Insights into the integration of environmental education in the senior phase

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to explore how and why senior phase teachers are capable or incapable of integrating environmental education in teaching and learning process. From anecdotal evidence during the work integrated learning process, it was observed that teachers do not necessarily integrate environmental education, and this became the purpose of the study to find out why they do not. Consequently, a research method used was qualitative interpretative multiple case study design in one of the districts of the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. We selected three teachers who separately teach life orientation, natural sciences, and technology in grade 7 as participants from the schools. Data collection tools were interviews and observations. Teachers were interviewed in their schools and some of their lessons were observed. Data was analysed using a typology approach. We inferred from the results and findings of the paper that these teachers had problems with the integration of environmental education. The problems ranged from the lack of understanding of what is environmental education to misconceptions of the concepts of environment and environmental education. With these challenges it is not surprising that even the ones that could integrate were not aware that they did integrate environmental education. It is therefore suggested that it was not a lost cause at all as they had glimpses of how to integrate environmental education which argues well for the recommendation that the micro foundation of in-service interventions to capacitate teachers on how to integrate environmental education across all the subjects should be done. Further studies are recommended on the effectiveness of the in-service workshops that focuses on the integration of environmental education.