Η συμβολή των θετικών επιστημών στην περιβαλλοντική εκπαίδευση και στην ευαισθητοποίηση των μαθητών σε θέματα αειφορίας και προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος

Abstract

It is scientifically proven that in recent decades the state of the environment has deteriorated and the relationship between humans and nature has been disrupted. The revision of this situation can be achieved through a development framework whose main pillar is Sustainability. It is therefore imperative that the education of the younger generations includes environmental awareness-raising methods and innovative environmental programs to familiarize future citizens with issues of sustainability and sustainable development. In this work, an attempt is made to identify approaches related to environmental education in schools, through the prism of the sciences. Science education and environmental education are two fields with many common methodological features, related goals, objectives, and evolutionary path. Through this work, it becomes clear that their relationship is collaborative. The contribution of the sciences to the educational process for the environment and Sustainability is also presented through examples. Included are two environmental programs related to recycling and aquaculture which were implemented by groups of students in the context of raising awareness on environmental issues. As part of these activities, students acquired knowledge and skills and developed a system of values of responsibility and respect for the environment. They also shaped their own worldview and were trained to function as part of a larger system that they must protect, maintain, and pass on to future generations. The conclusions from these two projects and their contribution are presented both at the cognitive level and at the level of student behavior. Environmental education emerges as a beacon of education and culture, which can lift the limitations and eliminate the perceptions that exist today, leading in the future the new generations to behaviors that respect and protect the environment.