TOPIC 4: SKILL AND EXPERTISE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: (GE: 145)

GE: 145: TOPIC 4: SKILL AND EXPERTISE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION:

4.1 Methods in teaching environmental education

 4.2 Environmental conservation skills (Use reduction, re-use, recycling)

 4.3 Waste management skills

 4.4 Energy saving technology.

4.1 METHODS IN TEACHING/LEARNING ENVIRONMENTAL                  EDUCATION

•        Field study method

•        Group discussion

•        Role play.

•        Situation analysis.

•        Environmental games

•        Debates and discussions.

•        Television & films (video tapes).

•        Project method

•        Field survey.

**All EE methods have to be necessary active and participatory in nature**

•        GROUP DISCUSSION METHOD.

        -Whole discussion method

        -Small discussion method

•        Whole discussion method

-Is a modified form of the lecture method where by an instructor will stand before a class and present  a theme or an environmental issue for the students to learn, but the students will also participate by answering questions and providing examples.

•        Pros of the whole group discussion

-Students feel more comfortable asking questions during whole group discussions.

-Students  become more attentive to the lesson because they might be called on to answer questions.

-Provide for greater interaction between teacher and students.

-Instructors maintain a greater control over what is being taught because they are able to steer/follow the discussion.

•        Cons of Whole Group Discussion Method:

-Some students may not feel comfortable being put on the spot during a whole group discussion.

-        Students who are weak in note-taking skills will have trouble understanding what they should remember from group discussions.

-         If the rules are not set and enforced then there is a possibility that the discussion could quickly go off-topic.

-        Small group discussion

- Is a method of teaching whereby students discuss issues in question  into  small groups, supervised by the teacher.

Advantages of small group discussion

-        Motivation to learn independently

-        Deeper and longer-lasting understanding.

-        Encourage participation from students who are reluctant to speak in larger groups .

Disadvantages of small group discussion

-        It is time-consuming

-        May be difficult to grade or evaluate.

-        Some students may resist to work with group members assigned to work with.

-        Is not suitable for very large classes

**THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION   METHOD.

-        To set clear goals.

-        To  listen, respond,  handling quieter and dominant students.

-        To provide all students with the opportunity to participate, valuing all questions, paying attention to students' attitudes, and

-        Putting students in groups according to their skills and abilities.

E-LEARNING

Refers to the use of electronic media, information and communication technologies (ICT) in education.

E-learning includes numerous types of media that deliver text, audio, images, animation, also includes technology applications and processes such as  or video tapes, satellite TV, and computer-based learning.

-        Eg.Television & films (video tapes).

There are various TV programmers, films or video tapes of environmental natural which show examples of good or bad practices of managing   the environment.

 Videos allow teachers to reach students who are visual learners and tend to learn best by seeing the nature rather than hearing or reading about it only.

Teachers can access video clips through the internet instead of relying on DVDs.

- Websites like YouTube can be used by teachers to let the student view the current environmental issues.

Advantages of E- learning

-        Motion pictures easily motivate children in learning hence become more attentive.

-        Movement or sequence of the environmental events can be shown clearly.

-        They are adaptable to large or small groups.

-        Students get real picture of the environmental issue in question hence develop a sense of caring.

Disadvantages of E- Learning.

-        Mostly are not suitable for students with visual impairment.

-        Need special training of the use of technology inside the classrooms before; for connection of the devices and on how to coordinate the teacher’s explanation with the use of videos.

-        Expensive in terms of time and monetary value.

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT.

Discuss the following as the methods of teaching Environmental Education; Inviting guest speaker, situation analysis, and project method.

GROUP QUESTION 12

Prepare a field trip study to take the whole class in any industry in Mwanza. A trip which will let the students to understand  the nature & sources of raw materials used in production  processes, working conditions and safety of its employees disposal of wastes & location of factory in relation to natural and social environment.(HG unity academic & galaxy groups)

Definition of a field trip method.

 A trip by students to gain firsthand knowledge away from the classroom, as to a factory, geological area, national park, or environment of certain plants and animals.

Preparation for field trip.

Before the Trip, Teachers Should:

-Set clear specific objectives /what do you want students to acquire at the end of the trip.

-Visit the site to find connections to curricula, assess potential problems, and plan how the students could best use their time.

- Inform the people concern on what exactly do you want the students to observe.

-Give as much context as possible so that the students will understand what they see. Teachers might consider having the students do something before they reach the place particularly the list questions they have, expectations for their visit, or plans for ways to use what they will see.

 -The teacher should Set standards of respectful behavior and inform the students.

-Arrange all matters concerning the transport, safety and accommodation.

-The school authority and parents should be informed about the trip.

-Tell students on what materials they support to carry during the trip like cameras, small tape recorders, or mandates to record specific information. When the class is back at school, they can compile a complete picture.

