Importance Of Environmental Learning

) There are many environmental learning strategies or approaches but some of them are more appropriate as learners are more engaged with the environmental problem. (EETAP,1998;2001) The learners need to participate in activities that respect the environment.(Centre for Educational Research and Innovations, 1991:7) Examples of more appropriate learning strategies are active learning, authentic learning, problem solving and critical thinking. Active learning is participating in environmental education and thinking of the critical issues and coming up with solutions.(Morris & Stoney, 1997) Authentic learning is learning about the real issues and threats to the environment around the learners and actually being able to see the issues and trying

All learners are different ages, ability, learning style and the learning difficulties so the lessons need to be able to help all the different learners with how they learn and what they are learning. For environmental learning to be successful, the work needs to be age appropriate to the learners. The learners all have different learning abilities and have different learning styles and things that they struggle to with whilst learning are all very different. Learners of different ages also have different characteristics than younger or older learners so that therefore needs to be taken into consideration with environmental education. There are many different types of learning styles and all learners are either auditory, visual or tactile learners. Auditory learners will do better if they can listen to the lesson being taught and hear about everything in the lesson. Visual learners will be able to do better if they can see what is going on and what they are being taught. Pictures or a video will help these learners as they will be able to visualise what they are learning about. The third type is tactile learning. These learners learn best when they are able to actually do something with their hands and actually touch and construct

It takes everything around us to learn about the environment as everything around us is the environment. Teaching materials such as blackboards and there should also be learner materials such as textbooks and these should be available at any time. The learning environment should be able to function as a learning area. The learning area should make children want to work and make them excited to be in this learning environment. There should be many posters and images and even models of things portrayed in the classroom as this will make the learners want to work. It will encourage them to get involved in the learning experience. The learners should be able to relate their work and their learning environment to their homes. They should be comfortable enough to take the lead and start organising their learning experience and take control of their situations. In this learning environment the learners should learn the skills and their personal skills and be aware of these. Their learning experience should be of a high quality learning as this will help them to look after the environment that they are in and apply it to any situation they are in. (Lodewijks, 2001:35) (Johann Dreyer: