Ecological education in the conditions of digital realities: the Russian national aspect

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the research is accounted for by the need to form a person’s supra-professional skills that are in demand in the context of the development of digitalisation of the living environment. The environment-focused mentality and lean production, along with other factors, are recognised by the employers as basic elements that can develop the employee’s professional flexibility, ability for interdisciplinary learning, generation of innovative ideas and actions, being in demand in the labour market. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the essential features of ecological education in the context of digitalisation of the Russian economy and the role of regional political structures therein. Materials and methods. Over 300 Russian citizens aged 18 to 65, residing in central Russia and the Far East, took part in the online survey. Results. It was revealed that 55% of the respondents assess the ecological state of their region as troubled and requiring concern, 3% estimate the ecological state of the region as excellent, 90% believe that schools need to introduce a special discipline dealing with environmental safety, 42% believe that they have been taught the fundamentals of environmental safety within the framework of the school curriculum. The study showed the need to extend the range of eco-oriented programmes within the education system, as well as the willingness of the population to acquire competencies aimed at changing the human impact on the environment. Prospects for further research. The research results can be used in the process of development of preschool and basic-school educational programmes, in supplementary and extracurricular education for primary and secondary school learners, to cultivate the ecological principles as basic guidelines for the living environment of the society.