 During the Trip.

Teachers Should: Build in opportunities for students to view the site or work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. On a trip to the industry, for example, the students could be asked an open-ended question like, "Find the nature & sources of raw materials used in production  processes, working conditions and safety of its employees,  disposal of wastes & location of factory in relation to natural and social environment”

After the Trip:

Allow the students to synthesize their experience creatively. Let them write the report of their trip based on the question given before. They might also present their experience orally to another class or write about their trip in the school magazine.

Benefits of Field Trips

-        Field trips bring classroom study alive for students and help them remember and relate to what they have learned.

-        They provide rich resources that can rarely be approximated in the classroom. They also help connect school to the world.

-        Field trips provide new cultural contexts for literature and provoke questions.

-        Field trips stimulate and focus class work by helping students synthesize information

Disadvantages of field trip

-        It takes an incredible amount of planning. You must figure out transportation issues, food and alternate plans in the event of inclement weather, if the trip is to a location outdoors. You must make sure that every child has a signed permission form, that you have emergency contact and information available on each student (including allergies or other health problems).

-        It is costly in terms of time and money.

NB: As the conclusion the groups have to show how they would do to prepare the above trip.

 QUESTION 13:  Prepare a 20 minutes lesson using a role play method on any topic on environmental education to the form two classes (Rivals group & universal groups)

Definition of the role plays method

Aronson and Carlsmith (1968) described the role playing study as ‘an |as-if'experiment in which the subject is asked to behave as if he [or she] were a particular

person in a particular situation’

Four elements of the role play methods

- The first element is that the activity builds on knowledge the students

already possess about a particular topic context (McDaniel, 2000, p 357). A teacher

cannot expect students to role-play about something they have no prior knowledge of.

-The second element is to design the roles yourself to maximize student involvement and

student conflict. Having conflicting perspectives is a must (McDaniel, 2000, p 358).

-The third element is to set up a specific situation.

Do not let the students go without giving them a focal point for debate (McDaniel, 2000, p 359).

-The last element is the instructor’s limited involvement and willingness to be flexible. The instructor needs to guide the students along, but not overbear the conversation and let the students take their own path to understanding (McDaniel, 2000, p 360).

Advantages of the Role-play method.

-It  introduces student to “real-world” situations (Oberle, 2004).

- Positive and safe in dealing with attitudes and feelings, they provide a

safe venue for expressing personal and sometimes unpopular attitudes and opinions, and

-Role-playing is highly motivating as the majority of students enjoy these types of

activities and become more inspired learners.

Disadvantages

it takes willing participation and effort on the students' parts. Also, it is more time consuming and may take more planning.:

REFENCES

 Aronson, E. & Carlsmith, J. M. (1968). Experimentation in social psychology. The

handbook of social psychology, 2(2), 1-79.

 McDaniel, K. N. (2000). Four elements of successful historical role-playing in the

classroom. History Teacher, 33(3), 357-362.

Oberle, A. P. (2004). Understanding public land management through role-playing.

Journal of Geography, 103(5), 199-210.

4.2: WASTE MANAGEMENT SKILLS

v  Definition of waste

v  Factors for increase of waste.

v  Definition of waste management

v  General methods of waste disposal

v  Types of waste and their disposal methods in Tanzania

Definition of waste

Waste can be defined as unwanted or unusable items, remains, or by products (Encarta dictionary, 2009).

Factors for increase in amount and variety of waste in most countries.

Population growth

- Urbanization

- Industriazation and

-Rising standards’ of living .

Definition of Waste management

Is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring of waste materials.

General Methods of solid waste disposal

•       Landfills

•       Incineration

•       Source reduction

•       Recycling

(Getis & Fellmann, 2011)

Landfills

Where the solid waste is deposited in sanitary landfills and covered by the soil.

NB:  Most landfills produce leachate; the liquids that pollute underground water. Leachate forms when precipitation entering the landfills.

Incineration

Where the waste is burnt in special facility for burning waste =incinerators.

-          Burning waste in open dump is the old method of doing it which result into air pollution.

-          It is expensive method (US burn only 16% of the national total trash by using this method).

Source reduction

-          Means producing less waste in the first place so as to shrink the volume of waste

-          In so doing   the monetary and environmental cost associated with landfills and incinerators will be lowered.

-          Manufacturers can reduce the amount of papers, plastics, glass and metal they use to pack food and consumer products.

E.g- Detergent and beverages can be produced in concentrated form and parked in small containers.

Recycling

Is the recovery and the reprocessing or reuse of previously used material into new product for the same or another purpose.

E.g.- Glass bottles can be crushed, melted and made into new glasses.

        -Plastics can be recycled into fiber for carpet

NB: Recycling of plastics is difficult because there many types of plastic containers and must be separated before being recycled.

Types of waste in Tanzania

According to the revised draft environmental management (solid waste management) regulations, 2009.

NB: The environment management is under the office of vice president of the United Republic of Tanzania.

The paper shows types of waste, treatment/recycling and final disposal methods in form of table as shows

WASTE TYPES AND THEIR DISPOSAL METHODS IN TANZANIA

Type of Waste	Treatment/Recycling method	Final Disposal Method
Domestic or Institutional waste(Organic)		Sanitary landfill or landfill
Institutional Waste (paper)	Recycling	-
Clinical waste (Mercury containing waste)	-High Temperature incineration -Collection for recovery overseas	Ash special landfill
Market waste (Vegetable)	Composting	-
All sources of plastic waste	Recycling
Pesticides waste and used containers	High Temperature incineration	Ash sanitary landfill
	Decontamination waste water – industrial waste water treatment	Sludge – sanitary landfill

Pharmaceutical waste	High Temperature incineration	Ash – landfill/sanitary landfill
Industrial waste (chemical)	High Temperature incineration	Ash – sanitary landfill/landfill
Industrial waste (plastic)	Recycling
Industrial waste (Organic) fishing, brewery molt	Recycling to produce animal feed
Industrial waste (heavy metals such as waste battery	Recovery of heavy metals neutralization of acids, recycling of plastics
Clinical waste (Mercury containing waste)	High Temperature incineration Collection for recovery overseas	Ash special landfill
Waste oil fossil fuel	Produce lube oil. use as source of energy in boilers.	Incineration
Waste EEE	- Recovery of metal parts - Crushing of thermostat material for use as filler material in construction activities such as road construction
Waste oil (transformer oil)	Decontamination	Incineration
Agricultural waste oil cake.(The solid residue that is left after certain oily seeds have been pressed free of their oil)	Recycling – animal feed production
Agricultural waste husks/dry leaves	Reuse as energy source in boilers

4:3 ENERGY SAVING TECHNOLOGY

•       Definition of energy saving

•       Advantages of energy saving

•       How should we save energy

•       Alternative energy sources

DEFINITION OF ENERGY SAVING

Energy saving/efficiency is the utilization of energy in the most cost effective manner; aiming at less  energy consumption while conducting any energy dependent activity.

Advantages of energy saving.

•       Reduces energy costs and may result in a financial cost saving to consumers.

•       Negative environmental impacts of energy consumption are minimized; ie helps to control global emissions of greenhouse gases.

How should we use energy sufficiently?

•       For sufficient energy saving we need both advanced technology and  behavior change towards energy utilization;

•       -houses

•       -industries and

•       -vehicles

In  houses

-          Use of energy efficient lighting like energy saver bulbs, tubes etc.

-           Example Compact fluorescent lights use one-third the energy of incandescent lights and may last 6 to 10 times longer.

-          Proper placement of windows and skylights as well as the use of architectural features that reflect light into a building can reduce the need for artificial lighting.

-          -Switch off the lights and other electrical utensils when not in using them.

-          Use types of stores, ovens that use less firewood a charcoal at household and institutional levels.

-          E.g. the TaTEDO ( Tanzania, Traditional Energy Development Organization) products. their products includes energy efficient fire wood stoves, efficient charcoal stoves and ovens

-          According to TaDEDO  over 80% of energy used by  Tanzanian household is for daily cooking and lighting.

-            500,000 heaters are deforested in Tanzanian each year to which the consumption of wood for fuel contributes.

In industries

-          Many industrial processes require large amounts of heat and mechanical power, most of which is delivered as natural gas, petroleum fuels and as electricity.

-           When electricity is generated, the heat that is produced as a by-product can be captured and used for process steam, heating or other industrial purposes.

-          Same of byproducts generated as waste can be used to produce electricity.

-          Also advanced boilers / furnaces can operate at higher temperatures while burn less fuel.

-          These technologies are more efficient and produce fever pollutant.

In vehicles

•       The rise of electric vehicles/hybrid electric which are not powered by fuel is the mainstream trend in automotive efficiency.

 -Plug- in hybrids also has   increased battery capacity which makes it possible to drive for limited distances without burning fuel.

•       Instead of using private transport for the sake of reducing the burning of fuel people are advised to use public vehicles.

Alternative energy

Is any energy source that is an alternative to fossil fuel?

 Is the energy produced without the undesirable consequences of fossil fuel use, particularly high carbon dioxide emissions, an important factor in global warming.

Some common types of alternative energy sources

•       Solar energy is the generation of electricity from the sun.

•       Wind energy is the generation of electricity from the wind.

•       Biogas energy is energy produced from decaying organic material.

Advantages of the common alternative energy

•       They are renewable energy sources.

•       Can be produced from regionally available raw materials.

•       Are environmentally friendly.