172
However, the age-appropriateness of such a strategy for primary school pupils
must be always considered. For example, the Czech programme ‘The School for
Sustainable Development’ is based on principles of place-based education, i.e. linking the school curricula with the local community (Sobel 2005; Stone and Barlow
2005; Smith 2007). In the programme, students from grades 3 to 7 were able to
accomplish their projects aiming to improve the local environment (e.g. planting a
tree, placing a new bench or dustbin, constructing a table with information about the
place). However, they did not deal with any controversial local issues, as the teachers preferred manageable, non-controversial projects that were accepted by the local
municipality.
This experience demonstrates the difference between the intended curriculum
and curriculum in action – while the programme was presented as issue-oriented, it
was delivered in a consensual, non-controversial way. It also documents that engaging primary school learners in dealing with real controversial issues, while recommended strategy for education for Environmental Citizenship (Gruenewald 2008),
could bring significant challenges on both students’ and teachers’ competence and
thus required appropriate scaffolding and specific teacher professional development
(Reis 2014a, b).
11.5 Conclusion
To summarise, the period of primary formal education is a time for building bases
for the further development of Environmental Citizenship competence. We discussed the main learning outcomes related to Education for Environmental
Citizenship in primary school and drew on the specialised literature to identify key
features of effective educational interventions for promoting active, responsible citizens who are deeply engaged in environmental issues. Finally, we presented several
pedagogical approaches with a high potential to integrate those key features and
comment on some experiences that provide primary school students with the opportunities to become agents of change in their local communities. However, the successful implementation of educational interventions for promoting Environmental
Citizenship at primary school required appropriate approaches and specific teacher
training.
A closer look at the specialised literature suggests that further research is necessary to better understand how to support Environmental Citizenship from the
early ages.
In particular, we suggest three lines of future work necessary to advance research
in the field of Education for Environmental Citizenship:
• Identification of successful educational interventions, effective pedagogical
approaches and key designing principles for promoting Environmental
Citizenship at primary school
J. Činčera et al.
However, the age-appropriateness of such a strategy for primary school pupils
must be always considered. For example, the Czech programme ‘The School for
Sustainable Development’ is based on principles of place-based education, i.e. linking the school curricula with the local community (Sobel 2005; Stone and Barlow
2005; Smith 2007). In the programme, students from grades 3 to 7 were able to
accomplish their projects aiming to improve the local environment (e.g. planting a
tree, placing a new bench or dustbin, constructing a table with information about the
place). However, they did not deal with any controversial local issues, as the teachers preferred manageable, non-controversial projects that were accepted by the local
municipality.
This experience demonstrates the difference between the intended curriculum
and curriculum in action – while the programme was presented as issue-oriented, it
was delivered in a consensual, non-controversial way. It also documents that engaging primary school learners in dealing with real controversial issues, while recommended strategy for education for Environmental Citizenship (Gruenewald 2008),
could bring significant challenges on both students’ and teachers’ competence and
thus required appropriate scaffolding and specific teacher professional development
(Reis 2014a, b).
11.5 Conclusion
To summarise, the period of primary formal education is a time for building bases
for the further development of Environmental Citizenship competence. We discussed the main learning outcomes related to Education for Environmental
Citizenship in primary school and drew on the specialised literature to identify key
features of effective educational interventions for promoting active, responsible citizens who are deeply engaged in environmental issues. Finally, we presented several
pedagogical approaches with a high potential to integrate those key features and
comment on some experiences that provide primary school students with the opportunities to become agents of change in their local communities. However, the successful implementation of educational interventions for promoting Environmental
Citizenship at primary school required appropriate approaches and specific teacher
training.
A closer look at the specialised literature suggests that further research is necessary to better understand how to support Environmental Citizenship from the
early ages.
In particular, we suggest three lines of future work necessary to advance research
in the field of Education for Environmental Citizenship:
• Identification of successful educational interventions, effective pedagogical
approaches and key designing principles for promoting Environmental
Citizenship at primary school
J. Činčera et al.