewingsetiek by leerders en die gemeenskap
deur die stigting van 'n omgewingsklub fokus, is 'n poging om op hierdie uitdaging te reageer.
Aksie-navorsing, 'n navorsingsmetode wat meer as net gehoor gee aan die positiewe impulse
van omgewingsopvoeding, is as 'n navorsingsmetode gebruik waardeur daar gepoog is om op
'n kritiese manier te besin oor die kwaliteit van die omgewing waarin ons ons bevind.
In my studie is daar gekonsentreer op leerders vanuit 'n histories agtergeblewe gemeenskap.
'n Kritiese terugskouing op die eerste fase van die projek, het die allesoorheersende posisie
van my as navorser ten opsigte van die uitvoering van die navorsingsprojek aangedui. Hierdie
posisie kan as positivisties beskryf word. 'n Gebrek aan deursettingsvermoë, veral van die
kant van my as navorser in die uitvoering van voetsooiaksies, het veroorsaak dat my poging
tot die daarstelling van 'n omgewingsklub met die eerste fase, grootliks gefaal het.
Die geleentheid om met leerders te werk wat werklik 'n poging aangewend het om 'n beter
omgewing daar te stel deur betrokkenheid in eenvoudige projekte, is met groter entoesiasme
in die tweede fase van die projek ontvang.
Alhoewel die heersende sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede van die gemeenskap waarbinne die
projek ontplooi het, 'n uitwerking op die omgewingsaksies gehad het, dien hierdie navorsing
ook as 'n rigtinggewende maatstafvir soortgelyke navorsing in die toekoms.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52790 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Swarts, Petrus Andre |
| Contributors | Le Grange, L. L. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 90 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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