SPECIFIC FEATURES OF TEACHING THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF UNTSUKULSKY DISTRICT

Abstract

Aim. The aim of the work is to identify the specific features of teaching the concept of sustainable development in the general education establishments of the Untsukul District of Dagestan. Methodology. Were used the methods of empirical study, test results of students of 5-11 grades of secondary schools, obtained during the expedition to the given region. The questionnaires and tests were developed by the staff of the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development of DSU. A total of 1825 anonymous questionnaires were analyzed. Of these, 1011 questionnaires in 5-8th grades; 499 in 9-11th grades as well as 315 teachers. Statistical processing of expedition data is based on well-known techniques using the Statistica software. Results. The analyzed data showed a negative downward trend in the level of both general and ecological knowledge. The findings of our previous studies in some other districts and cities of Dagestan coincide with those obtained in the Untsukulsky district, thus the findings reflect the general situation of the environmental education in Dagestan schools which is the students’ unbalanced knowledge in certain sections of the curriculum. In the analysis of students’ knowledge, it was revealed that the knowledge gained in the course of teaching biology dominates rather than from the course of geography. Our long-term extensive studies show deficiencies in the education system, including environmental training and, as a consequence, the likely complexity of the transition to a modern educational innovation paradigm. Conclusion. The results of empirical and statistical studies have revealed a low level of ecological knowledge of schoolchildren. We propose the introduction of a separate discipline "Ecology and Sustainable Development" to meet the requirements set by the society towards the modern education.