Section 1.8: Environmental Ethics
Activity 1.8.1: Some Questions
 Do you think that primary schools should:
 develop children's knowledge and understanding of the human and natural environments?
develop an appreciation of how the human and natural environments interact with each other and what the consequences of these interactions are?
adopt teaching approaches which educate the affective domain; children's' feelings and emotions about the environment?
teach
the skills that children need to work in the environment?
create formal opportunities for children to be involved in positive environmental action within their own schools and/or communities?
Activity 1.8.2: Ethical Stances
Look at the statements in Box 1.8.1, which illustrate positions within environmental ethics
Rank these ten statements in a diamond, as shown below, with the statement which is most important to you at the top and the least important at the bottom. Leave out the statement about which you know least or to which you are most indifferent.
1
2 2
4 4 4
7 7
9
Look at Table 1.8.1
Does your diamond ranking show an egocentric, homocentric or ecocentric stance, or a mixture of two or more of these ethical positions.
 Discuss your stance with a small group of students on your course. Are the stances within the group mainly egocentric, homocentric or ecocentric?
Activity 1.8.3: Four Choices
Read the four statements in Box 1.8.2
With which of these statements do you most agree?
Write a short description of the type of education that would be consistent with this statement.
Divide into small groups which consist of people who agree with the same statement. Each group is to:
Justify the view which they hold.
Outline an approach to primary school education which would be consistent with this view?
Activity 1.8.4: Schools of Thought in Environmental Ethics
Read the four boxes, Box 1.8.3
Principles of Sustainable Living, Box
1.8.4 Socially Critical Education, Box
1.8.5 Deep Ecology and Box
1.8.6 Social Ecology:
Describe the main differences between these four descriptions.
Select one of these descriptions or another description (perhaps religious, political or cultural) as the basis for a policy for EfS for a primary school.
Justify your choice.
Divide into small groups of people who have chosen the same description:
Describe
some key features of EfS for a primary school based on the description
that you chose. You should describe what the school’s curriculum
content, teaching strategies and whole school practices such as energy
use and recycling would be like. Alternatively the policy statement could
focus on the five themes listed below:
Describe
some key features of EfS for a primary school based on the description
that you chose. You should describe what the school’s curriculum
content, teaching strategies and whole school practices such as energy
use and recycling would be like. Alternatively the policy statement
could focus on the five themes listed below:.
the teacher.
the learner.
the school.
methods.
content.
Compare the key features identified by each group. What are the differences and similarities between the descriptions produced by different groups?
Do the key features based on different descriptions (deep ecology, social ecology, sustainable living etc.) vary significantly in the actions they advocate?
Write some guidelines for a policy for EfS based on these statements.
|
