Abstract
Environmental education (EE) has become the only tool for environmental sustainability in training processes in Colombia, for basic cycles in primary and secondary, as well as university education. EE tends to transform human actions in nature, based on multidisciplinary knowledge that supports decision-making. Its goal is to generate a change in social behavior in order to achieve the recovery, conservation, and preservation of the environment. In Colombia, education for sustainable development (ESD) is embedded in EE. These educational models (EE and ESD) seek to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), which generally seek the economic and social well-being of nations, both for current and future generations. Environmental engineering is a relatively new degree course in Colombia and Latin America since it appeared in the mid-nineties, and it must involve EE within its curriculum. Students are trained in this trend. This research intends to demonstrate, through a curricular review of the environmental engineering curricula and also surveying students from this degree, the level of inclusion of EE in Latin America. Strengths are identified in the curricula, such as the strong presence of EE in disciplinary subjects and opportunities for improvement based on the needs of the students. The situation in South America is also included in this study.
Highlights
Humanity faces changes that appear to be irreversible
Some courses like environmental policy, ecology, and environmental impact are in this same line, but they only represent, on average, 5% of the courses in the study plans, with the environmental engineering program of the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia having the most representativeness, namely, 8% of subjects had courses dedicated to Environmental education (EE)
While students and the country goals indicate the need for an environmental engineer that knows and manages strategies in this regard, the curricula in Colombia incorporated only 5% of these aspects
Summary
Humanity faces changes that appear to be irreversible These changes are the result of bad actions and social development, with little or no environmental responsibility, establishing a series of global challenges such as climate change and the degradation of natural resources [1]. These challenges concern universities and their programs, so much so that broader definitions are found about the integration of the environment into these programs, Vidiella, defined the university as “a place where awareness must be created so that humans, through their activity, have promoted socioenvironmental changes in recent years; likewise, integrally train people so that they are capable of understanding society and intervening in it with the aim of improving it” [2]. It is assumed that due to the characteristics of university environments, where research and scientific advances are born or amplified, the novel characteristics of EDS should at least be addressed or evaluated [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
